Recently I came across a film titled The Stand-In in the Internet Movie Database.  I then found the film on Vimeo and gave it a watch.  Here’s my review of the 2011 short.

– The Editor

Director and co-writer Ricky Lloyd George and co-writer Doug Fischer tell the story of Todd, the hapless stand-in to movie star Humphrey Russell, in the 2011 short film The Stand-In.

The Stand-In from Ricky Lloyd George on Vimeo.

When the director Jan de Groot and Russell have an ugly fight on set, Russell storms off the set with shots still to shoot.  Russell’s stand-in Todd is called in to photo-double for Russell opposite his beautiful leading lady Rose Wynne.  As Todd is getting dressed to photo-double, he speaks with Brian, his dresser:

Todd: They don’t usually shoot the stand-in, do they?

Brian: Only when the lead actor has a hissy fit or he just got out of rehab.

As Todd’s photo-doubling work and chemistry with Rose Wynne impress the crew with each take, The Stand-In moves into stand-in fantasy territory when de Groot, so disgusted with his movie star, offers Todd the part instead.

The Stand-In is a 14-minute comedic film that a number of stand-ins would find entertaining and relatable.  The notion of being plucked from the world of standing in to replace a star is far-fetched, and this film helps to realize the dream.  The social commentary about production is also entertaining and would make a number of stand-ins snicker.

This film-within-a-film gives a romanticized portrayal of standing in for the individual interested in learning how working on a set as a stand-in can be.

Do you know of other emergences of stand-ins in film stories? If so, reply below. Even better, write to Stand-In Central with a review of a film!