Whether you’re a producer, a coordinator, an actor, or a parent of an actor, you’re probably well-versed in the industry-term, ‘call time.’ But if you’re coming to this post being none of these people, or soon to be one of these people, and you have no idea what it is, you can breathe easy. This post answers what is a call time, and lets you know where to find it.

Call Time Meaning

Save your job, know your call time

Industry jargon can get confusing, especially on set. But the call time is fairly self-explanatory, and yet, one of the most critical things to remember if you want to keep your job.

Call Time Definition

What is call time?

A call time (or calltime) is the time the cast and crew of a production needs to be on the set, ready to work. The crew usually has an earlier calltime than the actors because they need to get everything ready for shooting. The purpose of the call time is to stay on schedule, so the production can stay on budget. 

The call times are set way ahead of time, usually by the first assistant director or production coordinator. This information comes from the producers and director. Department heads have calculated how long each shot will take to shoot, setup, determining a call time for each day and each department.

*Tip: you should not be pulling into the parking lot at your call time, you should be a few minutes early, reporting to where you need to be at the stated time. If you’re late enough times, producers will have no problem replacing you! You can find the call time on your call sheet.

WHERE IS THE CALL TIME?

Look at your call sheet

Call sheets are usually sent to you the night before. It’s a document that lists literally everything you need to know about the shoot day. Always check your email before you go to sleep to know exactly where and when you need to be on set. Call sheets are often emailed, but StudioBinder allows you to send text notifications as well.

Click to view the call sheet

Notice how it is setup. Follow the row with your name to your call time, (or calltime), and also notice where you need to be at that time. You may have a different location than someone else. 

The call sheet also notifies if there are any company moves for that day. If you’re the person making the call sheets, all of this information can be easily inputted in StudioBinder’s call sheet template.

What else is in a call sheet? Learn the basics in our next article.

Up Next

What’s a Call Sheet?

If you’re frequently late, you may not hit it off with the producers or director. In fact, they could potentially replace you, if you actively choose to disrespect them and the rest of the cast and crew. It’s really important you know what kind of information is given to you ahead of time, so you can look it over, and not waste time once you get to set. Learn the fundamentals about the call sheet, below. 

Up Next: What is a Call Sheet? →

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  • StudioBinder is a film production software built out of Santa Monica, CA. Our mission is to make the production experience more streamlined, efficient, and pleasant.

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