Trying to pull off one is tough enough.  Trying to pull off both in the same time frame?  Brutal.  The word “impossible” also sounds about right.

In 2011, I worked as a stand-in on two films and one television show while training for two November marathons–the NYC Marathon and the Philadelphia Marathon.

I ran NYC in 3:13:49.  Two weeks later, I ran Philly in 3:07:47.

Here’s how I did it.

Backstory

Back in 2010, I ran both the NYC and Philly Marathons in the same month.  I didn’t do all that well, mostly because I didn’t train enough and I spent my time doing other things than training when I should have.  In 2011, I had a little more time for myself, so I wanted to see if I could do both of these marathons again–but run them a lot better.

I set my goals fairly ambitiously for 2011.  I set my NYC goal at sub-3:10.  I set my Philly goal at sub-3:00.  Both of these times would qualify me for the Boston Marathon, which is one of the coveted goals many marathon runners have.

Given those goals, I figured out a few things:

• I’d have to train
• fairly regularly
• I’d have to keep my mileage high
• yet also rest

Training would commence in the first week of July.  Pre-training would have to be before then.

But then I went and got cast as a stand-in for a lead actor in the film Gods Behaving Badly. That gig started up in mid-July but was going to get serious in August and September–prime times for training.

What was I going to do?  How on Earth could I achieve my ambitious marathon goals and stand in regularly on a film?

What I Figured Out

When I train, I roughly follow training schedules on the New York Road Runners website, adapted from The Runners Handbook and The Competitive Runner’s Handbook.  I’d graduated over the years to using the Advanced Marathoner B schedule, the most difficult schedule.  But over the years I’d learned something about those schedules:

• I don’t have to train 6-7 days a week, as the schedules recommend
• I learned I personally can get by on 5 good training days and 2 days of rest and still exceed my goals

I figured out that I wouldn’t be training 6-7 days a week if I couldn’t.  I could get by on 5.  This meant running 3 weekdays plus Saturday and Sunday.  Ideally this meant also running Tuesday-Thursday, giving me rest from a high-mileage weekend (Monday) and rest before a high-mileage weekend (Friday).

This time out, I wanted to up my per-run mileage.  In 2009 (when I ran my fastest marathon), my typical run was 8.3 miles.  This year, I was curious if I could manage 10 miles as my typical run.

But that meant I had to have time.  If I wanted to run 8.3 miles, I’d have a 25-minute subway commute to Central Park, an hour of running, and a 25-minute subway commute back home.  Essentially, if I wanted to run 8.3 miles, I’d have to have 2 hours blocked out of my day.

However, if I wanted to run 10 miles, I needed about 1 hour, 10 minutes to complete that run.  That meant I needed more like 2 hours, 10 minutes for running, but probably more realistically something around 2 hours, 15 minutes.

How Standing In Figured In

The thing was, it was a real struggle to find even 2 hours of time to train when standing in on a film.

When I was figuring out what I’d have to do to achieve my goals while also standing in, I assumed that I’d be able to pull it off if I had 12-hour days on set.  If I had 12-hour days, that meant that the other 12 hours were for training and sleeping.  I also had to figure in showering and commuting.  If I needed 1 hour for showering and 2 hours for commuting/getting to set early, that left me with 9 hours for sleeping.

That seemed decent.  However, I had to fit training in there, too.

So if it took me 2 hours, 15 minutes to get out to Central Park via subway for a 10-miler, I’d be left with 6 hours, 45 minutes of sleep.  That is, I’d start cutting into my basic sleep needs of 8 hours.  Manageable?  Yes.  I could live on 6 hours, 45 minutes of sleep and probably get a proper amount of rest for my body-in-training, but it would be a bit tiring and tricky.

Wait, What Time??

When would I actually run, though?

If I had a 7am calltime, this meant I’d probably have to leave my home at 6am to get to set early, get sides, get breakfast, and so on.  This meant that I’d have to be in the shower around 5am.  And this meant that I’d have to be up around 3am to get in a 10-miler!

Getting up at 3am to run is ghastly for even the most committed runner.  So I started to try to think of ways to shave off time in my day.  The truth was, there was only one way to shave off that time.  I had to shave off the subway commute.

Truth be told, even if I left my home at 3am for the subway, the subway could be there else it could be there 20 minutes later given that service is much less frequent in the early morning hours.  That kind of time lag would be extremely detrimental to my goals (and to my sleep).  One 20-minute delay could mean the difference between running 7 and 10 miles.  (That is, it takes me about 20 minutes to run 3 miles.)  Or, it could mean I have to get to the subway as early as 2:40am.  Add to that: I’d still need to get up and put on my running clothes!

Making the Bridge

There is a bridge now called the Ed Koch Bridge, formerly called the Queensboro Bridge, that separates me from Manhattan and Central Park.  It is over a mile long, and it has a pretty grueling steepness to it.  There is also a running path.  I’ve biked over it many a time.  But now I realized I had to run it.

If I could run the Queensboro Bridge in the morning into Manhattan and Central Park and back rather than take the subway, that would save me about 1 hour in subway time.  Furthermore, I’d basically start my training runs right out my door!  It was a great idea.  The trouble was whether I’d actually like it.  Fortunately, I did.

Recalculating, my hypothetical 7am calltime meant I had to leave at 6am, which meant I had to shower at 5am, which meant I’d have to leave around 4am to get in a 10-miler.  This might sound mad, but it actually seemed doable.

When you realize in my hypothetical 12-hour day I’d be back at my apartment around 8pm, getting to bed immediately after, I’d get nearly 8 hours of sleep!  While obscene, this schedule was realistic.

