A Stand-In’s Basic Gear
Standing in doesn’t require a lot of gear, though there are a few items you should bring with you.
- A face mask (in consideration of the coronavirus pandemic)
- A pen
- A breath freshener
- For women: Heels and flats *
* Women are occasionally asked to bring heels in addition to flats because the actors for whom they are standing in may be in them in their scenes, thus affecting their height. Bringing flats allows women to have a comfortable alternative to heels when there is downtime.
As far as gear provided by production, there are a few things you should expect to receive. The background PA provides most of your gear. You may need to report before your calltime in order to collect these items.
- A voucher (to get paid but also to exchange for color cover) (nowadays, sometimes provided digitally)
- A label with your name & your character’s name (provided by the background PA)
- Sides (provided by the background PA) (nowadays, sometimes provided digitally)
- Color cover (fetched by you from the wardrobe department, if needed)
- During the novel coronavirus pandemic, productions should provide you with appropriate personal protective equipment, such as a KN95 mask and sometimes eye protection.
As far as what to wear, you will want to bring clothing appropriate for the climate of set. Take into account the weather for the entire day when choosing what to wear and what to bring to set.
- Removable layers for working in cool studios
- Layers, gloves, hand warmers, toe warmers, a hat, etc., for working in cold weather
- Lightweight, breathable clothing for working in warm weather
- Sunscreen, bug spray, and other skin protection for working outdoors
- Raingear, an umbrella, rainboots, etc., for working in wet weather
Generally speaking, when choosing what to wear, avoid loud shoes, distracting clothing, and finely patterned clothing that may strobe on camera. Visit our Store for this and other gear we recommend for stand-ins.
Next: The Routine »
For a complete overview of the job of the stand-in and callsheet terminology,
download The Stand-In Handbook and The Callsheet Cheatsheet.