Just For Today, Call Me Emily

Today was awesome. And here’s why:
I usually do some extra or featured extra work on shows, but today I was called to be a stand in. That probably means nothing to you if you don’t know what that is, so here’s a brief explanation: 

“A stand-in for  film and television is a person who substitutes for the actor before filming, for technical purposes such as lighting. Stand-ins are helpful in the initial processes of production. Lighting setup can be a slow and tedious process; during this time the actor will often be somewhere else. Stand-ins allow the director of photography to light the set, the camera department to light and focus scenes. The director will often ask stand-ins to deliver the scene dialogue ("lines") and walk through ("blocking") the scenes to be filmed. In this way, a good stand-in can help speed up the day's production and is a necessary and valuable cast member on a film. Stand-ins are distinguished from body 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. 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.”

I was called yesterday about being a stand in for a 14 year old boy, Lucas Hedges, for the upcoming movie Arthur Newman: Golf Pro. I showed up to set this morning at 6:15, checked in, ate a delicious breakfast provided by the crafty truck (Praise sweet baby Jesus for the crafty truck), and went to wardrobe. I was then taken to set where I met Lucas and watched them go through a first team rehearsal (First team is the actual actors, second team is the stand ins). After watching a rehearsal or two, second team stepped in and did the blocking and lighting for a second team rehearsal. Unfortunately after a few hours, Lucas was wrapped, which means I was too. However, one of the set PA’s began asking me how tall I was and what size I wore. At first I was a little offended and very confused, but then she informed me that the stand in for Emily (Blunt) was out for the week and they wanted to use me. My response? Um, yes. Obviously. 1. It’s Emily freaking Blunt. 2. I would work with Colin Firth. 3. I’d get paid more. So after going back to wardrobe and changing again I was whisked away to a different part of set. The scene was Colin and Emily in a car, driving through a neighborhood. So me and the stand in for Colin hopped in the car and sat for a while. Then the director started asking me to look this way and that way and all around to test the lighting. I’m not gonna lie, I was just excited that he knew my name. We were dismissed when Colin and Emily came back from their trailers and we got to just sit and just watch filming. It was so nice to be part of the second team because they get treated SO much better than an extra. We got to hang out on set instead of in extras holding; we got to go to lunch first and get all the good desserts (like cranraisin white chocolate cookies). After lunch, I got wigged up with a nice little Emily Blunt style bob cut and went back out to the prop car. At this point I was being used as a photo double for Emily. Basically all that entailed was sitting in the car while the back of my head got filmed. I loved today. I loved being more than just an extra. I loved being on set all day. If I could be on set all day every day I would.  I loved the crew. And I loved Emily and Colin. Colin is so attractive and very sweet! And Emily is honestly one of the most gorgeous people ever. She’s also super hilarious and has a killer British accent (which I heard so well when she offered me some licorice, because, in her words “all serious actors eat licorice.”)
So, for today I was not Brooke, I was Emily Blunt. And it was awesome.

The chairs

Hey, there's me in the grey jacket! Made my debut in the local newspaper!

Colin and Emily. Can you say beautiful?

Colin and Emily. In wardrobe and in action.