Recommended Gear for Professional Stand-Ins

Portable Folding Chair

While you should be given a chair to sit in when you’re off set, truth be told, sometimes you’re not given one immediately or other crew members may steal it. So, when you bring your own chair to set, you not only end up with a place to sit, but you also ward off other crew members from sitting in your chair!

You can buy folding chair with arms, folding chairs without arms, folding stools, and folding-chair backpacks. Avoid getting too “epic” with your folding chairs (no foot rests or recliners!). Keeping it small and light will mean it’s not a pain to haul around when you change locations. And writing your name on yours in permanent marker will keep your chair from being accidentally claimed by another crew member with the same one!

Here are options we really like:

The Roll-A-Chair

The Roll-A-Chair is great for many reasons. It sits tall, is sturdy, has a back rest, and is lightweight.

PORTAL Backpack Cooler Chair

This is basically a soft cooler with backpack and seating functionality. It is spacious for carrying many items and not too bulky. However, if you navigate the subways wearing it, the metal arms are very strong, so beware as you pass by people because it will hurt people who get hit by them.

Telescopic Folding Stool

There are many maker of this kind of stool so you can shop around. This is perhaps the most portable seat around, which telescopes down into a disk the size of a large dinner plate. It is lightweight and sturdy, though probably not the most comfortable option if you need a backrest. It can also double as a small table for drinks or writing if you end up having a chair already on set you can use.

Portable USB Power Bank

Many people on set are on a quest to find power for their smartphones as their power drains. But he stand-ins who bring their own power win! Not only does bringing your own power to set keep you from competing with others for outlets, you also don’t have to leave your phone to have it charge — you can keep on your person.

We recommend portable power that has a capacity of 10,000 mAh, which will offer about 3 complete charges of an iPhone and is usually about the same size. Size of the power bank and capacity tend to be related — smaller-sized power banks tend to have smaller capacity, and larger capacity power banks tend to be bulky (and they may take overnight to fully recharge).

Here is an option we really like:

VEGER Portable Charger with Built-In Plug & Cables

With 10,000 mAh, this charger is about the size of an iPhone. What makes it especially great is you don’t need to bring cables to charge your phone, because it has cables built in with several different connectors. At that, you just need to plug it into a wall outlet when you get home to charge it, and its digital display shows when it hits 100%.

Fanny Pack or Sling Bag

Fanny packs came back into style after being the outcasts of the fashion world, and no matter where tastes like, they are very practical for the stand-in. If you can put all that you need into a fanny pack, you will not continually fret about where your personal items are — often you can stand in on camera and discreetly where your fanny pack on your hip or behind you. Sling bags, which often look just like fanny packs but with ample belts to wear cross body, may be another search term to open yourself to bags with more function and style.

When choosing yours, go for a quality bag that is water-resistant and with pockets in a way that makes sense for you. Quality should mean it won’t rip or break easily, so it can endure many long days on set.

We recommend:

Chrome Industries Sling Bags

We loved the Cardiel Shank hip pack they used to make, and it has held up for many years. Now they make sling bags that look as if they can double as fanny packs.

Various Fanny Packs & Sling Bags

Browse Amazon or outdoors websites to see what they have, and check YouTube to see if anyone has reviewed a pack you’re considering.

Breath Freshener

When you stand in, all too often you have to face another stand-in in very close proximity. Nothing worse is to be the subject of a stand-in with bad breath for any more than a minute!

When you have breath freshener on hand, not only can you keep tabs on your own breath, but you also have something to politely offer to other stand-ins not aware of the bad smells coming from their pieholes.

Also Read: Breath Freshening

Heel Caps

When your stand-in job calls for wearing high heels daily in order to match your actor’s height, and when you want to protect the own high heels from damage, heel caps can be a wonder.

We recommend:

Solemates Heel Protector Caps

Solemates makes high heel protector caps to protect from heels sinking in the grass, and also may make it so that you can walk on set without making a sound.

Heel Inserts (aka Lifts)

Some stand-ins may need a little extra height in order to better match their principal actor. While some camera crews may work with a slightly shorter stand-in without issue, other camera crews may want a better match. Lifts may do the trick! Lifts go in the back of the shoe to elevate the wearer by an inch or so.

