Map the route first
- 1Cast cars — carry cast, managers and wardrobe or makeup staff.
- 2Crew vans — pick up crew at the meet point and shuttle between locations.
- 3Gear trucks — carry camera, lighting, grip and art gear and leave first.
- 4Production van — carries food, water and supplies and moves as needed.
When you have several locations in one day, group nearby ones to cut travel. Allow more travel time than your map app suggests, and send gear trucks ahead of the main unit to allow for setup. Check on the scout whether large vehicles can get into and park at each location.
Basecamp is the set’s headquarters, where gear trucks, hair and makeup, wardrobe, meals and restrooms are grouped. Too far from set and travel time grows; too close and noise and people end up in the shot. On days with several unit moves, it often works better to keep basecamp in one place and move only the shooting position.
Building a transport plan
| Column | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | Type and plate number, driver and contact |
| Passengers / load | Names of riders or the gear on board |
| Departure | Departure time and place (meet point, hotel) |
| Arrival | Destination and parking spot |
| Return | Where it goes after wrap, and any stops |
Send the transport plan out with the call sheet the day before. If a driver also worked a long day on set, swap the return drive to someone else. Keep fuel, parking and toll receipts per vehicle for petty cash reconciliation.
- Check before leaving — fuel, tires, secured load and emergency contacts in the vehicle.
- Loading — heavy gear low and forward; no unsecured items where people ride.
- Arrival check-in — tell production when you reach the location, and warn them before you leave if you will be late.
- Parking manners — park only where the location told you to, and don’t idle for long.
Meal times and headcounts
Put meal times on the call sheet schedule in advance so everyone knows. Count crew, cast and managers, background and visitors separately the day before, and confirm again that morning. Collect allergies and dietary needs such as vegetarian once before the first shoot day, and handle them separately with every order.
| Option | Upside | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Boxed meals | Work anywhere and hand out quickly | Delivery time, storage temperature, trash |
| Catering | A hot meal in one place | Space for the truck and for eating |
| Nearby restaurant | Simple to set up | Travel time and whether they can serve everyone at once |
Meals break the shooting flow, so if you don’t set them in advance they keep getting pushed. Agree the time with the ADs at a natural break between scenes, and let people who need prep time after eating, like cast and hair and makeup, eat first. Keep water and snacks (craft services) on set and in holding at all times, separate from meals.
Lodging and rest
For out-of-town shoots, rooming together people who leave at the same time the next day makes mornings easier. List room numbers, names and check-in and check-out times on a rooming list, and if gear stays at the hotel, decide where it is stored. When choosing a hotel, check distance to set, parking and late check-in first, and ask ahead who needs a single room.
Rest is the foundation of transport and lodging plans. A short gap between today’s wrap and tomorrow’s call, late travel before an early call and driving after an all-nighter all lead to accidents. Working hours and rest follow your contracts, any union or guild agreements and local law, so check them while you build the schedule.
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