A call sheet includes the whole plan of the day, which can either make or break the shot. Every morning, each member of the production team receives it. It includes everything: what, when, how, and where to do the shoot. Instead of starting from scratch, you can use the printable, easy-to-customize template below in Word or PDF. If everything isn’t going according to the plan, you can revise it, issue it to the crew, and cast again.

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That’s why it would be easier to go for ready-made templates rather than begin everything from scratch. A simple call sheet template is key to a successful photo shoot or film production. It doesn’t need to be fancy or complex. A concise call sheet is enough to keep the team on track and do the day’s shoot.

Download Free Simple Call Sheet Templates

What is a call sheet?

A call sheet is a document that includes important details of the production shoot schedule in the TV and movie production industry, highlighting the details of the photoshoot. The details are normally location, time, date, scene details, crew contact information, and cast. It is an important document in the film production prepared for the assistant director to provide information on the daily schedule. Ensure that all the necessary information is included to smooth the shooting process.

Below, pre-designed, customizable templates of call sheets are available, which are 100% free and easy to use. The standardized layout of these templates makes crafting call sheets more streamlined. All the necessary information for the cast and team is included within the template, like location information and shooting schedule. It is an easy and effective way for the production team to communicate with the cast and organize the shoot more efficiently.

9 Main Components of a Call Sheet

An important document for movie or TV show shooting is known as a call sheet. It includes all the relevant information about the shooting day. The 9-key components of the call sheet are:

Vital Information: Scene number, date of shooting, production company, and project title; include all this information at the top of the call sheet.
Team and Cast Details: Include the list of the cast and participants, along with their positions and roles. Some of it includes contact information for specific individuals.
Shooting Schedule: Write about location, shoot details, approximate shooting time, and wrapping up. It includes orders of the scene.
Location Information: Write about parking locations and highlight any popular place that makes finding easier. Include the complete address of the related information.
Weather and Sunset Times: Whether it’s an indoor or outdoor shoot and the weather conditions of the shooting- location. Because the weather can impact outdoor shooting, write about some set plans so the crew and cast can plan accordingly.
Special Instructions: Highlights any specific considerations or instructions like safety precautions and specific equipment for shooting.
Emergency Contacts: Add the assistant director, production manager, and medical person’s contact information. It will help participants contact each other in case of an emergency.
Meal Breaks and Facilities: Include the information about facilities available and meal breaks so everyone has a clear idea of what facilities are available and when they can go for a break.
Transport Notes: Include transportation information like arrival time, pick-up times, and places to pick up crew and cast.

How to Use a Call Sheet?

Using a call sheet would be effective for team coordination and facilitate smooth communication. Include all critical aspects of the shooting, like the crew’s arrival time, photoshoot details, and team contact information. Choose an appropriate method for the distribution of the cell sheet.

It could be a mobile-friendly format, email distribution, or a single data entry. Give enough time for corrections to ensure a mistake or error can be sorted on time. Keep the minimum revision time and track changes to ensure all members know it. For better coordination, accurately fill out the description of the set and rules, which is crucial for better production.

4 Types of Production Call Sheets

4-Types of call sheets are:

Film Call Sheets: Such call sheets are used to produce a film on a large scale. You may need a specific software or generator to make these call sheets. This entails crew and cast information, shooting schedule, locations, and related details.
Commercial Shoot Call Sheets: Commercial shoot call sheets focus on company moves, setups, and relevant details. There is no need for scene details in the template. Client visibility is crucial for commercial shoots, which include the logo and name on the call sheet and should be prominent.
Television Call Sheets: This is similar to movie call sheets but includes show, web series, or drama titles with episode and season numbers.
Music Video Call Sheets: Call sheets are essential even if you are doing production for a small music video. This includes relevant details about the shoot and specific considerations to showcase the client. Whether it’s a band or a label, it should be prominent on the sheet.

Why Use a Call Sheet?

Executing a faultless shooting plan with a team and shooting products can be stressful or tricky. You can change a few things quickly, but not the whole template; you have to give copies to everyone on the set. If the call sheets are difficult for the shooting team to read, it may lead to delayed production. You can use ready-made, free, printable, well-organized, and easy-to-read templates. This will ensure clarity and reduce the chances of delayed responses or mistakes.

You don’t want to waste time each day re-inventing the same document repeatedly. Using a call sheet template, most of the information will be static and stay the same throughout the entire project. You only need to make the current day’s changes, save them, and send them out.

Use a simple call sheet template to make the production process smooth. Add information like when and where the team needs to be. You don’t need to start everything again from scratch. You can customize the information using the call sheet template according to shooting team members. The only need is to change the name and a few details and save it.

Avoid these Mistakes when Crafting a Call Sheet.

It requires time and attention to craft a call sheet for smooth shooting. Tips to avoid any mistakes are:

Repetitive Data Entry: The cast and crew may get confused and not know the exact shoot schedule. So repeat any information and put concise and relevant details only.
Overloaded with Icons and Images: Visual elements can bring clarity, but using too many cutesy icons or images can jumble the call sheet. To make a document readable, maintain a balance between text and visuals.
Lack of Crew Contact List: At the beginning of the shoot, distribute the crew contact list. It will help you to avoid unnecessary bulk on the call sheet.
Incomplete or Inaccurate Information: Proof or double-check to verify all the information in the call sheet, like timings and location details. Production schedules can be disturbed by using inaccurate or incomplete information.