You might remember the first time you set foot on a production when working as a stand-in. You didn’t know anyone, nor did you know what anyone did. You could slowly piece together based on the cliches and attire that some people were important and some people were not, but, Boy!, wouldn’t it have helped if someone told you who was who and what each person did on the job?

If you’re a stand-in who regularly works on a project and identifies with the above feelings, then you might feel the desire to help stand-ins new to your job who don’t seem to know anyone. Any new job can be amorphous and chaotic, and order is achieved once the social structure and relationships are clarified. As a regular stand-in, you can help the new stand-ins bring order to their work lives by pointing out some key players on your production.

Introduce Yourself

Once you see a stand-in who doesn’t seem to know anyone, introduce yourself to that stand-in. Offer up your name and whom you stand in for, and ask the other stand-in’s name and for whom he or she is standing in. Doing so will help give the new stand-in a sense of who he or she will be working with, as well as a person to turn to with any questions about the production.

Ask about Experience

At this point, you might try to gauge the new stand-in’s experience. Asking the question “Have you stood in before?” may yield a “No” answer, in which case you can cover some quick tips about what to do when standing in on this particular production. (And make sure to refer them to the “What Is A Stand-In?” section on Stand-In Central!)

However, the question “Have you stood in before?” may also yield a “Yes,” an answer which may or may not be true. While many new stand-ins definitely have stand-in experience, sometimes those stand-ins have stood in only once or twice or have had very limited experience compared to someone like you. In essence, some new stand-ins who answer “Yes” aren’t actually functional stand-ins yet.

Whatever the case, if you get the sense the new stand-in might be inexperienced, offer up some pointers without trying to be overbearing. If a new stand-in wanders off or doesn’t know what to do, say, during marking rehearsal, keep a look out where the stand-in is or where his or her character goes during marking rehearsal. It’s the new stand-in’s responsibility to do the job, but a little help can’t hurt in the name of saving face for second team.

Point out Crew Members

As they become visible, share with the new stand-in the important crew members to the stand-in, along with their names. Point out:

  • The director
  • The DP (director of photography)
  • The 1st AD

These are more or less the leaders of the production, and their instructions are important.

Also point out:

  • The 2nd 2nd AD
  • The 2nd AD, if visible
  • The key PA
  • The background PA

It doesn’t hurt to point out the camera operators. Point out:

  • The A camera operator
  • Any other camera operators on set that day

And of course, make sure to point out:

  • The new stand-in’s actor!

Other crew members may also be important to point out, but the above people have the most interaction with stand-ins.

Ask if the New Stand-In Has Any Questions

Try to see if the new stand-in has any questions, whether about the shooting day, the production, or even the job of standing in. You might have left out a vital piece of information that would make that stand-in comfortable on the new job.

Conclusion

Providing the above information is usually very well received by the new stand-in. The information helps to structure the chaotic environment the stand-in has stepped into, and helps to unburden the new stand-in from spending time figuring out who everyone is.

Do you help out new stand-ins on a set? What information do you provide? Share your tips below!