Stand-in
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A stand-in, sometimes a lighting double, 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
Stand-ins are distinguished from
Stand-ins do not necessarily look like the actor, but they must have the same skin tone, hair color, height and build as the actor so that the lighting in a scene will be set up correctly. For example, if the lighting is set up with a stand-in shorter than an actor, the actor might end up having their head in relative darkness. In some cases, a star and stand-in do differ in height: Ann Sheridan's stand-in, Marveen Zehner, was taller than the actress and reportedly worked shoeless,[1] and actor Tommy Noonan wore three-inch risers in his shoes to stand-in for Tyrone Power.[2]
Some actors' contracts mandate that they will always have the same stand-in. Famous cases include Pluma Noisom (stand-in for Claudette Colbert), Harry Cornbleth (Fred Astaire) and Adam Bryant (Robin Williams). When Bette Davis walked out on her Warner Bros. contract, she negotiated for her regular stand-in, Sally Sage, to continue to work at the studio.
Stand-in use in animation
Stand-ins are also used for animated characters in a live-action film, sometimes with life-size character models, so that the animators know where to place their animation and how to make them move realistically, and for actors to know where to look. In these cases, skin tone and hair color are not so important. Height and build, however, are still important for any interactions between live-action and animated characters. For example,the Sonic the Hedgehog film uses stand in characters while the actors portray the character.
See also
- Fake Shemp
- Understudy
- Doppelgänger
- Impersonation
- Look-alike
- Political decoy
- Simulacrum
- Stand-In (1937 film)
- "The Stand In" (Seinfeld episode)
References
- ^ Gunson, Victor. "Stand-In No Silly Hollywood Affectation; He-Or She-Saves Studio Time, Expense". Belleville News-Democrat Vol. 92, No. 30, 5 February 1948, page 2. Accessed 5 March 2022.
- ^ Sullivan, Ed. "Looking at Hollywood with Ed Sullivan: Playing Movie Star is the Stand-In's Business". Chicago Sunday Tribune Vol. XCVII No. 26, 26 June 1938, Graphic Section page 2. Accessed 5 March 2022.