How do you schedule a film shoot?

Scheduling a film shoot is a lot like organizing a party with eccentric guests. It depends on factors like location, lighting, actor talent, and crew size. More crew doesn't necessarily mean smoother sailing. For indie films, aim for 2-3 minutes of screen time per script page. Simple scenes may meander, action sequences race. Detailed filmmaking demands more time. Corporate video setups take a few hours, but talent availability varies. Media-trained executives are quicker; camera-shy ones need hand-holding. Planning in pre-production is key. In summary, educated guesses work for experienced hands, but new productions need cautious estimates. In this business, plans rarely go smoothly. Add 25% extra to your time budget for good measure.

Before you start to break down a script, you must read it once "all the way through" to find out what the story is about and what happens to the characters. You then break the script into smaller elements that will eventually become the content of the shooting schedule and the call sheet. Here are 3 “types of scenes” you need to think about as you break down the script: 1. Key Scenes: These scenes set the mood of the story and usually require more time to shoot than “regular scenes.” (EX: scenes that introduce characters or contain major story points.) 2. Dialogue Scenes: They are usually shot quicker than action scenes. 3. Action Scenes/Special FX Scenes/Visual FX Scenes: These scenes require more shooting time than dialogue scenes.

Always work within the budget. Keep half a work day as buffer for unforeseen people/machine issues. Make sure the entire production crew is aware of the schedules, the type of shots needed and the locations. Working with talent would mean working on their time availability so plan accordingly. Discuss and go over plans a few times before the shoot day so that everyone is on the same page.

The 10 minutes shooting time per page is very misleading. Also the callsheet cannot be distributed to everyone at least 24 hrs before the shooting day. It is distributed at the end of the previous shooting day.

Final Draft is the long-standing industry-standard software for screenwriters and has many great tools for translating your scripts into viable shot plans. It has tools that can automatically generate location, prop lists and call sheets for each scene- perfect checklists for phone calls, contracts and payments, ensuring no detail is overlooked. I've found Trello to be an invaluable (FREE) tool for organizing many projects. Its intuitive interface offers electronic organization with a touch of journaling nostalgia. Great for intricate film, TX, and video planning, more in depth business strategy plans, or even personal introspection. It’s also great for connecting engineering teams behind the scenes.

I was a 1st AD for over 25 years and I strongly believe that the First Assistant Director gets paid primarily for designing the film schedule, rather than running the set. As far as I am concerned, taking this gigantic “Rubic’s Cube” called a film script and deciding which scene to shoot first and how long each scene will take to shoot, IS an Art - and like any artistic endeavor, it will always be open to interpretation, discussion and criticism! Remember: It’s not the script page count per day that matters – it’s the camera set-ups per day! In general, it will take longer to shoot a 2-page action scene than a 6-page dialogue scene because the number of camera setups involved is usually greater in the action scene.

And action sequences involve many on set effects, Stunt preparation which takes time. The point is the more department and complex the set up its gonna take more time

The shooting schedule is a production document detailing which scenes and shots will be filmed on a particular shoot day. During production, the shooting schedule is also used as a reference document to create the daily call sheet, another crucial production document.On a film set, staying on schedule is one of the top priorities. Delays can quickly snowball causing the production to go over budget, hampering it financially and creatively. Therefore, creating a shooting schedule during pre-production ensures that the production crew stays on schedule and captures all the necessary footage.

Given the constraints of limited resources, managing your expenses is vital, especially when it comes to transportation costs. By the way, crafting a solid script with budgetary considerations in mind is a smart move. When planning your shoot, a practical approach can make all the difference. Opt for locations that are conveniently close to each other whenever feasible, or arrange them in a sequence that streamlines your team's logistical movements. Remember, there's no need to aim for extravagance; authenticity often carries its own charm. By grounding your choices in reality, you not only make the process smoother but also amplify the authenticity of your production.

My approach has usually been to look at the most expensive "elements" and try to schedule around them. If key talent is only available for a certain period of time, you prioritize that. Key locations as well. Once you do your preliminary schedule, you'll get an idea for how long things will take, and how you should schedule them. You'd want to use stripboards for this.

