Scheduling and prep with the first assistant director

A brilliant visual plan is worthless if it cannot be shot in the time available. The first assistant director (first AD) builds the shooting schedule and runs the set; the DP supplies the information that makes the schedule realistic and then helps keep each day on track. This lesson explains how schedules are built, what the DP contributes, how to budget set-ups and time within a day, how to plan around the sun and other natural light, and how day plans and shot lists keep the crew moving. It also covers the daily rhythm of a shooting day and the decisions a DP and first AD make together when the day starts to slip.

How a schedule is built

The first AD (or a production manager on small shows) breaks down the script into elements: cast, locations, time of day, extras, props, vehicles, stunts, effects and special equipment. Each scene becomes a strip on a stripboard, now usually in scheduling software, and the strips are arranged into shooting days.

• Group scenes by location to minimize moves, and within a location by set and time of day.
• Group by cast availability: actors with short contracts or limited availability are scheduled together.
• Separate day and night work and allow legal turnaround between days (Course CINE-340).
• Place difficult scenes where the crew is fresh and the schedule has slack, not at the end of a long week.
• Produce a day-out-of-days report showing which days each actor works, and a one-line schedule listing scenes by day.

The DP's input matters most at this stage. The first AD needs to know which scenes need more time, which need specific light (sunset, dawn, magic hour), which need pre-rigs, and which combinations of scenes are efficient for camera and lighting.

What the DP brings to scheduling

• Time estimates for each scene, based on shot lists and lighting plans.
• Priority grades (A, B, C) from the breakdown (Lesson 2).
• Natural light needs: scenes that must be shot facing a direction at a time of day, or within a narrow window such as sunset.
• Equipment logistics: days that need cranes, lifts or extra generators, ideally grouped to reduce day-play rentals.
• Pre-rig and wrap-out needs (Lesson 7).
• Efficient sequences: for example, shooting a day interior before a night interior in the same room so the lighting can be converted without moving the camera crew.

Be honest. A DP who promises that a complex scene can be done in three hours, then takes six, damages the whole schedule. Padding every estimate is just as harmful; the first AD learns to discount it.

Budgeting time within a day

A common way to plan a day is to count set-ups and estimate minutes per set-up. The estimate includes lighting, rehearsal, camera and grip work and shooting takes.

The shape of a shooting day

Most union agreements and good practice set limits on working time, meal breaks and rest. A common pattern is that the crew must be given a meal break no later than about six hours after call, with financial penalties if it is late; check the agreement that applies to each production.

• Call and breakfast: crew arrives; the first rehearsal with actors often happens on set while lighting begins.
• First set-up: usually the longest, because the whole space is being lit for the first time. Getting the first shot early sets the pace of the day.
• Morning work: the bulk of the coverage for the first scene.
• Meal break: about mid-day; the crew returns ready to shoot quickly.
• Afternoon: remaining coverage, company moves, the last scenes.
• Wrap: equipment is struck or prepared for the next day; the DP and first AD review progress and adjust the next day's plan.

Sun studies and natural light

Natural light changes all day. For exterior scenes and day interiors that depend on sunlight, the DP plans when and in which direction to shoot.

• Sun position: azimuth (compass direction) and elevation (height above the horizon) change through the day and the year. Apps and websites show the sun's path over a map or through a phone camera at any date.
• Front, side and back light: shooting a face with the sun behind the actor (backlight) gives soft, flattering light on the face from bounce and sky, with a rim on the hair. Side light gives modelling; front sun is often harsh and makes actors squint.
• Golden hour and blue hour: the period after sunrise and before sunset when light is low and warm, and the twilight after sunset when the sky is deep blue. Their length depends on latitude and season (Course PHOT-311 covered how to estimate them).
• Weather: cloud cover softens light but also changes continuity. Scenes that must match across several days need either control (overheads, negative fill) or a consistent sky.
• Seasons: day length varies widely in Canada and the northern US, from very long summer days to short winter days.

Day plans and shot lists

Each evening, the DP and first AD review the next day's call sheet. The DP then issues a day plan (sometimes called a shot list for the day) to the camera, electric and grip departments: scenes in order, set-ups in order, lenses, equipment and notes such as "pre-rig ready at 07:30," "two cameras for scene 31" or "sunset window 18:57 to 19:42."

• List set-ups in shooting order, grouped by lighting direction.
• Mark priorities: must, should and could (Lesson 5).
• Note equipment moves: when the dolly track moves, when the crane arrives, when the lift is needed.
• Note special needs: practical effects, VFX references, child performer hours, intimacy coordinator involvement (Lesson 10).

When the day slips

Almost every day falls behind at some point. The DP and first AD have a short list of tools.

• Simplify coverage: combine set-ups into a developing shot, use two cameras, or drop "could" shots.
• Speed up lighting: accept a slightly simpler approach for B and C scenes while protecting A scenes.
• Move work: push a scene to another day, give inserts to a second unit or schedule pickups.
• Never compromise safety to make the day. Rushing rigging, ignoring fatigue or skipping safety meetings causes accidents (Course CINE-340).

The first AD usually tracks progress against the schedule by the hour. When a day is falling behind, the earlier the DP and first AD decide what to change, the more options they have. A decision at 11:00 can protect the afternoon; a decision at 18:00 usually means losing scenes.

Second unit and splinter units

Larger productions use a second unit to shoot inserts, establishing shots, driving plates and action. The second-unit DP must match the main unit's look, so the main DP provides the look book, LUTs, lens notes and reference frames. A splinter unit is a small team working briefly alongside the main unit, often for inserts at the same location. Both can relieve pressure on the main unit's schedule.