Oftentimes when you’re standing in on a set, you’ll be given a label.  This label is usually just a piece of tape with your name on it, along with the name of the character for whom you’re standing in and maybe the number of the character from the callsheet.  Typically, the background PA will give you your label right when you check in.

The label is a piece of equipment whose value you might feel inclined to diminish by wearing it in a non-obvious place. However, your label can be quite valuable to the rest of the crew when they’re trying to give you direction.  It is a good idea to respect the label when you are given it.

First off all, with your label, the crew will be able to distinguish for whom you’re standing in, especially when there’s nothing really obvious about your physical characteristics to determine for whom you’re standing in.  Second, the crew will be able to get your attention politely when they need you to reposition yourself during lighting and camera setups.

Most of the time, stand-ins wear the label like a nametag across the upper chest, on either the left or the right.  Whenever possible, I prefer to wear my label across the center of my upper chest.  I find it’s more practical to wear it there.  Across the center of my upper chest gives my label a slightly better chance of being seen on camera for the crew to notice, especially when I’m standing at an angle to the camera that would obscure the label if it were on one side or the other.

Obviously, you don’t want to do this if you are exposing skin on your upper chest, or if you are wearing a jacket that is partially unzipped.  And it is irrelevant if your first time standing in on a set is with your back to the camera (where your label is unseen).

Positioning the label on your clothes is not a big thing, only a small thing, but something that may make things a tiny bit more helpful for the rest of the crew during setups.

Do you wear your label in a specific way?  Any other pointers?  Comment below!