“She f.o.’s after he enters.”

Have you ever wondered what “f.o.” meant?

What “F.O.” Stands For

“F.o.” stands for “fucks off.”  It is not meant in the rude sense.  Instead, it is a somewhat crude synonym for “exits” or “goes away.”

So, saying “she f.o.’s” means “she exits” or “she goes away.”

(No worries, it’s not meant as mean.)

Wonder about any other terminology you hear on a TV or film set?  Post your questions below!

Let’s face it: Sometimes the job of the stand-in on a TV and film set can get a bit monotonous.  You might get so good at your job that you find it lacks any real challenge.  What to do?

Well, how about a challenge?!

We’ve invented a new series at Stand-In Central called Stand-In Challenges.  Stand-In Challenges are games you can test yourself in as you work as a stand-in, in order to help develop your skills and become an even better stand-in.

If you like them or have an interesting experience trying them out, please let us know about your adventures by chiming in in the Comments section of the challenge.  Below is our first Stand-In Challenge: The Zero Speech Challenge!

- The Editor

Stand-In Challenge #1: The Zero Speech Challenge!

So many times on set, I’ve heard stand-ins told to do something, and then they follow with a reply.

Camera Operator: Jane, take a step to your right.

[Stand-In Jane steps to her right.]

Stand-In Jane: Is this okay?

The thing is, oftentimes for the stand-in, actions speak louder than words.  Was Stand-In Jane’s asking “Is this okay?” necessary?

The Ramifications of Unnecessary Speech on Set

Asking the question “Is this okay?” tends to obligate a reply from the camera operator, who potentially is very involved in setting up the shot.  In a sense, asking “Is this okay?” after taking a step is not simply a matter of being helpful to the camera department but more a sign of neediness the stand-in has for approval.  Your getting approval is probably unnecessary for setting up the shot.  More than likely, if you need to step more or less, the camera operator will follow up with additional instruction.

Of course, asking on occasion is not that big of a deal.  But asking regularly is a more obvious deal.  Compare the stand-in who steps without a follow-up question with the stand-in who steps then adds a follow-up question.  The result is that for the stand-in who asks the follow-up question, more time is used up in working with that stand-in than used up when working with the stand-in who simply responds to instruction with action.  When minutes or even seconds are precious in a day (such as when a crew is losing daylight or when the hours are getting very long on set), simple things like not needing to ask if a step was okay can mean real dollars to a production.

More Obvious Unnecessary Speech on Set

When you’re standing in with other stand-ins in a scene, the temptation often is to converse.  For some stand-ins who have been on a job for a while, they may have found a way to talk quietly such that their conversation does not disrupt setting up shots and leaves them open to receive instruction.

However, even a little bit of conversation can leave a stand-in distracted such that the stand-in can’t easily receive instruction from a camera operator or DP.  Being asked to move but not hearing the instruction, then saying “What?” and having the instruction repeated, eats up a few seconds of production time.  This is to say that a stand-in who is talking may not hear instruction the first time that a non-talking stand-in might hear more immediately.

The stand-in who is not talking is not necessarily paying attention, but the stand-in who is talking probably is focused on different matters than those related to setting up the shot.  All in all, talking on set can slow down productivity, especially when it happens over and over again.

Now on to the challenge!

The Rules of the Zero Speech Challenge

For Stand-In Challenge #1, start your day of standing in with the resolve to speak as little as possible when you’re in place.  Aim to respond to a camera operator’s instructions without speaking.  Instead, just move as instructed.  For example, if a DP asks you to take an eyeline just left of camera, instead of asking “Where exactly?,” simply look just left of the camera and let them adjust your eyeline more if needed.

Aim to do your job with no speech at all.  See if you can do everything as an action, without words.

If someone on set requires an answer from you (that is, if someone requires you to speak when you’re on set), aim to answer as simply as possible.  Keep to three possible answers if you can: “Yes,” “No,” and “I don’t know.”  For example, if a camera assistant is asking if where you’re standing is a new mark, say “I don’t know” rather than “Um, they moved me a bit but haven’t said yet if this is where I should be.”

Try the challenge out for a camera setup.  Then, try the challenge out for a whole scene.  Eventually, aim for longer lengths of time, such as for a half-day or for a whole day on set.  See how long you can go using few to no words as you stand in.  See if you can even go a whole day standing in on set without saying a peep!

