Fire · SAG-AFTRA
Any sequence with sustained or controlled flame — full-body burns, propane bars, set-piece fires, fire breathing, gel-suit work — is governed by Bulletin #15. The bulletin extends Bulletin #4 into the specific case of sustained combustion rather than pyrotechnic charge.
Context
Fire is the safety category with the smallest margin: the failure mode of a gel-suit burn is silent — skin reaches second-degree damage before the performer feels it — so the protocol relies entirely on time-on-fire counting and immediate extinguishing. Bulletin #15 codifies the three-extinguisher minimum (CO₂, water-mist, and fire blanket within five feet of the performer for the entire take), the audible time-on-fire countdown by a dedicated safety officer, and the pre-cured gel layer thickness for the rated take duration. Daily take limits are enforced — typically no more than three full-body burns per performer per day — and after-action medical observation is mandatory regardless of the performer's reported state.
Requirements
Editorial summary of the bulletin's load-bearing requirements. The canonical PDF is the authoritative source — these are the surface points referenced in production safety briefings.
Three crew with extinguishers (CO₂, water-mist, fire blanket) within five feet of the performer for the duration of the burn.
A safety officer audibly counts elapsed time during the burn; performer has a rehearsed "I'm done" signal that triggers immediate extinguish.
Methylcellulose hydrogel layer is rated for the maximum take duration plus a 50% safety margin; the layer is applied directly to skin and protected by Nomex.
No more than three full-body burns per performer per day; consecutive takes are spaced for thermal recovery.
After every burn, the performer is medically observed regardless of perceived discomfort. Skin damage from gel-layer failure is not always self-reported.
Governs
Rigging glossary entries whose work is governed by this bulletin. Click through for the mechanism breakdown.
fire
The protective layer worn under flammable garments for full-body burn gags. The standard rig for any "stunt performer engulfed in flame" frame.
fire
Costume-routed propane tubing that produces a sustained, controllable flame for shots where the performer must remain on-camera and burning for more than 30 seconds.
References
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