But reality was somewhat more brutal than forecasted.

Reality Strikes

I didn’t work 12-hour days.  My first day on set ended up being a 16-hour day for the crew.

There was really nothing I could do trainingwise about 16-hour days–they were days not worth training on.  Fortunately I didn’t have many like that.  But I did find that I had a number of days that were over 12 hours.  This meant cutting into my sleep, which was hard for me to rationalize while also running.

You see, years ago I developed a stress fracture while running.  I was training aggressively at the time, but also getting not a ton of sleep.  I didn’t fall or anything, just suddenly developed the stress fracture, leading me to believe my lack of rest contributed significantly to my condition.  I reasoned I needed more rest if I was going to increase my mileage.  So I made rest a priority.

It was tough for me to figure whether I’d run in the morning or get the extra bit of sleep when those days were going over 12 hours.  However, I wasn’t too fretted.  It turned out that I averaged about 4 days a week on this film, leaving me with a catchup day for rest, running, or whatever.

In the End

All in all, I managed the schedule.  It ended up that one, maybe two or so days I got up before 4am for my run.  But I did get a number of runs in starting in the 4am hour.  I even got in one 16-mile run before my 9am calltime, a run that I started before 5am!  We were shooting in Central Park that day, and I got to wave hi to the catering guys as I ran by them in darkness.  Fun!

After Gods Behaving Badly, I moved over to stand in on a production that shot literally 2 minutes away from my home.  A 2-minute commute meant I didn’t have to get up as early to get in as much training.  I still got up early, but I was able to have a bit more sanity in my life.

That gig didn’t last too long before I was pulled over to stand in on another film.  Then, too, I had to fit in training.  For that film, I was supposed to follow the actor to stand in for him on his next film starting days later.  That film fell through (only eventually to pick up days before the Philly Marathon).  I think I patched together a few days here and there standing in before the last few days of training and the arrival of the NYC Marathon.

I didn’t meet my goals exactly, but I performed most satisfactorily.  In fact, for my Philly Marathon, I was only 15 seconds shy of my PR (“personal record”).  To think that I accomplished that despite running a tough NYC Marathon 2 weeks prior adds significance to my Philly accomplishment.

Secrets to My Success

I was able to keep fairly consistent with my training.  I didn’t average 70-mile weeks as the schedule suggested, but instead averaged about 50-mile weeks (more or less).  Most of my runs, though, were actually over 10 miles.

What helped me, though, was having consistent stand-in gigs.  I was able to synch my life with specific productions’ lives.  If instead I were bouncing around from production to production, standing in four days a week, I probably would have been ruined and exhausted, scrambling for sleep much less running.  The somewhat stable schedule was a boon for my training.

Also what helped was knowing what time it takes for me to run particular distances in different kinds of climate.  I used a Garmin watch, which keeps track of my miles and mileage.  It helped inform me of my progress.

I’m happy with what I accomplished, but I didn’t have much of a life.  My life was almost purely work-sleep-train.  Before I started this period, I told people I knew that I wouldn’t be doing much more than work-sleep-train in the next few months.  I had to say “no” to even small things, knowing that small things take up time that I didn’t really have.

But despite that all, I was really happy with what resulted.

3:13:49 and 3:07:47, baby.

Others have stood in while training for a marathon.  Have you?  If so, share below!

I’ve stood in with actor Haley Zale for a couple seasons on Showtime’s Nurse Jackie.  As a stand-in, Haley demonstrates a lot of respect for the job, and I asked her what interesting take she might have on standing in for an interview for Stand-In Central.

Haley wanted to comment on standing in for actors who are dissimilar to herself, something she has intimate experience with.  Read the interview with Haley Zale below!

- The Editor

Haley Zale

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

HZ: My name is Haley Zale and I work as a stand-in when I’m not auditioning for acting roles.

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

HZ: I have regularly stood in for Merritt Wever for Seasons 3 and 4 of Nurse Jackie.  I’ve also stood in for Jill Flint on Royal Pains, Tiffani Thiessen on White Collar, and day-played for actors such as Julia Ormond, Jacqueline Laurita of The Real Housewives of New Jersey fame, Marian Seldes, Jaimie Alexander, and Eddie Shin.

SIC: Oftentimes a stand-in is similar in key ways to her first-team actor.  You, however, have had experiences being quite different from your first-team actor.  What are some ways you’ve been dissimilar to your first-team actor when you’ve stood in?

HZ: It hasn’t been unusual to stand in for a person that is very dissimilar to me.  The most extreme case was when I stood in for Eddie Shin on Royal Pains.  I was different both in gender and ethnicity.

Height, weight, hair and eye color have been different as well.  The majority of my stand-in experience has been for Merritt Wever, who is 3/4 of an inch shorter than me and has lighter brown hair.

SIC: When you have stood in for a dissimilar actor, did you compensate in any way to be more similar to your first-team actor?  How do you recommend compensating for differences?

HZ: When I stand in for a first-team actor who is dissimilar to me, there are certain aspects I’ve learned that I can’t control.  I can’t control my ethnicity or my gender or my height or my eye color or my skin tone.  But I can adjust a couple things.

If my first-team actor is taller than me, I can easily slip into a pair of high heels.  I have a stand-in bag with three different pairs of shoes, varying in heel size.  I have a pair of ballet flats, a pair of 1-inch heels, and a pair of 3-inch heels.  I’ve found that with this collection I can switch into shoes that better match the height of my first-team actor.