And one side note: The Zero Speech Challenge applies really only when you stand in on set.  When you’re excused from set, the challenge doesn’t need to continue, so feel free to talk when you’re off set!

So, what was the experience like?  We want to know!  Comment below about your experience of Stand-In Challenge #1: The Zero Speech Challenge!

My name is Ben.  I was standing in for a character named Rich, played by an actor named Jason.

I worked in scenes with another stand-in named Erin.  She was standing in for a boy.  Her character was named Ben.

So, when I heard things like, “Move to your right, Ben,” I did not know if the camera crew was telling me to move or the other stand-in to move.  I would move or Erin would move, or sometimes both of us would move, when only one Ben was needed to move.  The experience was a touch flustering as the camera crew set up the shot.

In the same film, I worked in scenes with another stand-in whose character was named Jason.  While the issue never arose, it could have: “Move to your right, Jason” could have referred either to the other stand-in or to me (since my actor’s name was Jason).

Given this experience, I realized the value of having a unique nickname on hand for when your name matches another’s name when you’re standing in.

Struggling with Nicks and Names

On this particular project, the name problem was further compounded by having two other Bens who worked for the production.  I thought I might go by “Benjamin” … until the first production Ben introduced himself to me as “Benjamin.”  By this time, I just got used to the occasional confusion and didn’t come up with a nickname.  But, boy, would it have been helpful at the start if I came up with something?

Since my last name (Hauck) isn’t as easy to remember as my first name, using my last name as my nickname wasn’t a great option.  Perhaps I could have gone by (cringe) “Benji” or (uck) “Benny,” but these ideas (fortunately) didn’t come to me.

A nickname I figured would only be helpful if it a) were memorable, and b) were marketable.  That is, my nickname had more value if (hypothetically) someone could request me from casting by the name.  “Benji” meets a) but probably doesn’t meet b).  “Hauck” meets b) but probably doesn’t meet a).  Ah, the rub!

Finding a Nickname

You’re probably lucky if you have a unique nickname on hand.  If so, this might be a good time to whip it out or have it on the ready.

However, if you don’t have a nickname, now might be the chance to think of one.  Tomorrow, you might be on set with three stand-ins with your same name, in a scene in which one of the characters also has the same name!  (Imagine trying to block that scene–or don’t.)

In choosing a nickname, having it be marketable (i.e., related to your branding, i.e., related to your professional name) helps should the production want to bring you back, especially after some time has passed.  If production calls casting asking for “that Benji guy,” casting might not be able to figure out who you are to call you back in.  But if production calls asking for “that Hauck guy,” there’s a better chance of your being found and brought back.

Then again, it might not matter!  A funny situation, though, and one to think about if you have a common name.

What is some advice you have for choosing on-set nicknames?  Would it be better of a camera crew gave you a nickname?  Have you had any funny experiences with actor, stand-in, and character names on set?  If so, share below!

Many stand-ins step onto their marks and essentially stare at the other stand-in in their scenes.   While there usually is nothing wrong with doing so, it can be generally uncomfortable for both the staring stand-in and the stand-in being stared at.

Here are some times for addressing eyelines when you’re standing in.

Assume the Position

When a shot is being set up, usually the exact eyeline is not important just yet.  What’s more important is body position and body angle so that the scene may be lit properly and the cameras may be aligned properly.

When you’re first standing in in a scene, step onto your mark and look at the other stand-in in your scene (assuming your first-team actor did look at the other first-team actor in the scene).  Memorize the position of your body when you are looking at the other stand-in, then you can look away.  Look away only your eyes, though–don’t reorient your body.  Essentially, don’t stare at the other stand-in right when you step in, and instead simply keep your body oriented properly to the other stand-in.

Look “Home”

When you actually are asked to take an eyeline to another stand-in, often what happens is that the two stand-ins will feel slightly embarrassed or uncomfortable, then smile, blush, or laugh at each other.  Of course, this is understandable behavior, but it could also distract you and the other stand-in from instructions from the DP or camera department is making.

I call “home” the point on the bridge of the nose between the eyes.  In order to thwart the discomfort of looking another stand-in in the eyes, I recommend instead of looking into the eyes, look “home.”  Looking “home” gives the appearance you are looking into the eyes of another but will probably get you around the discomfort associated with that task.   (See this past post for more information on “home.”)

