Lisa Schneider: From Performer to Producer
Can a movement athlete become a filmmaker?
Lisa Schneider asks this question in a way that most parkour athletes don't. She's stood on competition courses. She's doubled stunts for major films. She's created content that reaches millions. But the moment that defined her career wasn't about any single performance or credit. It came when she decided to make a film about everyone else.
Gatecrasher, an all-women parkour film released in 2024, began as a conversation. Lisa had watched Queen City, an all-female parkour production by Point A, and found herself thinking: what would a European version look like? She called Renae Dambly, another athlete and creator. Six months later, they'd independently arrived at the same idea. They decided to build it together.
"The moment we decided to make it," Lisa explains through the ethos of the finished film, "was about addressing what we saw missing in parkour media. Women's skills. Women's creativity. Women's production."
From gymnastics to parkour, from performance to platform
Lisa's movement foundation reaches back further than parkour itself. Nine years of parkour training sits atop a solid base in gymnastics and trampolining. That foundation shapes everything she does on camera and on screen. Her movement style is broad and expressive: powerful jumps and classic parkour lines paired with smaller, flow-based sequences that let her explore creativity. It's the kind of versatility that works equally well in competition, film, and social content.
The progression from performer to producer wasn't a pivot so much as an evolution. Early in her career, Lisa appeared in commercial campaigns, including a Rieker Shoes shoot that showcased her ability to deliver crisp, dynamic movement. She competed at Red Bull Art of Motion 2021. She became a stunt double for Lera Abova in Exterritorial, a 2025 film that debuted on Netflix and became a major hit on the platform's global charts. Each role taught her something different about how movement translates on screen, what production demands, and what she wanted to build.
But none of those credits fully captured what Lisa wanted to express. That's where Gatecrasher came in.
To learn more about Lisa's availability and current projects, view her athlete profile.
Building representation, one frame at a time
The production ran across multiple European cities over three weeks. The crew filmed at historical monuments and castles, which became a running joke that led some athletes to get matching tattoos. Behind the scenes, Lisa and Renae made deliberate choices about who would be featured, how movement variety would be balanced, and what the overall film would communicate to viewers who'd never heard of parkour.
"We didn't want to make a parkour film for parkour people," Lisa has reflected on the project. They wanted the film to be accessible, to let viewers connect with the athletes as people, not just as athletes. They selected performers based on movement diversity and group chemistry. They brought in Max from Point A to share production expertise. They recruited Hannah as their primary camera operator and asked Toby to edit. It was Lisa's first time producing something at this scale. She deliberately surrounded herself with people who could help her vision come alive, building a team that reflected the film's core values.
The decision to centre women wasn't accidental. Parkour media has historically underrepresented female athletes. Studios and production companies still approach the sport as a male-dominated space. Sponsorships, film opportunities, and editorial coverage skew heavily toward men. By creating Gatecrasher, Lisa and Renae were building the alternative they wanted to see.
"We wanted to inspire the next generation of girls," Lisa has said about the project. "We wanted to provide role models that we didn't necessarily have."
That mission shaped every decision: which athletes appeared, which cities they filmed in, which sequences made the final cut. The result isn't just a parkour film. It's a statement about who gets to tell stories in this sport and whose stories get told.
Stunt work, social media, and the working athlete
Alongside her production work, Lisa has built a significant presence as a performer and creator. Her social media output is consistent and creative, showing everything from technical parkour sequences to narrative shorts. She's appeared in YouTube films alongside other established athletes. She's worked professional stunt gigs that demand technical precision and the ability to deliver movement on cue.
This combination of skills makes Lisa unusual. Most athletes specialise. A stunt performer focuses on stunts. A content creator focuses on platforms. A filmmaker focuses on post-production. Lisa has worked in all three domains, which gives her a rare understanding of how the industry actually works: how a stunt brief differs from a creative brief, how a 60-second Instagram reel demands different editing than a longer film, how an athlete's individual style has to flex to fit a production's overall voice.
