Kenny Bates

Having worked on hundreds of feature films, commercials and music videos alongside some of the biggest names in Hollywood, Ken Bates has cultivated a unique visual style as an Action Director. A native to southern California, Bates was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. Early in his career as a stuntman he broke world records for falling 36 stories on Die Hard, or 45 stories off El Capitan for Star Trek 5. From his early days as a stuntman Bates earned his way from an acknowledged Stuntman to Co-Producer / 2nd Unit Director / Stunt Coordinator. He's created exciting iconic action sequences for filmmakers and directors such as Steven Spielberg, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Michael Bay. In 1993 The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences recognized Bates with an award for Scientific and Technical Achievement for his work on the "Bates Accelerator/Decelerator System" The Mechanism, which revolutionized the stunt industry, enabling directors and performers to achieve previously unt