Looking “home” is probably not necessary if you’re asked to look at another actor for a very short period of time.  However, looking “home” may be helpful in those times when you have to look to another stand-in for an extended period.

How do you handle eyeline work?  Do you get bothered when other stand-ins stare?  Do you have other tips for dealing with eyelines?  If so, please share below.

Stand-ins appear from time to time in popular culture. In this entry of Stand-In Central, we look at an appearance of the stand-in in the television show H.R. Pufnstuf.

- The Editor

In the first season of 1969’s children’s television show H.R. Pufnstuf, Episode 5 titled “The Stand In” has a movie come to town to film, and the main characters want to get involved.

The Great Toadenoff offers Jimmy a role in his movie, and Witchiepoo is given the role of the star’s stand-in.

The characters help define a stand-in for the audience.

Freddy the Flute: What’s a stand-in?

H.R. Pufnstuf: She gets pushed around pretty good while the star takes it easy.  It’s a rough job.  And take it from me: It’s gonna be even rougher on her.  I’m really going to sock it to her!

Witchiepoo disguises herself as Lola Lollapalooza and is subjected to makeup abuse (not something you’re going to see on a set!).

Rarely are you going to see stand-ins given makeup, at least in the way that Witchiepoo gets powdered in the episode.  But it’s interesting to see how the role of stand-in was presented and perceived in 1969.

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

Take a look at the segment hosted by Amy Robach:

You’ll Appear in the Show

Parents or friends far removed from the business sometimes hold the belief that because you are working on a particular TV show or film, you’ll be “in” the TV show or film when it comes out.

Stand-ins work behind the scenes for a production, specifically in the setup of shots.  Technically speaking, stand-ins do not appear on camera.  A stand-in technically needs to be upgraded to a photo-double, principal actor, etc., to appear on camera.  Another way a stand-in may appear on camera is as a background actor, which is work sometimes asked of stand-ins.

Unless a stand-in is upgraded or works in the background, the closest the stand-in will be to “being seen” in a production is by way of being named in the credits.  Not all stand-ins are awarded production credits.  Therefore, waiting to see if credits are awarded to stand-ins is sometimes the “second climax” of a particular film or television project!

You’re Buddy-Buddy with the Actor

Sometimes people imagine that if you are standing in for a star actor, you are close or chummy with that actor.

In most instances, stand-ins are not very familiar with their first-team counterparts.  Other than the occasional polite exchange or professional conversation, most stand-ins rarely interact with the principal actors.  The actor-stand-in relationship is somewhat like a revolving door: When you’re on set, the principal actor is not; when the principal actor arrives, you step off.

This is not to say that there aren’t stand-ins who are familiar with the stars for whom they stand in.  This is just to say that being the actor’s “buddy” is not part of the job description for a stand-in.

The Work Is Easy

While some stand-in work doesn’t require much from the person, some stand-in work is very demanding.

For many stand-in jobs, the work demands discipline in being quiet, being attentive, and being detail-oriented.  Stand-ins frequently work long hours on top of long commutes, which makes the work even more taxing.  Working in loud, cramped areas and being continually asked to move adds more stress to the stand-in’s job.

While one day of stand-in work may be a breeze, a series of days on the same production (or even different productions) can spend the energy of even the most enthusiastic person.  A stand-in who regularly works 12-hour days does a 60-hour work week–not counting commutes.

Standing In Is Common Sense

Some people who find themselves standing in for the first time don’t know what the words “mark” or “blocking” mean.

Given that there are those types of people, standing in is not common sense.  Standing in takes education and experience.  While it helps to work background to learn the rhythms of production, you can’t learn standing in until you actually do standing in.

Furthermore, each production runs a bit differently.  Some productions will have a friendly camera crew who will kindly direct you to do what they need.  Other productions will have a grumpier camera crew whose courtesy is lacking in their interactions with you.  Add to this that some assistant directors will treat you with respect while others will nearly completely disregard your humanity.

When you are standing in, you have to learn how each production does things, meaning you have to adapt to each set.  To be an effective stand-in in these productions, you have to be smart, and smarts oftentimes are learned from prior stand-in experience.

What are some common misconceptions you’ve heard about standing in?  Or what misconceptions have you had?  We’d love you to share below!

