Stand In
Created on : December 14, 2023 12:39
Denotation
A stand-in in cinema and television is someone who fills in for the actor prior to production for technical reasons such as lighting and camera setup. Stand-ins are useful in the early stages of film and television production. While the actors are not there, stand-ins allow the director of photography to light the set and the camera department to light and focus sequences. The director will frequently ask stand-ins to speak the scene dialogue ("lines") and walk through the sequences to be filmed ("blocking").
Description
A stand-in for film and television is a person who substitutes for the actor before filming, for technical purposes such as lighting and camera setup. Stand-ins are helpful in the initial processes of film and television production.
Stand-ins allow the cinematographer to light the set and the camera department to light and focus scenes while the actors are absent. The film director will often ask stand-ins to deliver the scene dialogue ("lines") and walk through ("blocking") the scenes to be filmed.
Stand-ins are distinguished from doubles who replace actors on camera from behind, in makeup or during dangerous stunts. Stand-ins do not appear on camera. However, on some productions the jobs of stand-in and double may be done by the same person. In rare cases, a stand-in will appear on screen, sometimes as an in-joke.
A stand-in is the person who takes the place of an actor to help the camera department light the set, as well as tweaks their blocking, composition, framing and focus. The principals or main actors will first rehearse a scene before they shoot it. When they are finished with blocking, they leave and go through last looks with hair, makeup and wardrobe. That’s when the stand-ins step in. They watch the actors during rehearsal to see what they do, then re-create it while the principals are busy. A good stand-in helps save time which saves the production money.
A stand-in gives the primary actor a break during preproduction for scenes that require the actor’s physical presence in production. They stand, sit, gesticulate and do any body movements required in the scene so that the production team can test out what it will look like when the actor does the same. For shoots with smaller production teams, a stand-in might also help with other forms of production such as testing audio equipment, setting up lighting and even rehearsing script readings.
Different types of stand-ins include:
Utility stand-in: usually used to test lighting and shot composition, utility stand-ins are there for just that—utility. Your physical appearance as a utility stand-in doesn’t matter so much as your height which should match the height of the actor(s) you’re standing in for.
Single camera stand-in: also used to perfect lighting and camera composition, single camera stand-ins should physically match the actor they stand in for in height, weight, hair and skin tone.
Multi-camera stand-in: Hired for their know-how instead of their similarity to the main actor, multi-camera stand-ins usually act out an entire episode or scene in the actor’s stead so that the production team can establish blocking and dialogue before filming.