Stand-Ins - A Small But Important Role

Just like in real life, there are jobs in film and television that are deemed less important. One of these is working as a stand-in. Stand-ins are the link between actors and technicians with a specialised insight into the production process. However, for the directors and CEOs, you are seen as nothing more than a placeholder. Working as a stand-in for famous faces is not as insignificant as it seems, and it can often develop into something more than just being a placeholder.

What does a stand-in actually do?

Before filming begins, the production team must figure out where to direct the spotlights and which camera angles work best with each shot. This is necessary preparation, but not important enough for celebrities to be doing it; they are usually too busy or expensive just to act as support for the tech team. This is where stand-ins come in. They act in place of the celebrity so that the lighting technicians and camera men can decide what needs to go where.

What skills/training do I need?

Working as a stand-in requires neither acting skills nor any special training. The main requirement is that a stand-in must resemble the actor/celebrity they are filling in for. This includes matching their
- height
- stature
- hair length and colour
- skin tone
as closely as possible. Any other visual similarities, gender and tone of voice are unimportant. There are, however, some skills that are occasionally required from stand-ins like accurately mimicking the gestures or movements of a character in a scene. Most importantly, stand-ins must be self-confident, forward thinking individuals who are good problem solvers and can handle stress. If a stand-in appears to be insecure or dependent, delays the filming process and therefore causes problems among the production team.

Getting booked as a stand-in:

If you can show that you are reliable and easy as a stand-in, you will most likely be booked time and time again. This is often for the same person each time so it’s common for celebrities to form close relationships with their stand-ins (think Tom Hanks and Jon Donahue who have been best friends for years!).

If you are now interested in becoming a stand-in, why wait? Register online with starboxx as an extra and show us what you’re made of!