A stand-in takes an actor's place while the crew lights and blocks a shot, and isn't filmed. A photo double or body double does appear on camera in the actor's place, usually without their face being seen. On SAG-AFTRA film and TV work, stand-ins and photo doubles earn at least $270 a day from 1 July 2026. Here's what each job involves and how people get booked.
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A stand-in takes a principal actor's place while the crew sets up a shot. Central Casting's guide to stand-ins describes the job as standing in for rehearsals, camera blocking and lighting setups, so the actors can be in hair, make-up or wardrobe, or working on another scene.
Stand-ins aren't filmed for the finished show. On a single-camera production they usually need to match the actor's height, build, hair colour and complexion, because the crew is lighting for that actor. On a multi-camera sitcom, Central Casting says matching matters less and productions hire for experience and professionalism, with the stand-in walking through the whole episode so every move can be blocked.
A photo double is on camera, but their face is rarely, if ever, seen. Central Casting's guide to doubles says photo doubles are used when a character is in a shot but isn't its focus, seen mainly from a distance, so they must match the principal closely. It also frees the actor to leave set while the double films in their place.
A body double replaces an actor for specific shots: Central Casting lists special skills, nude scenes, inserts and second unit work, and doubling one character while the actor plays another in the same scene. Body doubles may work closely with the actor to copy how they move.
Nude doubling has its own protections. SAG-AFTRA's Taft-Hartley form for principal performers lists "body double for scenes requiring nudity or sexual conduct" as its own hiring category, and the union's 2026 TV/Theatrical agreement adds a rule that a producer may not ask a stand-in to work nude or simulate sex acts.
| Role | On camera? | What has to match |
|---|---|---|
| Stand-in | No | Height, build, hair colour and complexion on single-camera shows |
| Photo double | Yes, face rarely seen | A very close match to the actor |
| Body double | Yes, for specific shots | The body part or skill the shot needs |
| Stunt double | Yes, in action sequences | Height, build and complexion, plus stunt skills |
Source: Central Casting, Double or Stand-In? (updated June 2026). Stunt doubles are hired differently: Central Casting says it doesn't cast them, and the production's stunt department, led by the stunt coordinator, does. See how much stunt performers make.
Mostly, stay ready. Central Casting describes stand-ins taking the actor's place so the camera and lighting teams can block and light each shot while the actors get ready. Its advice is simple: pay attention, follow directions, be professional, and don't ask production to upgrade you.
Actors work with stand-ins too. Casting director Risa Bramon Garcia described a scene new actors aren't warned about: the star has left early to get into make-up, so you shoot your scene opposite their stand-in, with one close-up and one medium shot, because the day is running over. Knowing how sets run, she said, makes that far less frightening.
On SAG-AFTRA film and TV work, stand-ins and photo doubles share one day rate in the union's background schedule (Schedule X). From the 2026 theatrical wage table, as of November 2026:
| Role or adjustment | From 1 July 2026 | From 1 July 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Stand-in or photo double, day rate | $270 | $278 |
| General background actor, for comparison | $231 | $238 |
| Photographic doubling adjustment | $150 | $150 |
| Stand-in used as rehearsal actor | $150 | $150 |
| Stand-in who also works as background that day | $27 | $27 |
The $27 double-duty adjustment is new in the 2026 agreement. Overtime and bumps work as they do for other background actors; our extras pay page explains them. Stunt doubles are paid as stunt performers: at least $1,283 a day or $4,785 a week from 1 July 2026, on the same wage table.
It depends on the contract you're hired on. If you're booked as a photo double through background casting, the rate above applies. SAG-AFTRA lists nudity body doubles as their own category on its principal performer Taft-Hartley form, so before you say yes, ask whether you're being booked on a principal or a background contract, because that decides your rate. Read the contract you're offered, and ask the union if the category isn't clear.
There's no union minimum. Pay is whatever the production offers, with minimum wage law as the floor when you're hired as an employee. In California, the state's labour department lists $16.90 an hour from 1 January 2026, and some cities set more. Other states set their own, so check yours.
Through background casting. Central Casting says signing up is free and needs no experience, and once you're registered you can be booked as background, a stand-in or a double. Productions send availability requests through its portal, sometimes asking for a stand-in resume, so read every message and reply with what they ask for. For doubles, keep your sizes and appearance details accurate: matching is the whole job.
Kym's advice for background work applies here too. In LA, most professional projects pull from Central Casting's database. You can also self-submit on the background sections of Actors Access, Casting Networks and Casting Frontier. Background booking services, which charge a monthly fee instead of commission, can get you booked far more often because productions know their people have just confirmed availability.
It's paid time on professional sets, which is worth a lot early on. Risa Bramon Garcia told us about an actor who did a year of background work and found it made his auditions far easier, because he knew what being on set was like. Her advice to young actors is to taste set life however you can.
It can also count towards the union. Stand-ins sit in the background section of SAG-AFTRA's wage tables, and the union's steps to join page counts three days of work as a background actor under a union agreement. Ask the union whether your stand-in days qualify, keep your pay stubs, and read how Taft-Hartley works. If you're asked to say a line, Kym explains that on a union set you must be upgraded to a principal contract.
A stand-in takes a principal actor's place during rehearsals, camera blocking and lighting setups so the crew can prepare the shot. Stand-ins are not filmed for the finished production.
A stand-in is not filmed and only helps the crew set up. A body or photo double appears on camera in the actor's place, usually without their face being seen, so they must match the actor closely.
On SAG-AFTRA film and TV work, stand-ins earn at least $270 a day from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, rising to $278 from 1 July 2027. Non-union pay has no union minimum.
A SAG-AFTRA photo double earns the same $270 day rate as a stand-in from 1 July 2026, and the wage table lists a $150 photographic doubling adjustment.
Register with a background casting company such as Central Casting, which says sign-up is free, and keep your measurements and appearance details accurate. Productions often look for stand-ins who match an actor's height, build and colouring.
No. Central Casting says it does not cast stunt doubles; the production's stunt department, led by the stunt coordinator, hires them.
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All rates current from sagaftra.org and dir.ca.gov as of 7 November 2026.