However, being taller than my first-team actor has proven to be trickier.  Bending my knees isn’t a feasible option.  Squatting for 45 minutes as the lighting is set is a thigh workout that will exhaust me for the rest of the day.  Slouching will sometimes work, although that can also be painful to the body.  I will use slouching sparingly, only when the camera operators or the director of photography are looking at the shot.

My favorite trick is to take a wider stance.  It’s a simple fix to shave off a half an inch or more, depending on how wide the stance.  And it’s a comfortable position to sustain for a 14 hour day!

SIC: For what characteristics do you find it most important to adjust?  For what characteristics do you find it less important to adjust?

HZ:I find it most important to adjust my height.  I’ve found it less important to adjust my hair, although it makes me more confident when standing in for someone who looks dissimilar to me.

I can make slight suggestions with my hair by copying the style of my first-team actor.  For example, when Merritt Wever’s hair is in a lower bun, I make sure my darker hair is in the same style.  When her hair is in ponytail, I do the same.  In order to keep my position as a stand-in, I feel that paying attention to detail and doing a good job are aspects that I can control.

SIC: Have you considered changing your everyday appearance in some way when you’ve regularly stood in for a dissimilar first-team actor?

HZ: I have considered lightening my hair to keep a 10-episode job as a stand-in.  But I didn’t do it.  I investigated using colored Halloween hair spray that washes out, but the yellow turned my hair greenish and looked too artificial.  No one asked me to lighten my hair.  It was an idea that I had based from my own insecurity.

Permanent color was not an option.  Coloring my hair would result in it being different than my natural color in my own actor headshots.  I wasn’t willing to re-market myself with lighter hair.

SIC: Sometimes being dissimilar to an actor can threaten a stand-in’s self-esteem on set.  How would you recommend someone deal with feeling different with her first-team actor, as opposed to having her same height, same hair color, or some other identical characteristic?

HZ: Remember one thing when you’re booked for stand-in work: You’re BOOKED! There is a reason they booked you.  Yes, you can easily be replaced with someone who is probably a better fit.  But being smart and paying attention to the character mannerisms and stances–and most importantly, blocking–will show your professionalism and help you keep your job.

SIC: Do you let differences in appearance keep you from submitting yourself as a candidate for an actor’s stand-in on a project?

HZ: Sometimes I let differences in my appearance to an actor inhibit me from submitting as her stand-in.  Usually I won’t submit for a blond actress.  But if there is a posting for a brunette who’s within an inch of my height, I will submit.

SIC: Do you have any advice for a stand-in looking for regular stand-in work but for an actor she doesn’t resemble?

HZ: My advice is to try it!  Being selected to stand in for someone is out of your control.  But what you can control on set is your behavior.  Do a good job listening for them to call “check the gate” before they ask for second team.  Be easily accessible and always let someone know if you step off the stage.  Doing these things will show your professionalism.  If there are ways you can wear your hair to resemble your first team actor, do it! Even if it’s not a flattering look or the way you usually wear your hair.  Once the DP and the director see your professionalism, they’ll invite you back to work again.  And soon it can turn into a regular stand-in gig!

SIC: Anything else, Haley?

HZ: Color cover and nametags have become my two best weapons.  I work on a TV show where a new director comes in every two weeks.  I make sure I have a new nametag with both mine and my first-team character’s names on it for the first few days with a new director.  I wear my name tag proudly!

Color cover serves as a bold statement that I am standing in for this actor.  She will wear pink in this scene, so I wear pink while standing in and during second-team rehearsals.  Even if the clothing that wardrobe gives me for color cover is too big, I still wear it with pride. I become associated with that color and associated with my first-team actor.

SIC: Haley, that’s a wrap on this interview!

HZ: Great!  See ya!

Haley Zale lives in New York City.  Her website is http://www.haleyzale.com.

I have known Milton Dawes for a number of years.  Milton is a Jamaican-born man of numerous claims to fame with a diverse array of talents and experiences.  We first met in 2000 in New York City at a conference for general semantics, a field in which we are both very active.  Since then, I’ve come to know Milton better, paying him visits at his home in Montreal, Quebec, and serving as webmaster for his website.

But it struck me as odd the other day that after editing Stand-In Central for nearly two years, I never thought to interview Milton on one of his standout résumé footnotes: His stand-in experience on the first film of the James Bond franchise, Dr. No (1962).  Back when I first learned about his appearance in the film, I looked up the trailer on Netflix, and there was Milton, among the very first people I saw in the trailer.  This implied to me that Milton Dawes might be one of the first people viewers ever saw as they became acquainted with what would become a franchise still thriving fifty years later.

Milton accepted my offer to interview him for the Stand-In Central Interview Series.  Here’s what he had to share.

- The Editor

Milton Dawes

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

MD: Milton Dawes. I study, “teach”[*], and practice general semantics as “Advanced Thinking”–a way to make sense of things (including ourselves) and a general method for improvement.

SIC: You’ve also stood in before.  How many times have you stood in in your lifetime?

MD: Just once, in 1961 for the film Dr. No. I was also slated to take part in [the TV series] Father of the Bride around 1962 or so. The film might have been Bringing Up Father. Anyway I am sure “father” was in the title. It could have been the case that only a small part of the film was made in Jamaica.  Not acquainted with the film environment, I got tired of waiting so I left the production.

SIC: As a longtime friend, when I first heard that you’d stood in on Dr. No, the very first James Bond film, I was very excited to hear this information. How did you land the role of a stand-in on this film?

MD: I was a member of the National Dance Theatre of Jamaica. I think the director of the studio (Rex Nettleford, who died a few years ago) was asked for recommendations.

