YOU would have seen them on the big screen. Their moves are sleek and beautifully crafted. Yet, it is unlikely that you will know who they are.

They are stunt doubles. You would probably have seen TV programmes on the dangers of working as a stunt double, yet it is not likely you will be able to fully understand what they do.

However, I do, as I frequently work with them. I play a key supporting role - a clairvoyant adviser to the general (Chen Kun) - in the movie Painted Skin.

The film is based on a short story from the Chinese classic Liao Zhai, about a demon (Zhou Xun) who yearns for human love, but fails to understand the meaning of true love.

The movie begins in a desert in Yinchuan, China, with our army attacking a bandit's lair.

I experienced my first action scene there. The director told me what I had to do and asked a stuntman to show me.

I soon realised it was not as simple as it looked. It took an eternity for me to complete what was a 30-second sequence on screen. At the end of shooting that scene, my whole body was aching.

Being a fan of action movies, I would often sit behind the monitor and watch my co-actors do their action scenes when we arrived at our next location in Hengdian. Each take requires many hours of preparation, especially when it involves suspending actors from wires. Safety is always a top priority.

One night, a stuntman fell from the roof when two wires collided. He knocked his leg hard on the edge of the roof. But luckily for him, the X-rays showed no fracture. The incident was a reality check for me.

It could have changed that stuntman's life forever.

Because the only skill the stuntman had was martial arts, it would have been hard for him to find another job. He may have been covered by insurance for his injury, but his family would be hard-pressed to rely on him for financial support.

Essentially, stuntmen put their lives on the line so that stars can get their shot at fame - and all this for a better life.

It got me thinking that there are many people in society doing thankless jobs that go unappreciated. These are the people who are often taken for granted.

And like the stuntmen in China, they may not have a better choice. Whether it is the maid at home or the cleaner removing your tray at the food court, they are trying to make a living for themselves to provide for their families back home.

Without them, homes would be untidy and food courts would be filthy.

These people may not entertain you with stunts, but they do deserve your appreciation. So next time, please say "thank you" to them.

The writer is a former SPH MediaWorks artiste who acted in the sitcom Okay No Problem and Eric Khoo's anthology series 7th Month.

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