Reading the Callsheet to Predict Your Out Time, Part 2 of 2
Last week we covered the topic of reading the callsheet to predict your out time. This week we’ll cover the topic of reading the callsheet to predict whether you have any future stand-in work on your production.
An Opening Precaution
Avoid being certain about future days of stand-in work. While a callsheet may indicate your actor is working, production may be using a different stand-in those days. Also, weather or other factors may change the production schedule. If you have a close relationship with the background casting director, consult casting for guidance on production’s use of you as a stand-in for your actor. If you are a regular stand-in on the project, you are in a better position to ask than, say, a background actor who was pulled to stand in that day.
Predicting Stand-In Work for Yourself … in the Future!
If you’re expecting to be standing in for #3 (Ben Hauck!) over the next few days of production, the callsheet may have the Advance Schedule listed.
The Advance Schedule section shows the scheduled scenes for the next 1-2 days. This may appear at the bottom of a the callsheet, on the second page of the sides packet, or at the end of the sides packet. Sometimes the Advance Schedule may even be omitted from the sides packet, meaning the actual callsheet would be the source for the Advance Schedule. The background PA should have the actual callsheet, and this person is probably the best person to ask if you want to see the actual callsheet.
Along with the scheduled scenes, the Advanced Schedule lists the actors/characters involved. Knowing that your actor is working on an future day will help you get a sense of whether you’ll be working, and seeing how many scenes your actor is in may aid in your predicting your relative calltime and the length of your day.
However, take note: Advance schedules often change, especially as weather affects production, so keep that in mind when predicting your work schedule.
Is Your Actor Completely Wrapped?
Another way to predict future stand-in work is to look at the Actor/Character section under the column “SWF” (or named something similar). This section indicates your actor’s current and remaining involvement with the particular production (or particular episode of production). Here are deciphered the codes from that column:
- W = Work … Your actor is working on the project today.
- SW = Start Work … Your actor is starting work on the project today
- WF = Work Finish … Your actor is finishing work on the project today
- SWF = Start Work Finish … Your actor is a day-player; that is, your actor is starting work today and finishing work today.
- H = Hold … Your actor is on hold for the day and won’t be on set.
If your actor is listed as SW or just W, this indicates that your actor will have future work on the project, which may mean future stand-in work for you. However, if your actor is listed as SWF or WF, this indicates that your actor’s last day on the project (or episode) will be today.
How do you figure out if you’re standing in later in the week? What other callsheet clues do you know for predicting future stand-in work? Share below!
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Jul 15th 2011 • 18:07
by Mark Brett
Very interesting question!
Standing in can be very difficult on your schedule, and knowing that the actor you stand in for is going to be on the production for several days, weeks, or even months – It would be nice to see Stand-ins get some type of schedule with days that are known the Actor is scheduled to work in advance of work- just out of sheer courtesy.
Even with the understanding that production schedules are often changing,
Stand – ins rely on working enough during the course of a week to know what their paychecks are going to look like, and knowing that they’re making enough money to pay their bills, so if they are or are not working is a BIG DEAL, and it would be great to know in advance, Anyone know the best way to find that out say if you’re booked for regular stand- in work?
Jul 15th 2011 • 19:07
by Ben Hauck, Editor
From my experience, some productions will share this information with stand-ins, at least informally. Usually it’s the “committed” stand-ins (so to speak) on a project who are privy to this information.
I’ve also been privy to production schedules, having them even emailed to me with the rest of the crew at the end of the day. To do this, I’ve simply asked the “right” person, or a person with connections to the “right” person. Casting is always the official word on whether I’m working and what my calltime is, so advance schedules and callsheets shouldn’t be trusted over casting when figuring out when I’m going to work. (That is, don’t assume you’re undoubtably working given the advances; production may have a different arrangement for you inconsistent with your expectations.)
If you’re a regular stand-in on a project and you’re not sure whom to ask, privately ask the background P.A. if you can have the callsheet emailed to you. The BG P.A. then may ask the appropriate person, or may help you find out whom to ask. Some productions will be fine with this, especially if you’re trusted; some might be weird about it or categorically reject the idea. It doesn’t hurt to ask, and as you suggest, the information can be very, very helpful for maintaining a life!
Another route is to call casting and politely inquire if you could get a rough sense of the days you’re working for a film or for an episode. Some casting directors will even volunteer this information as a courtesy, but it probably shouldn’t be expected given all the responsibilities they have.
Essentially, develop your relationships within a production (both casting and crew), and I think you’ll find you’ll be invited in to some of the more guarded information on the production schedule, and if not invited, your requests for scheduling information will be received without much problem. At very least, when callsheets are given out at the end of the day, grab one … and if they don’t like it, say you’re standing in tomorrow. If they still don’t like it, oh well, you tried!
Jul 15th 2011 • 19:07
by Mark Brett
Well when you think about it -the principal actor learns way prior to the night before they work that They’re working? They’ve booked the work, have the script to memorize etc.., they need time to prepare their performance as well.. So can’t a stand in for that recurring job say if booked for an entire show season to be given notice of days needed for their own scheduling purposes at least per/episode ?
Jul 15th 2011 • 19:07
by Mark Brett
Just food for thought- if any production people read this thread.
Jul 15th 2011 • 20:07
by Sara DeRosa
Another resource that you may be able to seek out on a television set is a one-liner. It lists the schedule for the entire episode, including what scenes will be shot which days, which characters are working, and filming locations. This is a document that is only given out to select crew, so ask the BG P.A. or the Paperwork P.A. to obtain it for you, then look it over to get the information you need and return it.