While the suggestion may seem cute, having some way to freshen your breath while on set ensures a pleasant work environment for those with whom you sometimes work very intimately.

Care For Your Breath

As you may well know, working in close proximity with someone who has halitosis can make for an immediately depressing situation.  The situation only deteriorates when the person is a stand-in and the stand-in gig involves sitting, standing, or lying very close.

As a professional stand-in, you should care for the state and condition of your breath.

• Consider the food you’re eating in light of your current day’s assignment.   If your day’s work involves being very close to another stand-in, stay away from foods that will “reek” havoc on your breath.
• Bring a toothbrush and toothpaste to work so that you can brush your teeth after lunch or after “sandwich o’clocks.”
• Have a breath mint, Listerine strip, gum, candy, or some other breath freshening agent before you step on set as added insurance against bad breath.
• The craft services table often has gum and breath mints in case you need them.  Be mindful of the rest of the cast and crew and take only what you need from the table.

Care for Other Stand-Ins’ Breath

Bringing enough breath fresheners to share with others will allow you to improve another stand-in’s breath if it’s on the offensive side.  Even if the other members of second team don’t have bad breath, condition the attention to breath by offering other stand-ins breath fresheners when you go to have one yourself.

If another stand-in’s breath happens to be a bit bad, take the initiative to offer the stand-in a breath mint rather than stewing in the odor.  Often enough, a stand-in doesn’t know his or her breath had gone south.

• Initiate by getting out your mints and offering “Would you like a  mint?”  You’ll usually avoid embarrassing the stand-in.
• Presented in a shy and friendly manner, offering the stand-in a mint by saying, “Hear, have one of these” will sound like generous advice rather than a rude order.

Each of these ways should make the other stand-in appreciative of your help rather than embarrassed about the inconvenient odor. With a little initiative, you hopefully will be on your way to a more fragrant stand-in environment.

How do you handle the breath of other stand-ins?  How do you handle your own?  Do you have any funny stories with respect to stand-in breath?  If so, post below!

Stand-In as Tool

Perhaps foremost of oversimplifications is the stand-in is a tool. The stand-in is like a tool for the crew.

In particular, the stand-in is like a tool for the director of photography (DP). You are like a hammer that flies into the DP’s hand the moment a nail must be driven, only instead of a nail being driven, a shot needs to be set up. You are at the DP’s beck and call. When the DP needs you, you hear a call for second team or your name. You go where the DP needs you to go, stand where the DP needs you to stand, look where the DP needs you to look. You are the means for accomplishing the DP’s job of lighting and setting up the shot. Without this tool, it would be a much more difficult effort for the DP.

As a tool, you can become better at being like a tool*. You can be available the moment the DP needs you. You can ensure what the DP needs to accomplish is accomplished with you as expediently as possible. You can just do your job silently, without question. Seeing yourself as a tool for the crew may help you better understand how to be a great stand-in.

* Editor’s Note: Of course, I don’t mean this in the disparaging sense!

Stand-In as Shape

Another oversimplification is the stand-in is a shape. When stand-ins are chosen for their body type, this oversimplification rings truer. Stand-ins stand in place for lighting but also perform blocking, and the shape of the stand-in may prove helpful in setting up the shot, whether in showing how distinguished the first-team actor will be in the shot, providing the right height for adjusting the camera, or just showing how much the first-team actor will fill a shot.

Being a good stand-in in this sense is largely out of your control because your shape is basically uncontrollable, though keeping in mind that matching your first-team actor’s shape and height may prove important to the crew as you do your daily work. Small adjustments you can make–like to your hair, your clothing, your shoes, etc.–may make you that much better of a shape and that much better of a stand-in.

Stand-In as Reflective Surface

A stand-in may also be oversimplified into a reflective surface. When DPs have lights adjusted and stands moved in order to distribute the light better around your face and body, you are more like a reflective surface than a human being. You might look nothing like your first-team actor, but your hair color, skin color, or facial shape may resemble your first-team actor’s, making you a great reflective surface for the DP to use.

Feeling oversimplified as a reflective surface rings truest when you can see the DP looking at you but, in a way, not looking at you. The DP will be looking at your skin but totally unconscious of your humanity. You might feel a bit creeped out when being treated in this way, but it is an aspect of the job of stand-in, albeit an oversimplification if seen as your only function.

