Successfully running a film set requires very specific leadership skills. Vince Duque, 1st Assistant Director to projects like “House” and “Battle Creek” shares 11 Leadership Principles he learned in the US Marine Corp, and how they can be repurposed as core filmmaking tips for directors and line producers to become more effective leaders on set.Continue reading 11 Ways to Become a Better Producer or Director on Set
What exactly goes into a call sheet? Which producers’ names go on top? Where do you put the parking details? Is the lunch menu listed? Fret not, gentle reader. Here is everything you need to know about how to make a call sheet for film and television productions. In this article (and videos), we break down all the components that should be included and best practices to follow. Continue reading How to Make a Call Sheet for Film & TV (Free Example)
You may have heard the term “call sheet” many times. But if you’ve never sent one out yourself, you may not know everything they need and why they are so essential to every production. So what is a call sheet and what goes on it?In this post, we’ll walk you through the document, and provide a call sheet template and example. If you’re now at a point in your career where it’s time to make one, and you don’t know the basics, then you may not be fully prepared for shoot day.Continue reading What is a Call Sheet — Everything…
Assistant Directors (the 1st AD) are one of the most valuable crew members on any production. Your 1st AD is responsible for on-set communication, department coordination, maintaining the shooting schedule, conflict resolution, and safety. Continue reading 13 Ways You Can Become a Better 1st AD
Creating call sheets is time-consuming, complicated, and necessary. But what if you had an easy-to-use call sheet template that you could apply to all your projects? What StudioBinder offers is a simple and clear way to create, send, and track these vital documents. In this post, I’m going to show you how to make a call sheet in a fraction of the time.Continue reading How to Make a Call Sheet in StudioBinder — Step by Step
We've all seen a continuity error in a film or noticed a plot hole at some point. The fact that you don't see hundreds of them is because productions hire someone to pay attention to the details of a script. This person on set is known as the script supervisor. We'll go over what a script supervisor does, why they're so important, and also provide a free script supervisor template and forms. Continue reading Ultimate Guide to Script Supervisors (FREE Script Supervisor Template)
Unlike painting or writing, which are often done in isolation, making a film requires a team effort. Gaffers, Cinematographers, Best Boys, PAs — but who does what and why? There are few roles in film production more valuable than a 1st AD but what is an assistant director and what does an assistant director do? In this post, we'll detail the role and provide insight into standard assistant director duties to remind you just how important they are. Or, if you're looking to become an assistant director on set, this is your first step in that direction. Continue reading…
Utilizing spreadsheet formulas for call times can speed up the process of creating call sheets, but for many AD's and Production Unit folks, formulas can be intimidating. In this article, we're going to show you how to setup Excel formulas for staggering call times automatically. Continue reading Staggering Call Time Formulas for Your Next Call Sheet
So you've done everything you can think of to prep during pre-production. You now find yourself on set. Here are 8 production hacks for a 2nd AD to put into practice immediately. This is a companion to piece to 7 Pre-Production Hacks for 2nd AD’s. If you haven’t had the chance to give it a read, check it out!Continue reading 8 Production Hacks for a 2nd AD Shooting on Location
While the 1st AD (First Assistant Director) is often seen as the person who controls the schedule and logistics on set, the 2nd AD (Second Assistant Director) is just as essential in ensuring a well operated set.Continue reading 7 Pre-Production Hacks for a 2nd Assistant Director