Hi! 1st AD here! It’s so important that one trait we possess is good and effective communication! I’d encourage you to chat with your director / DP / gaffer / HODs to find out if a particular setup requires more time because they foresee it to be a technical complication or if the makeup unit requires an extra 10mins or so. When everything is communicated right, you can get a more realistic buffer in terms of time! And everyone’s aligned!

In organizing, scheduling, and executing a film shoot, meticulous scrutiny is vital. Obsessive attention to detail ensures narrative coherence. As a rule, always allocate triple expected time for each task, enabling thorough reviews to prevent oversights. "Measure Twice, Cut Once." Primarily, crew endurance is key in project planning. Adequate downtime between shoots differentiates exceptional crews, crucial for sizable projects. Expect surprises: avoid schedule overruns and tight turnarounds. Guaranteeing an 8–12-hour gap between post-wrap and next call time boosts safety, crew morale, and retention, enriching production quality and well-being. Amalgamating crew dynamics and meticulous scheduling forms a successful production's bedrock.

Anticipate the unforeseen, for even the most meticulous schedule is bound to veer off course. Countless variables can derail a shoot—machinery glitches, software hiccups, human missteps, and yes, even unexpected events like a pandemic. This is where experience shines. Seek guidance whenever unsure; investing a year in thorough planning can condense shooting into a month. Patience prevails; avoid haste and safeguard success with backup plans—a robust plan B, C, and perhaps even D—ensuring you're ready for any twist that comes your way.

Did I mention that creating a robust script while accounting for budget is a clever strategy? Our perception often leans toward linear thinking, viewing costs as relatively stable. However, my experience in different countries has shown how inflation can significantly impact resource planning. Expenses can shift drastically in mere months or a year. Hence, when allotting resources—crew, transport, equipment—do remember to account for potential inflation.

This is where creating breakdowns pays its dividends. When you know what elements are needed for a specific scene, then you'll know which scenes will be resource intensive. They can be constrcution, stunts, special effects, etc., but once you know what each scene requires for shoot day, then you know where you need to put your money.

Stripboards are essential for the scheduling process as they are a great way to visualize scenes, locations, and talent needs while being able to rearrange the strips to create your schedule. Once you get talent and location availability, you will be able to rearrange the scene strips in a way that create the most efficient means of shooting so that you can shoot out your talent or location with little compromise. The stripboard will have many evolutions throughout the production, but will be the means by which the ADs are able to schedule their days.

I love a good looking call sheet. I make sure it’s color coded in pleasant colors that won’t hurt a tired eye trying to gather information. If I can, I use the palette of the company or story as a detail. On top of my call sheets I have a note “this is a please and thank you set” which has improved the overall atmosphere on many sets. Stress can get in the way of courtesy, and it’s a nice reminder.

The most important thing in making a call sheet, in my opinion, is accuracy and reliability. Do not be lazy to re-read this document several times before sending it. In my practice, there was a case when an assistant made a typo in the call sheet. And, as a result, the drone operator was late for filming, since according to the call sheet he was supposed to arrive 5 hours later. Producing a call sheet does not seem like a difficult job at first glance, but it requires attention to detail.

- I do agree with all the points. But I also believe that it is important to always have PLAN B just in case. Unforeseen events, technical glitches, medical emergencies and so on shouldn't hamper the shoot in any way. So it's helpful to have backup, always.

What I haven't seen mentioned here is the importance of an AD when it comes to leading the crew and communicating. As a crew member, a set lives or dies on the quality of the AD. If they're not a good communicator, or if they don't stand up for safety, morale will fall and the work will suffer.

From a personal perspective, one of the key considerations before setting a shooting schedule is conducting a thorough risk assessment. This involves carefully evaluating potential challenges that might emerge during the filming process. Additionally, the shooting location's unique characteristics and features can significantly influence the pace of production. By preemptively identifying and understanding these elements, it becomes possible to create a more streamlined and efficient shooting schedule. This proactive approach helps mitigate unexpected issues and ensures a smoother production process.