We recommend:

SQHT Heel Increase Insoles

These types of heel lifts are great to throw in a bag for when you suddenly find your actor is an inch or more taller than you. They are available in 1″ and 1.4″ options with a silicone, honeycomb cushioning. They stay firmly in place in most shoes.

Also Read: Ways to Add or Subtract Height When You’re Standing In

Folding Reading Glasses

Frequently stand-ins complain about the small size of their scripts (known as “sides”) and the callsheets that come with them. A smartphone camera can be used as a magnifying glass — but that can use precious battery life.

We recommend bringing “readers” if you don’t have great nearsight.

We recommend:

“Podreader” Folding Reading Glasses

These readers are about the size of a pen and feel flat in the pocket. Their unique design allows the arms to protect the glasses, which come in a range of magnifications. They are very durable and fast to put on and take off. There is a smaller version as well, though the larger version gives more flexibility when reading. They are called “podreaders” in some places.

NEOS Explorer Overshoes

Arguably the best in warm gear for your feet, NEOS are overshoes — that is, they are essentially boots you can wear over your street shoes and remove easily when you move to indoor work in the same day. The Explorer line of NEOS is insulated, providing extra protection from the cold. They’re also waterproof, which is bonus when you’re working in rain, slush, or snow!

Also Read: Product Review: NEOS Overshoes for Warm Feet When Standing in in the Winter

OZERO Gloves

These unisex gloves come in a variety of sizes and are advertised to work in -30°F. They are very affordable and well-rated. What they lack is conductive fingertips to use in cold weather, so you may want to look for gloves that keep you warm and let you use your smartphone without taking off your gloves.

SmartWool Socks

If you want a warm sock, at very least get SmartWool socks. The ingredient in SmartWool that’s particularly helpful in keeping you warm is merino wool.

You’ll want to get a few pairs of these. While some can be thick, some are thin enough not to add bulk. That means you can also buy a thinner SmartWool sock and layer for added warmth.

Ski Pants

Ski pants are probably the warmest bottom layer you can wear. Wear alone or with pants underneath, their versatility means you are warm whether you are standing in outside all day or move indoors for part of the shoot.

Consider whether the ski pants you buy have zippered pockets because the pockets will give you a place to put your sides, your mobile phone, etc. Zippers will provide security so they don’t fall out.

HotHands Warmers

HotHands warmers are one-use items that heat up when they come in contact with air. Open their packaging and shake them, and in about fifteen minutes they heat up!

You can wear hand warmers in your gloves and give your hands some much-needed heat when the cold creeps over your fingers. You can use their toe warmers in your shoes to give you a little heat in your feed. Body Warmers are applied to the lower back but you can apply them on any clothing where you need some heat.

Quick tip: Putting HotHands hand warmers against your neck can leave you feeling warmer all around!

USB Warmers

If you want a rechargeable solution to heating your hand, you may want to consider buying USB hand warmers. They are rechargeable, and some double as a power bank for charging your smartphone.

Even some jackets give all-around warmth through the placement of USB warmers. Get one and you’ll feel comfortable even with the cold temperatures are not. These jackets also work great when you are working any time of the year in a very cold studio.

NEOS Villager Overshoes

If you don’t already have the insulated Explorer line of NEOS, then these less expensive, just as waterproof, Villager line may do when moving between wet stand-in exteriors and dry stand-in interiors. If you’re looking for a lighter NEOS overshow, these would be the way to go though your feet may be cold in colder climates.

Compact Umbrella

If you don’t want to walk around all day with a large umbrella, a compact umbrella may be the purchase you need to make. Some, like some compact umbrellas made by Totes, can fit in a cargo pocket or can be thread through a belt. However, they may not be the most durable.

The Stand-In Handbook

Our downloadable guide to standing in — especially useful the night before work, when you need a crash course on the job.

The Callsheet Cheatsheet

Our handy glossary of abbreviations seen on callsheets, it’s printable and portable, so you can keep it close when you need it on set.