One of the stand-ins selected for the day was doing something I found ingenious: Using the camera test as preparation for her job.  In particular, she was taking wardrobe notes on the actor for whom she was to stand in.

In particular, she was noting the clothing her actor was wearing, as well as her actor’s shoes.  The clothing was important for at least a couple of reasons: to suggest the color of color cover the stand-in should bring, but also to suggest how much skin she should reveal in her color cover (specifically, how much of her arms she should reveal in her color cover).

The shoes were important because they would determine whether the stand-in should wear heels to stand in, or whether her height in flats met the actor’s height in heels.  Even the height of the heels was important.  Each pair of shoes the actor tried on, the stand-in tried to estimate the height of the heel.  (Actors could wear a selection of heels with different heights over a production, possibly meaning that stand-ins need to closely match those heights.)

Of course, as a stand-in, you might not know for what scenes an actor will be wearing what clothes, but witnessing a camera test is an opportunity to prepare for a long-term job.  The information you gain from a camera test may imply you should go out and purchase some items for your wardrobe that you lack, in order to use them for color cover or to wear as shoes.

However, just because you’ve landed a stand-in gig for a camera test, you haven’t necessarily booked the gig for the whole production.  Air on the side of caution before spending a lot of money on new color cover and shoes.

Is there anything else you recommend to do at a camera test?  If so, share below!

Women & Hairstyle

For women, the style or length of your hair compared to the actress isn’t always a major factor. You can have longer hair and get booked to stand in for someone with shorter hair and vice versa.  In my experience, I have found that films have stricter hair requirements for stand-ins than television projects.

Whatever the project, it’s important to be honest about how your hair currently looks. If you have recently changed your color, added highlights, or gotten a significant haircut, you should inform the casting director of this when you get called to stand in. If you don’t have professional pictures of you with your new hairstyle, you can take a candid digital photo to have ready to send out upon request.

Changing Your Hair for the Job

For particular jobs, you may be required to change your hair to match the actor you are standing in for. You will usually see this detailed in the casting notice, and the casting director should be able to give you more information about how the actress’s hair will be styled.

If the casting director didn’t mention that you should be willing to change your hair, then most likely it is not required. If it is required, you would be asked to cut and/or color your hair after chosen for the job, not for the interview.

Making the Decision to Change Your Hairstyle

Changing your hair for stand-in work can be a big decision. If you’re an actor, you have headshots that reflect your current image, and you will have to figure out how to work around that issue if your image changes.

If you are thinking about changing your hair for a stand-in job, here are some things to consider:

• How many days of work will this job give you?

When you get called for consideration for stand-in work, the casting director should be able to tell you how many days you would be working on the project.  A major character could work anywhere from 10 days to 40 or more days on a film. If you would only be working on the project for a shorter term, it may not be worth it to you to change your hair.

• Does it make sense financially to change your hair?

Find out if you would be responsible for covering the cost of changing your hair. A cut and color can be expensive for women, and it could be more expensive in the long run if you decide to change it back to your previous style. You can ask if there is someone in the hair department who would be willing to do it for you. This would save you money, and their stylists would know best about how your hair should look to match the principal actress.

• Will you have to cut your hair?

Figure out how much of a cut you would be comfortable with. Trimming your hair a few inches is a minor change, but a much shorter cut or bangs can change your look a lot, and it would take longer to grow back out to your previous style.

• Will you have to change the color?

Once you change your hair color more than a few shades, it’s not easy to change it back. It could take several appointments to gradually change your hair shade-by-shade to get it back to your previous color. It can also be damaging to the overall health of your hair.

• Are you willing to get new headshots taken?

If your look changes dramatically, you may need to consider taking new headshots to represent your new look. Even if you want to change back to your previous style, you may need a new picture to represent you while your hair is transitioning.

Finally: Ask Questions!

There can be a lot to think about when deciding to change your hair for stand-in work. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you need more details about how you would have to change it. You need to feel comfortable and confident that you are making the right decision. Good luck!

Do you have any comments about changing your hair for stand-in work? Please share below!

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.