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Receiving Callsheets


Kenny Williams

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Anyone have any idea why I wouldn't receive a callsheet? I'm a production assistant and with the show I was on today it is now the second show I've worked where none of the pa's were given a callsheet. Now I receive all the necessary information in the callsheet body email. I know what time to be where and what we eat. I'm mostly talking about the physical document with crew names and contact information and the schedule breakdown. I worked a production late in 2020 for about a month it was union and never once did any pa get a "callsheet" we were usually just given a time the day before. When I asked why I was told because its a union show. That's it. When I asked what that has to do with anything I was given very vague answers. Nobody in productions will answer the question if this happens. 

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Yea I've seen this before. They don't want PA's to get all the info on a normal call sheet, which would include names and contact info for cast and crew. So they basically don't give call sheets to PA's as a consequence. 

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23 minutes ago, Tyler Purcell said:

Yea I've seen this before. They don't want PA's to get all the info on a normal call sheet, which would include names and contact info for cast and crew. So they basically don't give call sheets to PA's as a consequence. 

normally the cast contact info is only given to the persons absolutely needing it:  producer, director, makeup/hair/wardrobe, runners transporting the actors, the production manager, line producer, and production coordinator. Only in very small productions they may print that info on the general call sheet because they don't want random persons calling the actors and director in unpleasant times unless absolutely necessary (or their friends calling the actors years after the shoot).  I have only seen actors contact info on very small indie productions call sheets and the director may be listed on the low and mid range productions but higher than about 2mil budget they may easily leave the director out too depending on the production

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and yes, if you are working on the set you should get at least some kind of call sheet either via email or on paper. If they have unnecessary information printed on the sheet which they don't want you to see, then they should change the sheet. It is meant to be the work schedule of the day and it is pretty challenging to do one's job if you don't know anything about what should be done and when. It is also very necessary document if the days go overtime and you need to fight for your overtime compensations because the call sheet shows what hours were agreed on and when the day was supposed to start and end

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29 minutes ago, aapo lettinen said:

normally the cast contact info is only given to the persons absolutely needing it:  producer, director, makeup/hair/wardrobe, runners transporting the actors, the production manager, line producer, and production coordinator. Only in very small productions they may print that info on the general call sheet because they don't want random persons calling the actors and director in unpleasant times unless absolutely necessary (or their friends calling the actors years after the shoot).  I have only seen actors contact info on very small indie productions call sheets and the director may be listed on the low and mid range productions but higher than about 2mil budget they may easily leave the director out too depending on the production

I see. I guess I'm just uses to being on smaller things. Mainly decent sized commercials or reality shows. I've seen columns for cast or director but the contact info isn't listed just that person's individual call. I just find it harder when I'm sent on a run and can't contact anyone because I'm so used to callsheets with everyone's info. Until I need to call someone and have no way of doing so. Guess I'll need to get used to it. Thank you! Just wanted to know why it was such a secret. Nobody would even tell me why. 

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I began redacting most contact info from call sheets even on the tiny one or two day things I do because of the privacy considerations, so that's not unreasonable.

Not sending people a call sheet is unreasonable for all the reasons shown here, particularly working hours considerations. This is not OK.

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56 minutes ago, aapo lettinen said:

normally the cast contact info is only given to the persons absolutely needing it:  producer, director, makeup/hair/wardrobe, runners transporting the actors, the production manager, line producer, and production coordinator.

Exactly... It's rare I get a call sheet without the other key crew on it including contact info, but that's mainly because I'm working in the camera department and/or producing/directing. 

Edited by Tyler Purcell
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it is pretty common here that the crew contact info is a compeletely separate one page / two page document and the call sheet may only list the crew names and the cast names of the day but nothing more. Often the sheet has the crew contact info on the second page / backside of the sheet or at least the HOD phone numbers. Well, you MUST give out at least some contact info to the crew anyway. it is a living hell to try to work on a set where you can't contact the Location Manager for example 

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This might be slightly paranoid, but... I think some productions will send a “Call Email” with limited info on it because one of the ways shows in production are flipped union is by forwarding call sheets to your respective hall or rep. I mean, you probably still have enough info to get them flipping it, but the call sheet gives them everything at a glance. 

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