A common question for people visiting Stand-In Central is how much stand-ins in film and television are paid.
Usually stand-ins are members of SAG-AFTRA. Where SAG-AFTRA covers the work of background actors, it typically also covers stand-ins. These stand-ins are entitled to wages determined by union contracts negotiated with producers.
For TV/film stand-ins, contracts vary depending on the production. With these contracts come different rates for stand-ins.
Current Rates as of July 1, 2021
In recent years, union wages have annually increased for TV/film stand-ins on July 1st.
As of July 1st, 2021, stand-ins on films and many television shows working under a SAG-AFTRA contract (specifically, under Schedule X, Parts I and II), make $214 for 8 hours. Stand-ins on other television shows under a Legacy AFTRA contract (aka “Exhibit A”) make $220 for 8 hours. SAG-AFTRA may permit productions known as “New Media” to hire stand-ins at lower rates than these.
The productions listings on the SAG-AFTRA website list the contract a particular production is working under (though the information can be needlessly vague). Production listings can be found on specific SAG-AFTRA Local pages under “Career Resources” (where available and when you are logged in). For example, you can find the New York-area production listings by clicking on “Production Listings” on this page. (Because of the coronavirus pandemic and less SAG-AFTRA staff, production listings are incomplete.)
The SAG-AFTRA website also includes wage tables for films and for television in the “Contracts & Industry Resources” section. These wage tables show the rates stand-ins make under various contracts. You do not have to log into the website to view the wage tables.
Stand-ins on commercials, stand-ins on promos, et al., work under much different contracts, so they work at different rates not covered in this article. (For stand-in pay on commercials from April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2022, click here.)
Also, individual projects may negotiate non-standard contracts with the union, so stand-ins on those projects may make non-standard rates as well.
Additional Compensation
As union members, stand-ins can also make additional money in various ways. Some of these methods may include:
- working overtime
- earning meal penalties (when crew does not break for a meal after 6 hours of work)
- working at night (when working during premium time periods)
- when also photo-doubling (when a stand-in is on camera in place of another actor)
Given the overtime many stand-ins put in, TV/film stand-ins may regularly gross $300-$400/day or more. Of course, some stand-ins regularly work “straight 8s,” meaning they gross only their base rate because they work no overtime hours. After taxes, their paychecks may be as low as $140 for 8 hours or less of work.
Time Commitment
While the pay may be attractive, the amount of commitment involved when standing in may make standing in unappealing to the average person.
Standing in is not a “day job” in the typical sense. Usually, a stand-in cannot leave for an appointment and come back as one might at a typical desk job.
Oftentimes, a stand-in must be fully available for a full day, several weeks, or even several months — with absolutely no outside conflicts (at least in theory if not in practice). It is not uncommon for stand-ins to work 12-14 hours in a day — or longer — for five days a week — and sometimes for more days than that. These long hours can infringe upon family and social life, not to mention health and happiness.
This is to say that for someone looking for work, although the pay may be an attraction, the sacrifice involved in working as a stand-in may make the job impractical or even wholly undesirable.
Have questions about the pay rates of stand-ins? Post your questions below! (Note: To get the best answers for stand-in pay rate questions, ask SAG-AFTRA directly.)
As a stand in I’ve been asked to stand in for several different actors over the one I was hired to do. Is there extra compensation if I stand in for multi Actor’s in a day? Thank you
On productions working under a SAG-AFTRA agreement, the general answer is no — standing in for multiple actors does not increase your compensation.
The only possible exception that I can think of (aside from something you might negotiate over minimum) might be if you stand in in two commercials on one day but for two different actors. However, technically you are getting paid for working on two spots, not for standing in for two actors.
Great question!
What if my hand is used as a stand in? Also, being used as bg?
If you are working as a background actor in an insert shot, then that would be special ability background acting. If your hand is used to stand in for another actor’s hand in setting up a shot, yes, that would probably be stand-in work. If your hand was photographed (rolled on and shot) as if it was another actor’s hand, that would be photographic doubling. If you are a stand-in used as a background actor, that is not an increase in your stand-in rate on most TV and film projects. However, under the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract, if you did both work as a stand-in and an extra performer, you would get contracts for both. Under SAG-AFTRA’s Network Television Code, it’s a little different; I have to check but I think you get the higher of the rates between stand-in and background, but it may be tricky to calculate because stand-ins often work under that contract at an hourly rate rather than a daily rate. I hope that answers some of your questions. Contact SAG-AFTRA for more precise answers.
Hello,
What is the stand in OCD on camera dialog rate? If you read for one scene vs reading for all scenes 10 hours, does it increase your OCD rate for the day?
Thank you!
On-camera dialogue? I believe you would constitute a photo double by being on camera, and in doing the dialogue on camera, you would constitute a performer (if under the Theatrical or TV Agreement). So you would be paid a performer rate, which is lots higher than stand-in rate.
Instead, if you meant off-camera dialogue, I believe that is all negotiable. Arguably, it is work the assistant director or the script supervisor often does, so if you (hired as a stand-in) do it, make sure you do it for a rate you appreciate because there are higher-paid people on set who can do the work if you’re not compensated fairly for the valuable work you’re contributing.