SIC: I understand you worked not only as a stand-in for the film, but also as a photo-double and stunt-double. On YouTube there is a clip of your scene in the first 5 seconds of a trailer for the film. You’re the guy in the red shirt.  Walk me through your memories of doing this scene.

MD: This part of the film took place in Port Royal, the famous pirate and Buccaneer haven, and from which Captain Morgan sailed to attack Panama City. Port Royal, across the harbor from Kingston (which I once swam across in a “cross the harbor” race), was once considered the wickedest city in the world. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1692.

I was standing in for the bad guy who was waiting in a basement with knife in hand. The bad guy was supposed to have valuable information for Mr. Bond. Bond was sent in the basement by a not-so-trustworthy bartender.  (I knew this person. He did manage a bar in Kingston.)

There were a lot of boxes in the storeroom. They were carefully set up beforehand in preparation, so that when Bond kicked the knife out of my hand, I would fall back into the boxes which would fly all over the place. There was no rehearsal. I was simply told what would happen and how I was expected to react.

If I remember correctly this was done in one take–and lasted just about 10 minutes from Bond’s entry, setup of lights, to the kick and fall. The filming done, Bond left immediately, and that was that. I left right after and went back to my work at the biochemistry lab in Kingston.

My lasting memory of that event was that Sean Connery did not fake the kick. It did hurt my hand for several days. (It wasn’t a soft shoe.)

SIC: Ha!  I imagine for the stunt your physical fitness played into being cast.  What was your physical fitness like at the time?

MD: I imagined that the requirement was for someone who physically looked like the bad guy. I was training at a bodybuilding gym at the time and was developed enough to enter several regional bodybuilding contests–and eventually Mr. Jamaica. (I won the Best Abdominal and Best Chest awards in that event.) I was also fit enough to do limbo dancing on shows at hotels in the Ocho Rios area.

Milton Dawes, Limbo Champion, limboing underneath the height of a Coke bottle

SIC: How were you treated on the set of Dr. No? Whom did you meet?

MD: I was around for only about an hour or two. I met only four persons. The bartender, the director (don’t remember who), the bad guy, and Connery in the basement for a few minutes.

SIC: This scene was shot in 1961. How much were you paid for the role at the time?

MD: I don’t remember this. I think if it was an unusually outstanding amount I probably would have remembered.

SIC: How did the experience shape you afterwards? Did you realize the film was going to be the start of a franchise still running 50 years later?

MD: I had no idea that the film would be a start for such a long-running franchise. As I had no intention to be in films, this was just a little adventure for me.  Once, with some other school mates I took acting classes with Lady Jeanne Campbell  (granddaughter of Lord Beaverbrook). It didn’t work out. I couldn’t get over my self-consciousness.

SIC: What are you up to nowadays?

MD: Writing, thinking, exercising, “teaching,” keeping healthy. And I still do my weightlifting exercises.

SIC: Anything else?

MD: Read some of my thoughts represented in articles I have written over the years at http://www.miltondawes.com.

SIC: Milton, thank you very much for taking the time to share your stand-in experiences.

MD: Thank you, Ben.

Milton Dawes lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  His website is http://www.miltondawes.com.

[*] Milton puts scare quotes around the term “teaching” when he uses the word. Specifically, Milton sees what he does in general semantics as talking-lecturing instead of teaching. He explains: “I see talking-lecturing about the principles [of general semantics] as a very small part of internalizing the system. As such I do not think I teach the discipline.”

Last week, in the first installment of the first two-part interview of the Stand-In Central Interview Series, Kat Murello talked about her experiences standing in on awards shows, game shows, and runway shows, and offered advice should you find yourself booked on one of these unusual projects.  Make sure you give it a read.

In this week’s installment, Kat Murello makes a case for getting stand-ins credited in the closing credits of projects they work on, a case I can really get behind.

- The Editor

Kat Murello, Stand-In and Television Host

SIC: How often have you been credited as a stand-in in the end credits of a project?

KM: I have been the film set or series stand-in on at least 20 projects, and unfortunately I’ve only received a mention in the closing credits a handful of times.

SIC: That is not a lot of credit given how much you work as a stand-in. How do you feel about crediting stand-ins in the end credits?

KM: I am not going to pretend it doesn’t bother me that my work as a stand-in is left unmentioned when every other person on a project–from the top of the ranks down to the single-day intern–is acknowledged. As a set stand-in, you are there everyday at first call and remain until wrap just like everyone else. You are working hard and putting in your time to bring the project to fruition, too. There is no logical reason to be left out.

SIC: If someone were to tell you that stand-ins weren’t worthy of film or TV credits, what might you say in response?

KM: I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say that the role of a stand-in isn’t deserving of a credit. I think the problem lies in that there is no department to list the stand-ins with, so they are just kind of left out. If a department were determined, I am sure it would become rote to credit the stand-ins along with everyone else. We work very closely with the camera department–perhaps we should be grouped with them.

SIC: Do you think all stand-ins should receive credits on all projects they do?

KM: I think that stand-ins deserve the same recognition as everyone else who is putting 15 hours a day in on a project. Our job is to help make sure that all departments are accommodated when the camera rolls: that camera is lined up properly, that lighting is at the right levels, that the scenes’ steps make sense to the director.  All of this so that first team can step on set and simply perform. Our job is pivotal to many other jobs going correctly.

SIC: What strategies do you recommend for getting credit as a stand-in on a project?

KM: Having your name listed on the front of the callsheet rather than being listed as “SI #2″ is a good step toward getting credit on projects.

