Stand-In Central

Interview with Ben Hauck

The Stand-In Central Interview Series have given readers insight into the unique experiences of several types of stand-ins.  Standing in for a lead actor on an entire film shoot can be one of the most exciting and rewarding stand-in gigs.

In this interview, Stand-In Central’s very own editor Ben Hauck shares his story about standing in for Jason Bateman on the upcoming romantic comedy The Switch, and he tells us about his other ventures including the creation of StandInCentral.com.

The Switch hits theaters Friday, August 20th!

- Sara DeRosa, Contributor

Ben Hauck

SIC: What’s your name and what do you do?

BH: Hi!  I’m Ben Hauck.  I’m an actor, athlete, and improv comedian based in New York City.  I also work as a stand-in in television and film, and edit Stand-In Central, this very website about the job of the stand-in.

SIC: Who are some actors for whom you’ve stood in?

BH: Probably of most note, I’ve stood in for Jason Bateman in the film The Baster, now titled The Switch, and for Peter Facinelli on the second season of Nurse Jackie.  I’ve also worked regularly as a back-up stand-in on the television shows Gossip Girl and Mercy.  Way back when, I even stood in for Leonardo DiCaprio in the re-shoots for The Departed.  Scorsese!

SIC: The Switch comes out this Friday, August 20th! What was the interview process like for the job of Jason Bateman’s stand-in?

BH: I’m glad you asked that because it was quite memorable to me.

About a month prior, a casting director called me out of the blue saying he’d like to submit me for the job of Jason Bateman’s stand-in on the film.  I thought, Hey, I guess I am a decent match for him.  Eventually I got the call that I landed the interview.

The morning of the interview, the subways were not working in my favor, and I had to sprint to the studio from the subway station so I didn’t blow my chances.  Fortunately for me, the production assistant who welcomed me was more interested in making me feel good about being there than feeling bad about being a few minutes late and out of breath.

I met the three other candidates for standing in, who bonded all very well while I talked to one of the four interviewees for the job of Jennifer Aniston’s stand-in.  Talking to her helped me take my mind off of the nerves the experience raised.  All of the other Jason Bateman candidates seemed to me quite able to book the gig, and I felt a little voice in my head thinking I probably would not get it in light of the others.

Suddenly, the four interviewees for Jennifer Aniston’s stand-in were called down to set.  Almost as immediately, they returned to where we were holding.  Surprisingly, the woman who landed the gig was the least like Jennifer Aniston.  I would later learn from this woman that she found out she did not land the gig, but they would be using her for the day.

Then, the Jason Bateman candidates were called down.  Soon after arriving on set, we were lined up on the stage they were using for camera testing.  Jason came out and stood in the center.  Two of us flanked each side of him.  The director of photography, Jess Hall, directed us to face forward, then turn profile.  He also had us switch places with the person next to us.  Jess then suddenly removed two people, then another, and I was the one left standing.  I felt as if I’d entered a tunnel.  Jason shaked my hand, referring to me as his doppelgänger.  For all intents and purposes, I’d landed the gig.  Jess asked if I’d stood in for anyone else before, so I mentioned standing in for Leonardo DiCaprio.  And we were on our way.

I was used for the camera test that day as Jason and Jen tried on various wardrobe options, and I took time learning about standing in from the experienced stand-in who’d booked the Jennifer Aniston gig for the day, as well as the names of the crew members with whom I’d be working in the next two months.

It wasn’t until a day or so later that I got a call confirming that I’d landed the gig.  And let me tell you, I was calm that morning, but come 2pm my anxiety was so intolerable I forced myself to nap to put the gig out of my mind.  If memory serves, casting called around 3pm, waking me up, confirming that I’d booked the gig.  The casting director explained it would be an 8-week gig and that Jason worked nearly everyday.

SIC: What did you like best about your experience working on The Switch?

BH: Oh goodness, the experience was rewarding in so many ways for me.  I’m very proud of my work as a stand-in on this film, and I learned so much about standing in from the experience.  I also learned a heck of a lot about filmmaking that I hadn’t picked up from a day here and a day there on other sets.  I’ve met a tremendous amount of crew and actors whom I continue to see to this day.  I feel quite networked now, and I love being able to say hi to so many people when I work.

But even though we shot in Spring 2009, the experience is still ongoing for me: I’m really curious to see how The Switch turns out!  I worked all 39 days of principal photography.  I keep saying to people that I imagine watching it will be more like watching “a schizophrenic documentary” than a story.  I imagine I’ll be saying to myself, “Oh, I remember that day!!” and then “I remember that day, too!” probably more than following the storyline.  At least the first time watching it!

