A Stand-In’s Responsibilities
The exact nature of the stand-in job varies with each production, but below are the typical responsibilities of the stand-in:
- Immediately enter the set after production calls “Second team!”
- Carefully study your principal actor’s actions in marking rehearsal
- Stand still on the principal actor’s marks
- Accurately perform the actions of the principal actor during setup and camera rehearsal
- Watch the monitors for changes in the actions when shooting
- Listen for the announcement of “Checking the gate!” to know when to be close to set again
To be a good stand-in, it helps to be aware of these responsibilities and develop abilities in order to fulfill them. In particular, you need to pay very close attention and be very attentive.
Ultimately, you are there to help the rest of the crew. When you can perform what is expected of you as a stand-in, production can run smoothly and swiftly.
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For a complete overview of the job of the stand-in and callsheet terminology,
download The Stand-In Handbook and The Callsheet Cheatsheet.