Stand-in on Take Me Out

On set of Take Me Out

This week I had another amazing opportunity to experience working on a TV show. This time it was ITV's Primetime show, Take Me Out.

I was selected with a few others from TVP to be a contestant stand-in, being on the set for 8 days. It is amazing to be part of Take me out as it is such a popular show, now on its 8th series and still with the very funny Paddy McGuinness!

Stand-in:

A Stand-in is someone who stands (or sits) where the contestant will be when the show gets recorded. A Stand-in is required so the crew can run-through the show with the camera shots, props and lighting. It is a simple but important role. Production teams find people to be stand-ins as it is cheaper and more convenient (not wasting the real contestants time).


What I did:

The set

I was standing-in as one of the 30 girls, I had to walk down the stairs when cued and walk around to my podium. I then put on a radio mic as I may be asked to say something. It is interesting being a stand-in on this type of show as no one knows what the girls will say, they don't follow a script. I had to be quick and come up with answers if the boy (or Paddy) came to ask me. It was fun as we could turn off lights on the podiums as some girls would do that. We watched the boys perform their talent and kept the energy going by cheering and clapping. The last round the boy has to narrow it down to 2 girls meaning turning off lights, one time I was kept in. I then was selected as 'the date' and walked with him up the stairs.

What I learn't:

Having watched the show before I knew how everything went but being a stand-in for the first time was really interesting. It is the very opposite of a runner, instead of running around doing jobs I was standing and being in front of the cameras. Being in front I could watch the crew like the camera operators, there is a range of cameras with a handheld camera, jib and a techno-crane. The show has lots of 'movement' and to keep the pace the cameras are always panning around. They had auto-cue monitors on some so I could see what Paddy was about to say next. The impressive thing about the show is the amount of lights. There is spot lights, fill, backdrop and LED's everywhere. I also learn't that with the amount of people on camera (32 all at one time) they need microphones for everyone, when Paddy is on one side of the set the mics for the girls opposite turn off. I did not know that could happen so I was fascinated by the way that worked.
This has been a great experience and providing me more knowledge of the studio environment.