I have found that being listed on the back of the callsheet along with the rest of the crew has also been helpful.  Additionally, I have had positive experiences with talking directly to the AD team about the issue.

I have to say HBO is very good about crediting their stand-ins. When you watch their programming, usually you will see the stand-ins listed with everyone else on the crew in the closing credits. I recently worked on a series for HBO and am very hopeful that our stand-in team will be listed in the credits.

(L to R) Sarah Ann Ward, Kat Murello, Lytle Harper, and Erica Leigh Boseski, the stand-ins for HBO's television series Girls

SIC: What are you doing to bring more attention to the issue of stand-ins getting credit for their work?

KM: Actually, I have written a letter to the SAG quarterly to get a dialogue started on this issue. Also, I have made an attempt to become part of the SAG committees here in New York.

Since this is the way I make my living, the same way a dolly grip and a key PA do, this is an important issue for me, and I am doing what I can to bring this issue to the attention of the union to get a permanent rule in place about credits. My grandmother will never see the work I do, so it would be nice to have something valid at the end of the projects I am working on to show her, so that she can see what I am a part of.

SIC: What do you ultimately want to see done for stand-ins in terms of credits? When do you think you will know your work is done?

KM: Ultimately I want stand-ins to be part of the scroll at the end of every movie and television series. And I will know my work is done when my grandmother calls me and says she saw that I worked on a movie she just watched because she saw my name scrolling by with everyone else’s.

SIC: Kat, thank you for taking the time to share your opinions and fight for stand-ins.

KM: You’re welcome!

Kat Murello is a television rehearsal stand-in pursuing a career in television hosting.  Her interview blog, The Ravenous Kitten (http://www.ravenouskitten.com), features interviews with up-and-coming artists of all types: comedians, singers, photographers, filmmakers, et al.

For more opinion on giving credits to stand-ins, read “Editorial: Giving Credits to Stand-Ins” from the Stand-In Central Tips & Tricks Blog.

Kat Murello is amongst the most ambitious stand-ins I know.  Not just ambitious, she has some pretty exciting perspectives on standing in.

In the first two-part interview of the Stand-In Central Interview Series, Kat talks about her experience standing in on awards shows, game shows, and runway shows, offering advice should you find yourself booked on one of these unusual projects.

In the second part of the interview, Kat makes a case for getting stand-ins credited in the closing credits of projects they work on, a case I can really get behind.  Tune in next week for the second part of Stand-In Central’s interview with Kat Murello.

- The Editor

Kat Murello

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

KM: My name is Kat Murello, and I work as a rehearsal stand-in for television and film while pursing a career in television hosting.

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

KM: I have been a stand-in for a wide variety of performers–from Kathy Griffin to Rachael Ray, to the entire cast of Hair.  I’ve also done long-term movie stand-in work for actresses such as Jessica Alba and Elizabeth Banks.

SIC: You’ve been privileged to stand in on projects other than your regular film or TV show.  What are some of the other types of projects you’ve stood in on?

KM: Although I often do stand-in work for films and television series, a large portion of what I do is for specials such as The Tony Awards, The Comedy Central Roasts, The Celebrity Apprentice, various game shows, and runway shows for Fashion Week. It’s been a real gift because as an aspiring host myself, I’ve had the chance to work with and rehearse with some of the best in the business–like Jon Stewart and Neil Patrick Harris. You can’t get better training than that.

Kat Murello and Jon Stewart in rehearsal

SIC: I understand that these other types of projects require quite different skills of the stand-in.  What do you do as a stand-in on an awards show?

KM: Being a stand-in on an awards show is a lot of fun.  You are really required to use your talents on these jobs as opposed to many film and television series that simply ask you to stand in place and hold marks.

With awards shows you can be doing anything from reading teleprompter and doing voiceover copy, to going through dancers’ paces and giving acceptance speeches.  For one awards show I was even used with another stand-in for rappers Pharoahe Monch and Buckshot, and we had to rap their song for rehearsal while The Roots played the music.  It was crazy!  And a lot of fun!

SIC: What do you do as a stand-in on a game show?

KM: It depends on the show.  Sometimes you are used as a stand-in for the host or announcer. For that purpose, you usually are reading teleprompter.  Sometimes you are used as a contestant. In those cases, you just have to play the game and have fun with it.

SIC: And what skills are required for standing in for a fashion show?

KM: Standing in for fashion shows requires different things depending on the designer or event.  You are basically helping them to create their vision so that when the models come in they have all the timing right with the music and the lighting.  Different designers and shows require different types of walks so you have to be prepared to give them exactly what they ask for without thought.

SIC: Did you feel you needed to prepare in any way for these gigs?  How might a stand-in prepare for these types of gigs?

KM: For the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show last year, I was the stand-in for one of the musical acts–Katy Perry.  To prepare for that, I memorized the lyrics for the songs she was to perform for the show, and I had to perform her routines with her backup dancers.  You have to really be on point with stand-in jobs like that because everyone around you needs a good rehearsal–the dancers, the camera operators, the lighting crew. You have to remember it isn’t about you–it’s about everyone around you–so you must be prepared and on your game so everyone can get the most out of the rehearsal.

But the best way to prepare for most of the stand-in jobs that I do is to be focused on the task at hand and to really stay on top of your improviser game. You need to be open and devoted to the improvisational concept of “Yes, and…” and you must be a very good listener–that is what will give the game show or television special the rehearsal they are looking for.

SIC: Do you have any color cover advice for these other types of stand-in gigs?

