Recently on set, I pitched an idea to some of the stand-ins about a theoretical invention: multipurpose stand-in shoes.
I pitched that these shoes would do a number of things. First off, their height would be self-adjusting, so that if you’re the height of a given actress and she then wears heels, the stand-in shoes will adjust to the new height of the actress.
Also I pitched that the shoes would be self-marking. That is, when you’re lined up in the right place for camera, the shoes would drop marks somehow so the camera department doesn’t have to.
Lastly, I pitched that the shoes would tell the focus puller exactly how far from the camera you are. That way, the focus puller doesn’t have to measure the distance your eye is from the camera.
I opened the idea up to other stand-ins to see what features they’d want to be in these magical shoes. Immediately one stand-in said that stand-in shoes would be warm. That is, they would be heated or temperature-controlled. That same stand-in also said the shoes would beam holographically the sides to you for easy reading.
Another stand-in said the shoes would vibrate when second team is being called for. This vibration would alert you when you’re needed.
What do you think?
Now I open the discussion up to you. If you were to design multipurpose stand-in shoes, what features would they have in order to help you when you stand in?
I love the idea of the vibration feature! Another handy feature would be to have those small balls on the bottom like they have on some sneakers so you can glide from mark to mark! 🙂
HA!
If there would be a holographic feature, it would also make horizontal measurements… A stand in that’s 5’5, 145, could be raised taller on those shoes.. And geniusly, the same stand in could be slimmed down to any weight… ie., that 145 pounds would be squeeeeezed and compressed into 100 pounds! Those shoes would be amazing…. I’d watch a film about Those shoes!!!!