How much should I be compensated for my ability to stand?
October 1, 2007 9:11 AM   Subscribe

How much do movie stand-ins make per day? How much if it's a Hollywood movie being filmed in a developing country? How much should I ask for?

I'm 'interviewing' tomorrow to do this, be a guy who hangs out on set and stands in front of the camera while they prepare the lights and focus, etc. It's for a movie that rhymes with 'The Frummy part 3'.

I guess the most important part of this question is, how much should I be asking for? It's supposed to be about a 1-month long job, they need a white face that's 191 centimeters tall. I fit the bill. I'm free, it sounds like it'd be an interesting story to tell someday, but I don't know how much to ask for. I only spoke to the agent (a local) who contacted me for about 40 seconds. He asked me "how much would you want?", so I guess it may be negotiable, which surprises me. Except this is China, so it doesn't surprise me.

Anyway, I'm not sure what to ask for. 191 centimeter tall white men available to work full-time for a month in China are not plentiful. On the other hand, I'd just be standing. My opportunity cost, for an alternative job not taken, would be $2000 a month, at most. What's the going rate for this sort of thing? Is there a going rate?
posted by bluejayk to Work & Money (6 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Extras usually make about 100-150/day, but professional stand-ins would make more. But then you're in China. But on the third hand, The Frummy franchise does pretty well for itself and whatever you're charging will be the tiniest line item on the budget. I would at least double what you'd be making otherwise, and maybe triple it. You'll be standing around for long, long hours.

Have fun!
posted by thehmsbeagle at 9:33 AM on October 1, 2007


Best answer: According to this, you shouldn't take less than the basic SAG rate for stand-in work: $137 a day.
posted by Soup at 9:34 AM on October 1, 2007 [1 favorite]


Bring a book. Or five.
posted by miss lynnster at 11:45 AM on October 1, 2007


Best answer: Don't underestimate the work value of "just standing". You have to stay on a specific mark, not just stand around. The lights are blazing hot and not fun to look into, and it frequently takes hours to setup a shot. Everyone's busy working, so there may be little opportunity to make the time pass faster by chatting. Also, you're saving them a buttwad of money. If a lead actor had to stand there, the production would be shelling out many many times more than $137/day.

I have no idea what the wage scale is like there, or how expensive/difficult it would be for them to find an alternate white guy, so factor that in. But you'd regret doing this for just union scale. I used to do extra work over 15 years ago, for $100/day. It was much less story-worth than one might imagine. If they need you to work in the same makeup and wardrobe as the actor you're standing in for, the fun quotient goes up; but the hours so do the hours. Whatever price you ask, make sure the contract specifies double and triple time rates for OT, because you will be using it.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 12:25 PM on October 1, 2007


It sounds like you wouldn't just be an extra, you'd be a "featured extra". They need someone of your description to advance the story, above and beyond the regular extras who will just be generally taking up space. Featured extras make more... I'd ask for $200 at least.
posted by the jam at 4:44 PM on October 1, 2007


the_jam, "stand-in" is not a category of "extra". The former is essentially a cheap live mannequin used to set the lights, camera, blocking, framing, etc. all exactly right before calling the highly-paid performer out to shoot the scene. An extra appears on screen as background filler. A stand-in has no expectation of being filmed at all. That's why the only job requirement is height and skin color; his function is to reflect light, and cast shadows, close enough to how the actor will.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 5:14 PM on October 1, 2007


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