KM: As far as color cover goes, you are usually working with lavalier mics so you need to wear clothing that will cooperate with that–polo shirts and buttondowns are best, with a pair of jeans or pants that you can clip the battery pack to.  For fashion shows, head-to-toe black is usually the dress requirement. That, and looking as tall as possible!

SIC: Do these stand-in gigs have unusual pay scales or do they pay like your usual stand-in gig?

KM: The television shows are always AFTRA. Rehearsals for fashion shows are usually a flat rate.

SIC: Do you have any advice for a stand-in looking to get into standing in on an awards show or a game show?

KM: My best advice would be to get improvisational training. I did the program at Upright Citizens Brigade and I am constantly putting into practice the tools I learned there. I recommend reading improv books by Charna Halpern and Mick Napier.

SIC: Anything else?

KM: Working rehearsals for these sorts of shows is a gift, so be on point but allow yourself to be in the moment. You will learn things that cannot be taught in school and you will make connections that can benefit you greatly. Also, it’s very important to stay professional and be discreet. You are privy to things that aren’t available to the general public yet so you have to take the responsibility of that seriously.

Next week on Stand-In Central, Part 2 of this post: Interview with Kat Murello, Part 2 of 2!

Have you stood in on an awards show, a game show, or a fashion show?  Have you stood in on a project different from your standard television show or film?  If so, share below!

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!

Dear Stand-In Central,

I am a regular stand-in on a television show. Since the start of our season, we have had several first time stand-ins that have been booked to stand in for dayplayers. The background PA routinely introduces them to me and tells them to stay by me (because I know when to be on and off set) and follow what I do. I don’t mind giving them the basics like how to stand on the mark, but lately I’ve been feeling more and more like a babysitter. Some of these stand-ins follow me so closely that they stand next to me on my mark, and others repeatedly disappear off set and cannot be found when it is time for them to stand in.

I have not been blamed for “losing” these stand-ins, but I feel conflicted about the level of responsibility I should have for them. I want to help out the crew and make sure the new stand-ins are doing their best, but I cannot be keeping and eye on them and chasing after them all day. It’s becoming very stressful.

Have you had experience with this and do you have any advice?

- Brandy

Hi Brandy!

Thanks for your email! What a tough situation. Your situation probably is not all that uncommon for stand-ins who work regularly on the same project and become familiar and friendly with the assistant directors and background P.A. I’ve provided a reply below. Also, your situation suggested a need that Stand-In Central can fill for stand-ins like yourself. Stay tuned to the homepage for a downloadable sheet like the one described by the end of the 2011.

- The Editor

Response from Ben Hauck

First of all, I feel your pain!  While technically it is not part of your responsibilities as a stand-in to parent or teach others, you may feel a particular need to help a few out here and there.  But when that becomes an obligation or a chore, one that especially interferes with your own job or downtime, that sounds like a real issue.

We had a similar issue come up on set recently.  Another regular stand-in was seated next to a day-playing stand-in pulled from background, who was next to a talkative background actor.  The regular stand-in was quiet but the other two were distracted.  The day-playing stand-in was talking and on his Blackberry; the talkative one was, well, talkative.  The typically soft-spoken DP went up to the two and said very directly, “Do you want to be a stand-in?  Then watch her (our regular stand-in).  And you (the background actor)–be quiet.”  And the DP left.

The regular stand-in felt bad, feeling somewhat responsible for those two, though they weren’t really her responsibility.

In my opinion, you know that this happens–that new stand-ins come in and sometimes they shadow you.  I might advise to prepare for this in order to help circumvent it.  An idea I had that another stand-in also liked was to create a sheet of paper with stand-in responsibilities on it.  Hand it to new stand-ins whenever production singles you out as the go-to person for advice.  That way, in giving them a sheet with responsibilities on it, you help them out, but then you also make it their responsibility to abide by what’s expected of them.  With their “knowing the rules” from the sheet, you potentially get around much further responsibility and also dump some of the responsibility onto them.  Plus, they get a good takeaway that they can use for future stand-in gigs.

A more general idea is to refer these people to the Stand-In Central website: http://standincentral.com.  That’s why it’s here, to be a helpful resource for the stand-in.  If it helps, simply say, “Go to standincentral dotcom and click on ‘What Is A Stand-In?‘”  There, I’ve created several general headings, including one that says “Responsibilities.”  If you’d like to create a sheet from it, you can pull from there (please cite Stand-In Central as the source if you quote directly from it–thanks!).  Just basically, the site is here to help stand-ins out … and it sounds like you’re a stand-in who needs some help!

All in all, I hope you use some of the above devices to get out of some of the added responsibilities your job wants you to care for.  Keep in mind that the other stand-ins aren’t your responsibility–they’re more the responsibility of the assistant director or production assistants (the background P.A., the key P.A., et al.).

I felt your pain when reading your email.  If you find some other balance, feel free to write back.

How do you manage stand-ins who follow you for guidance?  What information do you offer?  Are there limits to what you teach stand-ins?  If you care to share below, please do!

Take a look at the segment hosted by Amy Robach:

I recently stood in for an actor at a camera test who is promoted as 6′1″. I wore athletic shoes with taller heels to the camera test because I knew he was promoted as 6′1″, and I’d be just a little under if I wore shoes with a normal heel. Quite to my surprise, when I showed up at the camera test, he looked a lot taller than me! Asked for his height, he confirmed it as 6′1″. To me, he looked more like 6′2″, but who would undersell his height? Admittedly it was hard to gauge how different our heights were given that I was stuck in my body and there wasn’t mirror around for me to compare our heights in passing.