Being a better reflective surface may mean keeping track whether your first-team actor is wearing glasses (which may reflect light), wearing your hair as your first-team actor does, and wearing color cover. These aspects can have an impact on lighting, and knowing that can make you a better stand-in.

Stand-In as Color

One final oversimplification of the stand-in is the stand-in is a color. This oversimplification is similar to that of the reflective surface: To the DP, your coloring may be of help in lighting the shot. However, as a color, you also help the director and those at video village distinguish you from the background actors. When you wear color cover, your being like a color helps crew to determine which character you are representing in a shot, especially on sets when you stand in for a number of different actors, when it isn’t always clear whom you’re representing in this scene.

Being a good stand-in in this case means staying on top of color cover, not to mention making your hair available for lighting, and keeping your skin tone similar to that of your first-team actor’s.  When a stand-in is oversimplified as being just a color, a day at the beach that leaves you tanned or sunburnt may rival your ability to be a great stand-in.

Any other oversimplifications of the stand-in you can think of? If so,
share below!

I pitched that these shoes would do a number of things.  First off, their height would be self-adjusting, so that if you’re the height of a given actress and she then wears heels, the stand-in shoes will adjust to the new height of the actress.

Also I pitched that the shoes would be self-marking.  That is, when you’re lined up in the right place for camera, the shoes would drop marks somehow so the camera department doesn’t have to.

Lastly, I pitched that the shoes would tell the focus puller exactly how far from the camera you are.  That way, the focus puller doesn’t have to measure the distance your eye is from the camera.

I opened the idea up to other stand-ins to see what features they’d want to be in these magical shoes.  Immediately one stand-in said that stand-in shoes would be warm.  That is, they would be heated or temperature-controlled.  That same stand-in also said the shoes would beam holographically the sides to you for easy reading.

Another stand-in said the shoes would vibrate when second team is being called for.  This vibration would alert you when you’re needed.

What do you think?

Now I open the discussion up to you.  If you were to design multipurpose stand-in shoes, what features would they have in order to help you when you stand in?

Awkward Positions

Guy Veryzer

One day, Guy Veryzer, an actor and hand model who also stands in, was working on the television series Kings. He was portraying a mourner putting flowers at a gate in honor of a dead prince. As he chatted with the background PA, the PA suddenly said he needed Guy to be Macaulay Culkin’s stand-in. Guy thought, “Seriously? I am decades older and a foot taller, maybe two feet taller!” Guy spent a lot of time with his legs very widely spread and his knees bent to approximately Macaulay’s height.

Tim Wilson

The actor Tim Wilson had a bit more awkward a situation when standing in on Boardwalk Empire. “I found myself lowering my head into a toilet bowl because in the scene I was standing in on, my guy was barfing after a night on the town,” Tim recalled. Production wanted Tim’s head about 3 inches from the water in the toilet. When he noticed a yellow tint to the water, he figured set dressing had put some coloring in the water for an eventual overhead shot. “I thought, Oh, how clever. Uh-uh. It was the real deal.” When Tim jokingly pointed this out to the AD, the AD was mortified and production took care of the matter before the principal actor arrived. “I must admit it was odorless, didn’t smell at all,” Tim added.

Sara DeRosa

Things got a little more scandalous for stand-in and actor Sara DeRosa. “I stood in for a bikini wax scene last night! Leg in the air and all!” Sara recently reported. When asked where the camera was, Sara replied, “Hanging from a bungee on a pulley system from the ceiling!”

While there are a number of awkward positions one can be in as a stand-in, some of them can be doubly awkward when scenes represent sexuality.

Awkward Sexual Positions

Ryan Shibley

Standing in for sex scenes is not that uncommon for the stand-in. For actor Ryan Shibley, it happened in his first stand-in gig, on the set of the ESPN mini-series called The Bronx Is Burning. “I stood in for the actor John Turturro and had to stand in–or more like ‘lie in’–during a sex scene. So I met the female stand-in about a minute before I realized she had to straddle me for like 20 minutes as the entire crew watched and set up the shot.” Despite the admittedly awkward situation, Ryan broke the ice with questions like “So where did you grow up? What college did you go to?” as he held her hips and she straddled him.