SIC: Did this stand-in gig lead you to other opportunities?

BH: Yes, it did.  The stand-in job on The Switch helped me develop a relationship with the casting director, for whom I was never a source of problem or stress.  After the filming was done, I eventually found the same casting director calling me regularly for stand-in opportunities on projects he was handling.  I found myself standing in with some regularity on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Mercy, and The Big C.  I believe these opportunities came from the casting director’s having had positive work experiences with me.

My work on The Switch developed a trust that I can stand in and do it well.  After The Switch, I pursued stand-in jobs with more fervor, eventually landing the job of Peter Facinelli’s regular stand-in on the second season of Nurse Jackie when a hole opened up.  In the pursuit of mastering standing in, I “geeked out” a bit at the job, continually thinking of ways to do the job and do it better.  This geeky interest in standing in led to another opportunity: Stand-In Central.

SIC: You’re involved with several creative projects and other activities. Tell us more about your other pursuits.

BH: Apart from Stand-In Central, to date, I’m very fortunate to be making a living as an actor.  Most of my weekdays are filled with acting or stand-in jobs, and from time to time I fit in a go-see, an audition, or a callback when I don’t have acting work.  I’m a trained stage actor, so I feel the need to get onstage from time to time.  For that reason, every month or so I make a point of performing improvised sermons at variety shows when I’m invited.  I perform as The Reverend Raymond Nader these audience-inspired Pentecostal sermons, and the experience is a lot like jumping off a cliff or riding a roller coaster.  The results are usually uproarious.  I have videos of many of my improvised sermons on my website.

Improv, specifically long-form improv, has been a long-time interest of mine.  For a number of years I developed my own approaches to teaching and directing long-form improv with an independent improv group in the city.  More recently I’ve developed and directed a multinational improv training program for a corporate client that had me teaching long-form improv in NYC, Toronto, and London.  Currently a book I’ve been working on for six years on long-form improv is under consideration for publication with a major university press.  Fingers crossed!

When I’m not acting, I’m probably training for a marathon.  I have two marathons scheduled for this November, and I’m qualified to run the Boston Marathon in 2011.  Basically, about all I can fit in a day is an acting job and a training run, with maybe an hour or two for catch-up on other things before going to bed.  Unfortunately, though, the acting gigs have been so long and so frequent, my training has been suffering.  I need more time to rest and run!

Apart from acting and running, I also am involved in the field of general semantics.  General semantics is the study of the ethical use of language.  It’s a field not so much interested in speaking correctly as it is in speaking properly.  General semantics has been an interest I’ve cultivated since college when I first stumbled upon it, and it really improved the quality of my thinking.  Since moving to New York City I’ve been able to connect with people involved in the field.  I now serve on the board of trustees for the Institute of General Semantics and the board of directors for the New York Society for General Semantics, and I webmaster both of their websites.  Most of my published work has been in the journal for general semantics titled ETC: A Review of General Semantics, but I also keep a blog on general semantics titled Off the Map: Notes from the Territory.

SIC: How do you manage all of these endeavors? What helps you to balance your life?

BH: Ha!  I don’t!

Nah, I do okay.  Priority tends to go to acting work.  In theory, my day will be spent with 12 hours of work on a set, two hours allowed for the commute to and from, and two hours dedicated to a run in Central Park.  Then sleep.  However, when I’m working on different sets, turnaround times for me between productions can mean that I have to sacrifice a run.  While I don’t usually get too neglectful of things in my life as a result of being so busy, some things I used to do immediately get pushed to Sundays when I tend to have more time.  I keep a to-do list with many items on it, and it really keeps my life in order.

Balance is not really possible in my life given that my kind of work is not very balanced and most of my projects require a lot of time to complete.  Balance is not as key in my life as is coordination. Sometimes I just don’t have time to coordinate everything I want to do in a day.  I have to look at weeks at a time to plan when something will happen. It’s a pain to have to suffer a bit with an untidy bedroom because I don’t have even a few minutes to, say, put away some clothes.  But the work I do makes me happy, so it’s a small price to pay.  I plan on putting clothes away on another day when I know I have some time.

Ben Hauck

SIC: What inspired you to produce the website Stand-In Central?

BH: The opportunities I had standing in on The Switch led to the creation of Stand-In Central.  The first day on set of The Switch, the 2nd 2nd AD slapped down a sheet of paper in front of me, on which was defined the term “stand-in” and an outline of the job responsibilities.  He’d co-written it with a production assistant we both knew.  My first reaction to receiving this sheet was offense!, but secretly, I was so relieved to receive this overview.  The job–for which up until this time I had been grabbing at straws to understand fully–was now structured for me.  I knew what was expected of me, and I wouldn’t have to be continuously thinking, “What should I be doing now? Now? And now??”

