On this page
How to use it
- Change the job schedule's tasks, owners and due days to your job, and add rows for anything missing.
- Give every client step a due day, and repeat those days in your proposal.
- Build the shoot day from the light first, then the people, then lunch.
- Leave 30 minutes for each company move and for wrap.
- Download both tables as CSV files and share them, or copy them into your call sheet.
How long each phase takes
These are typical spans for a short brand film with one shoot day. Bigger jobs stretch pre-production first.
| Phase | Typical span | What sets the pace |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-production | 2 to 3 weeks | Script approval and location access |
| Shoot | 1 day | Light, talent availability, company moves |
| First cut | 7 to 10 business days | Footage volume and music search |
| Each revision round | 3 to 5 business days | How fast the client sends notes |
| Delivery | 1 to 3 days after approval | Exports, captions, payment |
The step that slips most is the client's. Put "Client" in the Who column on their notes and approvals, with a due day, and say those days in the proposal. A schedule that only holds you to dates is half a schedule.
Building the shoot day
Start from the light, then the people. Exteriors go where the sun suits them, which on the sample is early morning on the dock. Talent arrives after the crew has built, and signs releases before makeup. Interviews go indoors in the middle of the day. Lunch is no later than 6 hours after call. Leave the last half hour for wrap and a card offload check.
| Rule | Why |
|---|---|
| Exteriors first or last | Low sun is softer, and it will not wait for you. The golden hour calculator gives the times |
| A company move costs 30 minutes or more | Pack, drive, park, unpack, light again |
| Lunch within 6 hours of call | Crews remember a late lunch for a long time |
| Talent called after the crew | Nobody likes waiting in makeup for an hour |
| Two copies of every card before you leave | One drive is no copy at all |
How Cutvey does this
In Cutvey the job's phases and tasks sit on the project, with owners and due dates in the workspace's time zone, and the shoot day is a schedule with one ordering that feeds the call sheet. A script breakdown can send a stripboard day to the schedule. A late change re-sends the call sheet only to the people it affects. Plan the shoot shows the whole stage.
Frequently asked
How far ahead should I schedule a shoot?
Two to three weeks for a simple brand film, longer if you need permits, casting or a busy location. Ask the venue first, because their calendar is usually the tightest.
What is the difference between a schedule and a call sheet?
The schedule is the plan, for you and the client. The call sheet is what the crew gets the night before: times, place, people and the nearest hospital.
Should I share the schedule with the client?
Share the job schedule, so they know when their notes are due. Keep the minute-by-minute shoot day for the crew, and give the client their own call time.
Goes with this stage of a job: Plan the shoot. More free paperwork on the templates page, and free tools that work in your browser.