Nikki Borges

Similarly, Nikki Borges showed up to set to discover she was standing in in a sex scene. When she reported to wardrobe for color cover, wardrobe said simply, “They’re naked.” Nikki assured them she would not be standing in in the nude, so wardrobe found nude-colored, full-body unitards for the over 6-foot-tall male stand-in and her to wear while crew set up the shot around them.

Awkward Hierarchical Positions

Among the statistically preposterous stories from standing in, an actor (who chose to be anonymous for this article) stood in for another actor … who happened to be in his acting class at the time. Actor and stand-in Ben Hauck was pulled to stand in for another actor, learning soon after that it was for someone with whom he had done a play a few years prior.

Lorna Pruce has some exciting stories from standing in for inspirational people.

Lorna became Gabourey Sibide’s permanent stand-in on the television series The Big C. When she was being tested out as Gabourey’s stand-in, Lorna recalled, “I met Gabourey and she was very outgoing to others, yet very introverted when it came to talking to me.” Around the third time standing in on the project, Lorna said to Gabourey, “The irony is that we sat in front of each other like this on Precious. I was the HIV social worker.” To Lorna’s surprise, Gabourey in her most sincere, high-pitched, valley-girl voice said, “Oh my God, I was trying to figure out how I knew you! Ha ha ha ha ha!”

Lorna Pruce as the HIV Social Worker in Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire

Oprah Winfrey was executive producer for Gabourey Sibide’s breakout film Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire, and interestingly enough, Lorna Pruce has also stood in for Oprah. Nearly twenty years ago, Lorna moved to New York City in hopes of meeting Oprah and becoming her page. Many people she met then told Lorna that she looked and acted like Oprah and affirmed that Oprah would hire her.

Oprah Winfrey & Lorna Pruce

While Lorna never got the page job, nearly a year ago she auditioned to be Oprah’s stand-in and body double for the television show 30 Rock. Upon landing the job, Lorna spent the night trying to come up with a succinct story to tell Oprah.

The next day, after she finished standing in and production wrapped, Lorna and Oprah finally got to sit and chat. Lorna recalls, “My one opportunity to chat with this great woman and what do I say? ‘You’re a puddinhead’!” All Oprah could do was laugh.

Have a funny story from standing in? We’d love to hear it. Email the editor from the Ask Stand-In Central page and we may run it in a future column!

What do you think about these stories? Share your comments below!

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.

Stand-ins appear from time to time in popular culture.  In this entry of Stand-In Central, we look at an appearance of the stand-in in song.

- The Editor

 “Standing in for Joe” is a pop song cut by the band fronted by Andy Partridge known as XTC.  It was written and composed by Colin Moulding and appears on XTC’s 2000 album Wasp Star (Apple Venus, Volume 2).

While the title explicitly references the job of the television and film stand-in, the lyrics are merely suggestive of the job.  The song tells the story of a man who does a friend named Joe a favor by entertaining Joe’s girl while he’s away.

Joe called round to ask me, Would I do a favor?
While he’s gonna be out of town
He says his girl needs company, she gets so restless
Would I keep her safe and sound?
Softly, softly in the night
Why, you can guess the rest…
Now these shoes fit all too well
Standing in for Joe

The man ends up taking Joe’s place in their relationship!

While the phrase “standing in” in the title might not reference the job of the stand-in, the theatrical reference  later in the song suggests otherwise.  Partridge sings:

This actor he plays all the parts
Standing in for Joe

suggesting the shadow nature of the television and film stand-in.

It would be a mighty surprising outcome for a second-team stand-in to take the place of a first-team principal actor.  It’s a concept that keeps the song is light and funny.

Preview the song on Amazon.com by clicking here.

Do you know of other emergences of stand-ins in song?  If so, reply below!

The reason in this film was that as the stand-in, I was also a potential photo-double for the principal actor.  While I thought my going out to get a haircut on my own was a professional thing to do (I was getting shaggy), I learned that the proper protocol would have been to check with the assistant directors first.  After my maintenance cut, I learned that they probably would have provided me a haircut if I needed one.  While it suddenly made sense after the fact, it never crossed my mind to ask production if they want to cut my hair.