I got the job nonetheless, and on the first day of shooting our heights didn’t seem as dramatically different to me as they did at the camera test. But the initial sight got me a bit paranoid: Was I truly 6′0″? How did I even come to the height I promote? An inch in height difference for a stand-in may not seem like much, but depending on the Director of Photography, camera pepartment, or other teams of people on a TV or film set, an inch off here could equate to a loss of, say, $10,000 or more for a stand-in in gross wages earned from a production.

I thought I’d turn this experience into the second Stand-In Central Poll. What height do you promote as a stand-in? Do you promote your height without shoes on, or with shoes on? If you promote them with shoes on, do these shoes have a normal heel or a high heel? Or do you lie about your height? Maybe do you promote a height range for yourself? Use the anonymous poll below to mark what height you promote.

Do you have an opinion on what height to promote? If so, share below!

The Pros and Cons, Perks and Demands of Being a Stand-In
by Jessica Gardner

The article features an interview with Ben Hauck, editor of Stand-In Central.

Backstage is both a national newspaper that serves as a valuable resource for actors about auditions and business, and a website serving similar interests.  Its website is http://www.backstage.com.

We’d like to hear more about how Stand-In Central has helped you.

Do you refer people to Stand-In Central for advice?  Did a particular piece of advice help you land a stand-in gig?  Are you a casting director who refers stand-ins to the site to brush up on their job?  Are you a stand-in who wanted to learn more details about a gig?  Did an interview with a professional stand-in inform you about an aspect of the job you’d wanted to know about?

If you have anything to share about how Stand-In Central has helped you, please contact us via the Ask Stand-In Central link above, or by posting a comment below.

Thanks for following Stand-In Central!

One topic that can be a bit difficult to find information on is leaving a stand-in gig.  How does one do that?  Will production be upset?  Is it a bad thing to leave a stand-in job?

Elizabeth Ann Corkum faced these tough questions on her own and ended up with some valuable perspective on the topic after recently leaving a long-term stand-in job.  Below is the second audio interview in the Stand-In Central Interview Series.  Give it a listen!

- The Editor

An Interview with Elizabeth Ann Corkum

Elizabeth Ann Corkum

Actor and Stand-In

On YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USznyq4aU7M

For more information on Liz, visit http://www.elizabethanncorkum.com.

If you have a great angle on standing in, a fantastic stand-in story, or if your stand-in job involves special talents, email the editor at Stand-In Central and we just may interview you!

We can conduct an interview over email or in person (depending on your location).  Stand-In Central interviews are great ways to promote yourself as a stand-in and as an actor!

Here are some angles that might interest us for interviews:

Becoming a star’s dedicated stand-in

Landing principal work by working as a stand-in

Landing stand-in jobs in markets other than New York City

Standing in on soap operas

Standing in on productions with live studio audiences

Standing in on productions with three or more cameras

Working as a utility stand-in

Standing in for the opposite sex

Rehearsing scenes with principal actors

Eating healthfully and keeping fit when on set

Etc.!

We aim to keep Stand-In Central informative and entertaining.  Stand-In Central is a non-authoritative website dedicated to being a helpful resource for the television and film stand-in.  If you’d like to contribute toward this goal, please email the editor!

Knowing What It’s Like to Be on a Set

One of the most important ways that stand-in work has prepared me to work as an actor has been gaining the experience of knowing what it’s like to be right in the middle of a TV or film set.

One of my latest gigs was on a television show that films here in New York City. On my last day, we worked in the studio. Since I am used to being around lots of equipment and crew people, everything was familiar to me, and I automatically felt comfortable on set. Instead of being distracted or overwhelmed by what was going on around me, I was able to focus on what I needed to do in the scene.

Also, by watching the crew members work, I was able to easily identify the roles of the different people on set. This helped me direct questions to the appropriate crew members (for example, asking a person from the sound department about putting foam on my high heels to reduce the noise I’d make while walking).

Knowing Where to Be out of the Way

In one of my scenes, I played an assistant in an office with three other actors. My action was to pour tea for my boss at her desk, then walk around the desk and out of the office.  Since the scene continued after my exit, I had to find a spot on set to stand where I was off camera, not blocking any lights, and out of the way of the camera’s path.  (The camera, mounted on a dolly, moved during the scene.)

Because we filmed the scene from several angles, each time I had to find a different spot to stand off camera. Throughout the different setups, I realized that from stand-in work I had developed a good instinct of where I had to stand to be in a safe place. I also knew I had to tiptoe when I was out of the shot so I wouldn’t continue to make noise while walking in my high heels.

Knowing How to Handle Continuity

During the scene, I was pouring tea from a teapot into a cup with a saucer, and setting them both on the desk. After every take, the tea had to be poured out into a bucket, the teapot had to be refilled, and the cup, saucer, and spoon needed to be reset in their original positions. I remembered on my own how everything was placed and could have reset it all myself; however, I knew that it was the job of the props department to handle this, to ensure the continuity of the props’ positions.

After we turned around to the final angle, I arrived to set and took my mark. It had been adjusted slightly, but I understood that the camera operators had to change my positioning due to the new angle. I then saw that there was a large light completely blocking my exit path!  I knew that I still had to exit the same way for continuity in the scene. I needed to ask about where to make my exit, but I saw that the ADs were busy.  From my stand-in experience, I knew the other appropriate person I should ask was the DP. He, too, understood about the importance of continuity in the scene, and he helped me find a safe way to exit the scene that would look correct for camera.

