So you’ve made it on set, LOVE it and want to stay. Here are a few tips to keep getting called back:
In This Issue
- Stay on your toes, literally (aka: get off your ass). You sitting down = (workload / # of crew) < time allotted. Translation: If you’re sitting down, that means the task at hand got finished a lot faster than expected. Hmm, that must mean we have too many people here—we could still get the task completed on time even if we had one fewer person, so…you’re fired.
- Learn to read the callsheet. A lot of questions can be answered by reading the callsheet. The information on the callsheet will help you plan your day, prioritize your tasks.
- If you’re a P.A., you should carry the follow items with you at all times:
- Red Sharpie
- Black Sharpie
- Pen
- Your callsheet + at least 3 extras (someone, sometime during the day, will ask for one)
- 3 sets of sides (small-sized sections of the script that are shooting that day)
- 2 hot batteries (for the walkie-talkies)
- Items you should carry in your set bag (backpack or duffle bag you bring to set every day)
- Extra Shirt, Pants, Socks, Shoes
- Raingear
- Hoodie
- Work Gloves
- If winter: snow pants, gloves, long johns
- Neos. These are the best things you will ever buy, for on set or off. They’re overshoes, and you can get them insulated (for winter) or not. One of the biggest issues for set crew is finding winter boots that are warm enough and comfortable enough to stand in for 12+ hours. Since you can wear them over your regular shoes, they’re super comfy. If you get the insulated ones, your feet will stay toasty warm.
- As my friend Mario always says, “It’s called Show Business, not Show Fun.” So don’t dress like you’re about to hit the club because you’re here to work, not to hook up. (Granted, I realize that hooking up is a profession for some, but you know what I mean.) The easiest way to spot “the new kid” is to look for the girl wearing the mini-skirt and the flip flops or the guy wearing the sparkling white shorts and the spotless pink dress shirt.
Glossary for Good Times
Breakfast: Catered food served at the start of the work day, but it’s not necessarily bacon and eggs at 6 a.m. If call time is 5 p.m., breakfast could consist of burgers and veggie wraps. It’s not a sit-down meal unless you get to work early enough before your call-time.
Lunch: Catered, sit-down meal typically served six hours after general crew call time. Lunch lasts 30 minutes and the clock starts ticking after Last Man is called.
Last Man: There’s a simple rule at lunch—crew eats first. When lunch is served, P.A.’s and interns cannot get in the lunch line until every crew member (who wants to eat) goes through first. Once the last crew member has gone through the lunch line and has sat down, Last Man is called. Lunch ends 30 minutes after this time.
Alex, a P.A.: (enters lunch line) Boy, I sure am hungry! Yes! I love BBQ!
Hunter: What the hell are you doing? We haven’t called Last Man yet. Get your ass out of that line!
Jonelle: Last man is 12:56 p.m.! Company is back at 1:26 p.m.!
Alex: Can I get in line now?
Hunter: Yes.
10-1 and 10-2: Pee and Poop
Jenne: Hey Steve, can you cover my lockup? I’ve got to 10-1.
Andy: 10-1? You sure about that?
Jenne: Ok, you got me. 10-2.
20: Location
Tom: Travis, what’s your 20?
Travis: I’m at Crafty. You want anything?
Tom: Yeah, can you grab me a Milk Chug?
Copy: Got it; OK; Roger That
Michelle: Andy, if you hand me another dead brick, I’ll kill you.
Andy: Copy, killing.
Callsheet: A listing of the day’s schedule created by the A.D. Dept. The callsheet is one of the most important documents on set. P.A.’s hand them out at wrap for the following day’s work. It contains a huge amount of information:
A map is usually attached to the callsheet. It shows the location of the set or sets, crew and extras parking, basecamp and extras holding. It also gives detailed directions how to get to parking from the Production Office and other parts of the city (from the North, From I-90/94, etc).
P.A. – Production Assistant; also called a Set Runner. P.A.’s help production keep things moving and on schedule. They do the things that need doing so all the other departments can do their thing.
#1 (#2, #3, etc): Each actor on a show is numbered; the higher the number, the bigger the part. For example, on The Dark Knight, Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman was #1, and Heath Ledger as The Joker was #2.
Sharon: Do we have a 20 on #1?
Teena: Yeah, he’s still at basecamp…he’s just getting out of Hair & Makeup.
Call time: The time a crew member has to report to work
Claire: Hey, are you partying tonight?
Amy: I can’t. I’ve got a 5 a.m. call time.
Claire: Dang!
Wrap: Shooting is finished for the day (or for the entire production).
Basecamp: The location where the Production, Costume, Hair & Makeup, Actors’, Director’s and Producers’ trailers are parked.
Honeywagon: The mobile toilet unit. If you’re ever on a film set and see a really long trailer with a lot of doors, two of those doors are probably the men’s and women’s bathroom.
Lock it up: The A.D.’s will call this before the director is ready to shoot. It’s the P.A.s’ cue to start getting everyone quiet and to stop foot traffic.
1st A.D.: Ok people, lock it up!
P.A. #1: Stand by…quiet please!
P.A. #2: (to street pedestrians) Excuse me, sir, we’re about to roll. Would you mind waiting here for a few minutes?
Street Pedestrian: (as he keeps walking) Go to hell.
Rolling: The cameras (and usually sound) are recording.
1st A.D.: Here we go! Rolling!
P.A.’s: Rolling! Quiet please!
M.O.S.: Mit out sound; when a take is filmed without recording sound at the same time.
Grace: 15-minute grace period. If the crew is shooting a scene and it’s time for lunch, a director can call Grace in order to finish the shot. However, it has to be for the same shot, there can’t be any lighting changes, and the director has only 15 minutes.
Rachael: Hey, isn’t it time for lunch?
Laura: They’re probably going to call Grace.
1st A.D.: Going into Grace!
Laura: I knew it!
2nd Meal: A meal served six hours after lunch is finished. If the crew is still working 6 hours after the time lunch is finished, Production has to provide 2nd Meal or the crew starts collecting meal penalties (meal penalties = the crew gets paid more money).
Hot points: A warning to the crew that you’re carrying/moving something that could possibly poke your eye out.
Grip: (carrying dolly track) Hot points! Look out!
P.A.: Ow! My eye!
Grip: I said, “Hot points.”
Abby Singer: The second to last shot of the day
Martini: The last shot of the day
Talia: Are we wrapping any time soon?
P.J.: Dude, we’re on the martini!
Talia: Oh, thank God! My dogs are BARKING!
C-47/bullet: A clothespin
Brick: A walkie battery
Hottie/Hot one: A charged walkie battery