That versatility also means she's building something durable. When sponsorship cycles end, when a commercial campaign wraps, when stunt work dries up (as it always does), Lisa's skills translate across formats. She can perform. She can create. She can produce. That's a resilient career in a volatile industry.
Brighton as a base and creative hub
Lisa operates out of Brighton, a city that's become increasingly central to the UK parkour scene. Brighton's architecture is parkour-friendly: tight urban fabric, varied rooflines, interesting sight lines. More importantly, Brighton has community. There are athletes, other creators, gyms, and a general culture that supports experimental movement. For Lisa, being based there means she's not isolated. She's part of a network that shares ideas, collaborates, and pushes each other to do more ambitious work.
Gatecrasher benefited significantly from that network. The film wouldn't have happened without sustained conversations with other creators, access to local production knowledge, and the kind of cultural permission that a thriving parkour community provides. Brighton gave Lisa both a stable base and a collaborative culture that made ambitious work possible.
What comes next for Lisa
Lisa's trajectory suggests a few things about the future of parkour. First, that female athletes are ready and eager to take on production roles. Second, that the absence of female-directed parkour content isn't a reflection of supply but of opportunity. Third, that athletes who understand the sport from the inside can make media that's more honest, more nuanced, and more interesting than outsiders often produce.
Gatecrasher is just the beginning. Lisa's combination of performance skills, production experience, and clear vision about what parkour media should look like positions her to keep building. Whether that means more films, continued stunt work, production consulting, or something entirely new, one thing seems certain: she's not going to stop.
The question she asked herself has been answered. Not by words, but by action. Can a movement athlete become a filmmaker? Gatecrasher is the proof. The real question now is what else she'll build.
For brands and production companies looking for a performer with real production knowledge, or for athletes interested in what it takes to build ambitious parkour projects, Lisa's work offers a clear model. You can be excellent at moving. You can also be excellent at telling stories about movement. And you can do both.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Lisa different from other parkour performers?
Lisa's background in gymnastics and trampolining gives her a foundation that many parkour athletes don't have. More distinctly, she's moved beyond pure performance into production and filmmaking. That combination is relatively rare. She understands both how to execute movement on camera and how to direct other athletes, manage a production schedule, and shape a final edit. For production companies, that means she can offer technical skill, creative input, and a deep understanding of what parkour is and should look like on screen.
Why did Lisa and Renae make an all-women parkour film?
Lisa and Renae made Gatecrasher because they noticed women were significantly underrepresented in parkour media, sponsorships, and editorial coverage. The film was a deliberate counter to that pattern. By centring female athletes, building a female-led creative team, and creating accessible, high-quality content, they wanted to both showcase the range of women's parkour and provide role models for the next generation of female athletes entering the sport.
What was the production process like for Gatecrasher?
The film took roughly three weeks to shoot across multiple European cities. The crew filmed at historical monuments and castles, which became a running joke that led some athletes to get matching tattoos. Lisa and Renae selected athletes based on movement diversity and group compatibility, brought in experienced production support from Point A, and worked with a female camera operator (Hannah) and editor (Toby). It was Lisa's first large-scale production, and the crew was deliberately chosen to reflect the film's values around collaboration and representation.
How does Lisa balance performance work with production work?
For Lisa, they feed into each other. Stunt work and commercials teach her how to deliver on a brief, work within constraints, and collaborate with crews. Production work teaches her what movements look best on camera and how to communicate with performers. Content creation keeps her sharp and visible. She treats each as part of a broader career rather than as separate silos. That flexibility is partly what makes her valuable to production companies: she can perform, she can advise on movement, and she understands production from the inside.
How can I book Lisa for commercial work or stunt gigs?
Contact Movement Management directly with details about your project. Whether you need a performer for a commercial campaign, stunt work, a content collaboration, or anything in between, the team can discuss what's possible. You can also explore other experienced parkour performers available for hire to find additional talent. For more context on working with parkour athletes, see how to hire a parkour performer for film and commercial work.
Book Lisa Schneider for Your Next Production
Get in touch with Movement Management to check availability and discuss your project with our team.