Knowing to Find Camera

Later in the week, I worked as an actor on a film. I played the Maid of Honor in a wedding scene. I was holding a bouquet of flowers, and in the scene I had to rummage through my purse to pull out money.

When it came time to do my coverage, I looked at the small monitor attached to the side of the camera to see how much of my body would be in the shot. When I saw that the shot was from my waist up, I knew to handle my props high enough so that the camera could see I was looking through my purse.

From my experience standing in, I knew I might be able to see the monitor from my mark to get this information.  If not, I knew I could have asked the director or the camera operator how wide the shot was (though it was better for me to see it myself).  In the end, the camera operator assured me that the height of my props was good for capturing my action with the purse, and it matched the other shots for continuity.

Forgetting for a Moment I’m an Actor, Not a Stand-In!

After a few takes, the director asked me to exit the frame. Since I had not done this in other takes, I asked which way I should walk off.

This comes up sometimes when I am standing in. If the actor did not exit in the rehearsal and I do not know which way I should go, I point in the direction I assume most logical and wait to hear from the director or the camera operator if I am correct, then proceed to walk out of frame.

When filming this wedding scene, out of habit, I took this same approach. The director asked me to walk out; while rolling I asked “Which way?,” pointed in the direction I thought, and exited. Then he asked me to do it again, this time without asking which way! I laughed, along with the director and the crew. I realized that I had done that a thousand times while standing in–but I had to do it a little differently while working as actor on camera!

Although I may have been thinking more like a stand-in than an actor in that moment, I feel as if stand-in experience helped me in this situation because I was thinking about the technical aspects of the scene, and I knew it was important to know which way I should exit the frame.

Stand-In Work Helped My Acting Work

I had awesome experiences working on these sets. I met many talented actors, directors, and crew people. Everyone in each department was so helpful to me, and they all came together to make these projects great. I am so grateful to work as an actor, and to have stand-in experiences that help me in my career.

How has stand-in work helped you as an actor? Have you developed habits while standing in that need to be adjusted when you are working as an actor? Comment below!

From the set of the popular television show The Vampire Diaries, I recently received an email from Billy Mueller.  On the show, Billy works as a utility stand-in.  Since work as a utility stand-in offers unique challenges, Billy offered to share some of his on-the-job experiences.  If you’re going to work as a utility stand-in, give Billy’s interview a read!

- The Editor

Billy Mueller

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

BM: I am Billy Mueller, and I’m currently a student in addition to working full-time as a stand-in on CW’s The Vampire Diaries.

SIC: What has been your stand-in experience before The Vampire Diaries?

BM: None, actually. While a lot of productions are starting up in Georgia, it’s still far less common to work in production than other areas like L.A. or New York.

SIC: The Vampire Diaries shoots in various locations around Atlanta, Georgia.  How did you land a stand-in gig on it?

BM: In fall of 2008, I heard that a big television show was starting up in Atlanta.  I checked it out to find that the sound stages were not too far from my house. I found casting and sent in to work as background for various high-school type scenes.

One day working background, I was whisked away into stand-in world by an A.D. because someone didn’t show and I happened to resemble the actor. After that, I messaged casting to let them know I was interested in continuing to stand in, and since then I’ve been working full-time.  The next few times, I worked as different characters but it wasn’t strange to me since this is my first job as a stand-in.

SIC: You work specifically as a utility stand-in on the show.  How are your responsibilities different from those of someone standing in for just one actor?

BM: I often stay as one particular character throughout an episode but I almost always remain during the workday for a second actor/character, or more.  Probably the most challenging and fun part of representing multiple characters is studying the different mannerisms and postures of each actor and trying my best to emulate them.

SIC: Cool.  How do you deal with standing in for actors shorter or taller than you?

BM: If I can get any heads up on the characters I’ll stand in for for the next day, I’ll start out by wearing flat shoes or boots accordingly. After that, I’ll spread my legs apart for much shorter characters and push up on my toes for the taller of the bunch. I don’t necessarily hold that position for a whole setup, but I try my best to match while camera is framing up and during rehearsals.

SIC: How does the crew keep track of what character you’re representing?

BM: I’ve been on this particular show as a stand-in for about 5 months so I’m well acquainted with camera and lighting. Color cover helps a lot, as well as good communication. There are two regular male stand-ins and we have each worked out a regular handful of characters we tend to portray.

SIC: How do you manage standing in for several actors in one day?  Is it exhausting? Confusing?

BM: It’s not as bad now that I’ve got certain routines worked out. Managing color cover can sometimes become daunting when you rack up a good amount of clothing for the day. Sometimes it can be hard to tell when wrap time is, depending on which stand-ins the A.D. chooses to keep.

But otherwise it’s a nice challenge to manage several characters throughout an episode.

SIC: Your utility role has you stand in for both men and women.  As a male stand-in, is it peculiar standing in for a female actor?

BM: The worst part is probably the confusion that can come up during a first lineup or rehearsal. I usually just make sure camera knows the character I’m representing.

SIC: Okay, so given your experience on The Vampire Diaries, what qualities make for a great utility stand-in?

BM: Really, the same skills that make any stand-in a valuable part of the crew. Especially speed, dependability, and attention to details.

SIC: Anything else you care to share, Billy?

BM: Just wanted to let you know I found your site a few weeks after I began standing in. I had already learned on set a ton of things that had been mentioned in your various posts, but I also got to learn a few tricks I had not come across for myself.  Your site’s a great repository and forum for information on standing in. I hope others find it as useful as I did.

SIC: That’s great to hear, Billy!  Thanks for the recommendation.  And the interview!

BM: Absolutely!