It’s the morning. You’re on the set of a TV show, a movie, or maybe a commercial.

You’ve been asked to stand on a mark.

Now, no one pays attention to you — except, of course, to ask you to move so they can push some equipment through. Or maybe to look closely at you without saying a word, looking at how the light hits your face rather than looking at you.

Some stand-ins may zone out, maybe even check their phones at this point. We don’t recommend that.

However, we do recommend this great tip:

Watch and listen.

Specifically, watch the many relationships on set, and listen to what people say to each other.

The more you start to understand the relationships, you’ll start to learn who is important, who is friendly, and who is resourceful for you.

Sometimes the most important people on set won’t look it.

Sometimes the least obvious people will carry a lot of power.

Sometimes the crew person blending into the background can radio for some help for you.

Figure out some of these people, if you haven’t already.

Who is the DP?

Who is the director?

Who is the 1st AD?

Who is the 2nd 2nd AD?

Who are the PAs, and the key PA?

Can you figure out who is a producer or a writer?

Can you figure out whom to ignore?

Can you figure out the vibe of the set? Do people like each other? Do people look stressed?

Who are the actors? Your actor?

Answering these questions while you stand on a mark, effectively ignored, can help keep you engaged in a way that can pay off for you immediately.

If you can answer these questions as soon as possible, you can take advantage of that knowledge and do your job better as a stand-in.

Being a knowledgable stand-in helps not only that stand-in, but also the rest of the crew.

Have any other tips for when you’re standing on a mark? Post your ideas in the comments box below!