A call sheet is a daily schedule which is sent out to the cast and crew when filming for movies, television shows, podcasts, and now a variety of media or "content" production.
Vital information about the planned shooting for a specific day is shown on a call sheet, which aids to plan contingencies and also functions as a reference throughout a production for every person on set. Considering the essential importance of this outlined document in keeping a project on time and on budget, it's imperative to understand how to interpret a call sheet whether it's a small or large scale production.
Staying Productive and Organized on Set
In order to maintain efficiency that is necessary when working with a team on a production and to get all minds involved on the same wavelength, the first assistant director crafts the call sheet. Essential details from the production’s shooting schedule and the shot list - a production guideline created by the director together with the cinematographer - are ordered in a conventional structure on a call sheet.
Providing answers to the necessary Who’s, What’s and When’s when it comes to a day of filming, a call sheet guides people on set by clearly mentioning what is expected from them in a practical overview.
As a result, expectations are managed for all who are involved in the production process, and the limits regarding budget and time are taken into account.
Tips for Reading Call Sheets
Some basic guidelines on how to read a general call sheet when you’re part of a production:
At the top of the sheet you’ll find the call time for the general crew, below this are the date of the shoot and the production, as well as prime production contacts of the director, producer and first AD
Your call time is specifically listed by your name, together with a number you’ve been given
The scene breakdown lists the scenes for the day below the general crew call time, the location and the weather. Your scene number, a description of the scene, a short outline of the action and page number are given together with which other actors are needed for the scene
Further below is the cast list, where each cast member is given a number from the lead (1) to how many actors there are in the production. A status box indicates the stage of production for each actor
Call Sheets of Different Levels - Some Examples
Professionalism in production counts, no matter the size and budget. Besides their practical use, call sheets demonstrate the thoughtfulness that was put into planning each detail of the production and reminds everyone involved that they are an integral part of the final project.
Not all productions are large scale, big budget projects so depending on the size and complexity, call sheets may differ. To give you an idea of the different kinds of call sheets you could use for small, medium, and large content production, here are three examples to view and download reference or to use for your next project.
Scroll the gallery to view the examples or download the pdf versions below.
SMALL Scale Production Call Sheet
A call sheet example for small content projects on social media, YouTube, podcasts, independent films, student films, photo shoots, and more.
MEDIUM Scale Production Call Sheet
An example of a call sheet for medium size content production like commercials, podcasts, trailers, pilots, and more.
LARGE Scale Production Call Sheet
For large productions, here is a call sheet example that could work for big budget films, commercials, short films, and even some elaborate content production.
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