When children are actors in film and television, they need stand-ins just as adult actors do.  Almost without exception, the stand-ins for children are adults.  Sarah Brynne is one of these stand-ins.  I met Sarah Brynne in the past year and she has some great stories about standing in for children, as well as some helpful advice should you find yourself working in place of someone a fraction of your age.

– The Editor

 

Sarah Brynne

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

SB: My name is Sarah Brynne. I work full-time as an actress, voice-over artist, and stand-in. I also consider my life in NYC to be a full-time job.  Both acting and NYC are equally fulfilling!

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

SB: I frequently stand in for a very successful child actress, Ruby Jerins. We happen to be a very good match, and she happens to work a lot in New York City. Currently she plays one of Edie Falco’s daughters on Nurse Jackie. I have also stood-in for Norah Jones on My Blueberry Nights, Sarah Hyland on Lipstick Jungle, Kay Panabaker on Fame, Nat Wolff on the second season of Naked Brothers Band, and many others.

SIC: You’ve stood in a number of times for children.  How is standing in for child actors different from standing in for adults?

SB: Standing in for children has a few unique perks. Generally their blocking involves things like sitting on an adult’s lap, running around the room energetically, or even being potty trained!  These often provide some fun-slash-awkward moments with other stand-ins and crew.  I’ve sat in highchairs, curled up with stuffed animals, even real dogs, and once sucked my thumb for a scene.

Also, there are a lot of restrictions on work hours and school hours for child actors, so often I may be asked to read lines off-camera or stay after my actor or actress has wrapped to finish coverage on a scene. In fact, standing in for kids has provided me with some amazing opportunities to work with the principal cast. I’ve read lines off-camera to Stanley Tucci, Edie Falco, Jude Law, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener–all amazing experiences. In these moments, I rehearse the scene with the director and cast, wedge myself in some corner of the set, and do my best to give the same performance that the child delivered earlier. 

SIC: How did you end up standing in for children?

SB: There’s a small niche for 4’11”-5’2″.  I’m 5’0″ and have very “average” coloring, brown hair, and blue eyes, and over the years, I have built relationships with different casting offices. I remember one time I was told by casting that I didn’t look anything like the actress in a particular feature film, but she needed my experience and reliability because they wanted someone with technical experience to work with the director of photography, a celebrity in his own right.

SIC: Do you find your height marginalizes you at all?

SB: Not at all. It’s about finding your niche and working with it. In theater, it’s extremely advantageous because I can portray a child-parent relationship more believably. For some reason, theater directors prefer to have a “younger” role be shorter than an “older role”, even if both characters are adults. But, yes, as a stand-in and film actress, it’s a great niche. And for principal work in film and TV, height is rarely a factor. I can’t even count the amount of times I’ve balanced on an applebox while filming a scene with a taller actor. Ah, the magic of movie-making!

SIC: How is your height an asset for you?

SB: In this industry, you always have to find those little things that set you apart. Being petite can offer a different choice for that character or it can even be as simple as you don’t block somebody or something in the frame. I mean, it’s either they are looking for someone small or tall, or they don’t care. Often I find they don’t care, as long as you do your job, hit your mark, and do all you can to blow ’em away in the audition.

SIC: I’m sure you’ve had some funny experiences standing in for children.  What’re ones that comes to mind?

SB: I was literally stuffed in the backseat of a car while working on Nurse Jackie. Edie Falco and Dominic Fumusa are in the front seats and in order for the lighting to work, their seats were pushed back into my body. I had been placed in the car before first team got in, and no one had told the actors that second team would give them a line. We’re just about ready to roll and I clear my throat, only to give both Edie and Dominic quite a scare. I calmly explained, “I’m just your oversized child riding on the floor of the backseat.”  Dear Edie was so concerned for my comfort and safety, we had to reassure her that this was the only way to get this shot off.

My other favorite memory was when working on Synecdoche, New York. I was doing a marking rehearsal with Catherine Keener because of the “kid hours,” and the scene was about a four-year-old daughter needing her mother’s assistance in the bathroom.  It’s seven in the morning and I’m seated on a fully-functioning toilet having Catherine Keener wipe my ass. The best part: My line was “Mom, is poop alive?”  And did I mention this was all directed by Charlie Kaufman? He was great, she was great … it was a lot of fun!

SIC: Do you have any advice for someone standing in for children for the first time?

SB: It’s a lot of fun working with kids, and they have such great energy and a natural approach. They are working professionals and they have a lot of responsibilities on set, so I always give them space. Respect their privacy and downtime the same as you would the adult actors on set.

With kids, be especially on-time and ready to stand in because production will utilize every spare minute of that child’s time for school. It’s often that the “adult stand-ins” are at crafty enjoying a cup of coffee and I’m still on my mark because the child is cramming in ten minutes of school for a spelling test. As with any stand-in job, be alert, know how to interpret your sides, and don’t stray from set. With kids, sometimes the crew will need you more frequently than with adults.

SIC: Anything else?

SB: As stand-ins, I think sometimes we forget that our directors and DPs can be celebrities, too, and it’s always an honor to work directly with some of these outstanding people.  I think it’s important to remember that your #1 job as a stand-in is to work for the camera department. If PAs and wardrobe and other people are giving you a hard day, at the very least, be there and on your game for those camera guys. I almost wish they hired the stand-ins because it’s all about how stand-ins and camera crew work together!

If you’re new to a particular set, hang with the utility or regular stand-ins. Generally they have that show’s rhythm figured out a bit and they can give any helpful tips on the camera department and director.  For example, do they prefer you read lines in marking rehearsals? As stand-ins, you become part of your own department, so help make it a great team!

I always say, Stay with your “stand-in buddies.” Tell them if you’re running to the bathroom, crafty, etc. Chances are you’ll be working with your fellow stand-ins again and it’s nice to have the camaraderie.

SIC: Thanks a lot, Sarah!  This is great!

SB: Thank you!

Sarah Brynne lives in New York City.  Her website is http://www.sarahbrynne.com.