When I get booked to day-play as a stand-in, oftentimes I will do a little research into the actor for whom I’m standing in to see what his hair is like.  Of course, I never really know what the actor will look like the day I show up, but I try to put my hair at least somewhat in the style of the actor’s hair as I generally understand it to be.  With my usual haircut, I have a nice amount of flexibility.  I can part it in different places.  I can wear it from conservative to bedhead.  I don’t want to show up with the bedhead look for a generally conservative-looking actor.  And I want to try to match the part the principal actor has in his hair in case it matters on camera.  I won’t go so far as to dye my hair overnight just to day-play, but I will usually make some effort toward wearing an appropriate hairstyle if I can find some information about it.

Recently for a stand-in submission I was asked if I would shave my head if I got the gig.  I thought about it for just a second, and said “Yes.”  The gig was going to last for a few months, so I thought I would make that drastic change for the work.  It surprised me just how much I would give for a stand-in job.

But that’s just how important hair can be in standing in.  If you are  a man booked on a long-term stand-in gig, getting your hair cut is one thing, but you might also be asked to dye your hair, wear a moustache or beard, or shave.  While not all productions are demanding about hairstyles, some can be for good reason.  These are just some things to consider when you are a man thinking about getting a haircut as a stand-in.

Any other tips on stand-in hair?  If so, please share in the comment section below!  (The plan is to have a column on stand-in hair for women in the future.  Check back!)

As far as I can tell, there is next to nothing you can do to land a stand-in position at a stand-in interview. You are at the mercy of human choice. For all you know, everyone at the stand-in interview may be essentially equal, so picking one person over another may be random. Of course, you might know someone, and knowing someone might be an advantage. But then again, it might not be an advantage. You really don’t know what is wanted. Knowing that, I relax and say to myself, It’s basically outta my hands, and I hope for the best.

For some, getting the interview is a process in and of itself. It may involve submitting yourself after a casting call goes out for someone fitting your stats.  Often these calls ask for candidates within a 2-inch height range, along with a specific hair color and maybe a hint of weight range. From there, if you get a call from casting, the casting director will seek your approval to submit your photo (to production, i.e., presumably the assistant director or director). If production wants to bring you in, then the casting director will arrange to have you go in for the interview. This kind of process may be in place for long-term stand-in gigs. For day-playing as a stand-in, usually the process is a matter of submitting yourself then booking the gig.

The stand-in interview is nothing like your standard interview. If anything, it is more like a go-see. There is no sitting down to talk to the director, no submission of résumé and checking of references. Of course, these things can happen, but their occurrence would be atypical. My familiarity with the stand-in interview is the lining up of a handful of candidates, the giving of a once- or twice-over by maybe the director of photography, and then the picking. When I booked my first big stand-in gig, I was up against 3 other affable gents. The DP put the lead actor in the center, flanked by two of us on either side of him. We faced front, turned profile, turned the other profile, and switched places. Then, I think the DP weeded out two, then suddenly the other, leaving me standing. It was as if clouds had parted: I got the gig.

Well, I didn’t exactly “get the gig” until I got the confirmation call from casting the next day. What made me somewhat insecure after being picked was that the stand-in they chose for the female lead overheard that they were not really interested in using her. This seemed strange to me, and while I didn’t think we were in the same boat since she really was quite unlike the female lead, it did rattle me a bit. It left me completely nerveracked by the next afternoon, wondering if I had indeed booked the gig. “You never really know until you know, and even then, you might never really know …”

Why did I get the gig? Maybe it was because I was similar-enough looking to the principal actor. I could say that was the case, but honestly, I don’t really know. The DP probably only really knows, because he’s the one who picked me. For all I know, he liked my dimple.

Stand-in interviews run the gamut. I’ve had a stand-in interview when the director grumpily eliminated all of the candidates because at profile, none of us had the prominent nose the principal actor had. I’ve had a stand-in interview when no one was noticeably reviewed but suddenly one person got the job; presumably someone reviewed us from afar. I’ve also gotten regular stand-in work where I was never interviewed nor ever told I’d booked anything. In that case, one day of stand-in work led to another, and then another, and then another, suggesting to me that I’d booked something regular without actually being told it. In truth, there was a handful of days when logistics had someone else standing in for “my” actor, but generally speaking I seemed to have had the job, only along with some mild insecurity that I really had nuttin’.

The moral of the story is, there’s little to expect when it comes to the stand-in interview, and there’s little you can do.  Show up, follow instructions, and hope for the best.

If you have any unique experiences interviewing for a stand-in position, or any advice, feel free to share below.