I thought such a clear outline of the job would benefit not just me, but also other people who found themselves thrust into the job of stand-in.  Less than a year later, I put my understanding of the job into a website at little cost, beta-tested it with the contributions of other stand-ins and production people, and here it is today, helping people to understand the various things stand-ins experience daily.

SIC: You’ve given a lot of great advice on this site. What are your favorite topics that you have highlighted so far?

BH: I set up this feature on the site and called it “Ask Stand-In Central.”  It was intended mainly for people who work as stand-ins to seek answers to questions they might have about the job.  There isn’t much online about the finer points of standing in, so when you have a question, you can feel quite lonely.

Recently I got an email at 11:30pm from someone with a stand-in interview the next day.  She wanted to know how to handle the interview, so she’d been searching online and found the website.  Minutes later I emailed her some perspective on stand-in interviews, and I passed along a blog post about how interviews can go.  She replied the next day with a comment that she’d landed the gig and that the site was helpful for her.  That felt great!  It’s just what the site is for!

I also like the convenient section “What Is A Stand-In?“  The section provides a nice overview of standing in and structures the job so that someone can read it and feel relatively prepared to stand in.  Not all stand-in gigs are a matter of standing in place with next to zero responsibility; many stand-in jobs are demanding and that section can help people new to more demanding stand-in jobs understand their responsibilities.

And there’s a soft spot in my heart for the interviews with professional stand-ins.  A lot of traffic comes to the website from people interested in the interviews with particular stand-ins.  I’m sure it’s fun to read up on this “secret society” of sorts.

SIC: Anything else?

BH: I guess I’d like to say that the opportunity to stand in can be a precious one.  If you’re an actor like me, with the job of standing in can come immediate and eventual acting opportunities.  You get to watch principal actors as they go through their processes and develop their characters, which can inform your own professional acting.  You get to meet a number of professional actors and crew, some of whom may develop into people you work with later and may be in a position to request you for work.

But you also may have acting opportunities yourself.  Aside from the occasional time you might get thrown a role when you’re standing in, you might get to do offcamera acting.  For The Switch, one of my most memorable times was when I was reading Jason Bateman’s lines in order for the camera crew to shoot reaction shots of the featured background actors.  For The Switch there were two directors, and one director felt the featured actors in the first take had acted their reactions too much.  This director wanted to see more genuine reactions of awkwardness from the actors, so he came up to me and whispered, “Okay, start the dialogue, and a few lines into it, say ‘Fuck!’”  I was up for this challenge.  I told only Jennifer Aniston’s stand-in and the DP that this was going to happen.  The director confirmed with me privately that he wanted me to do that.  No one else knew.  Away I went …

We rolled.  I did as the director asked, then also started talking rudely to the background actors to Look at me! as I was talking.  One featured actor actually responded verbally during the take to my rudeness.  I stumbled over lines (intentionally), complained how hot it was, and even tried to get the crew to cut, mumbling that I’d probably just lost my job in light of this “bad take.”  Upon hearing cut from the director, the other stand-in erupted in laughter, the DP was all smiles, and the first director was pleased … though the second director, who had been sitting about 4 feet from me, hadn’t been clued in!  The second director eventually complimented me, all smiles about what had just happened.

I later learned that a) the directors’ assistant, who was also reading lines in the scene, texted the whispering director during the take that “Ben’s lost it” or something to that effect, and b) the background indeed thought I’d lost it, because word spread for a few days that I’d melted down in a take!

The next shot, not minutes later, I had another acting opportunity: To deliver a heartfelt monologue for more reaction shots.  This time, I was on the verge of tears when delivering it.

I wasn’t “just a stand-in” when booked as Jason Bateman’s stand-in in The Switch.  I was still an actor, and these acting opportunities were chances to practice my craft in the big league and also show my stuff.  It was such a satisfying day.  (On that same day, I just remembered, I got to deliver a heartfelt monologue offcamera but directly to Jennifer Aniston in reading another character’s lines.  To think that I could be working a 9-5 job instead!)

When you stand in, great things can happen.  You’re often a witness to cinematic history.  Better put, you’re a part of it.

SIC: Thanks so much, Ben!

BH: Sure thing!  Thank you!

Ben Hauck is currently playing FBI Agent Graham on the second season of White Collar.  His website is http://benhauck.com.