Call Sheet Template for Commercials, Branded Content and Corporate Shoots

1. What a call sheet is

A call sheet is the single source of truth for a shoot day. On a commercial, branded or corporate job, that means everyone from the DP to the agency producer to the client's marketing lead knows where to be, when, and what is being shot. It is built from the shooting schedule by the production manager or coordinator, signed off by the producer and 1st AD, and emailed out the day before.

The conventions here come from feature drama, but short-form production has its own priorities: shorter shoots (often 1 to 3 days), more clients on set, tighter approval loops, and freelance crew who need clear invoicing details to get paid on time.

2. Anatomy of a call sheet

A typical commercial or branded call sheet is one page (front), with a second page for the full crew list and any supporting info. The front page is structured into clear blocks:

• Header: production info, client, date, weather, sun times, key call times.
• Schedule: shots, boards or scenes in shooting order with time blocks.
• Talent: name, role/character, pickup, HMU, on-set time.
• Agency & client: attendees and arrival times.
• Logistics: nearest hospital, parking, catering, wrap plan.
• Admin: production company invoicing details and key contacts.

3. The header block

The top of the sheet sets the day. Every item here must be accurate, every time:

• Job title, client, agency and production company.
• Shoot date and, on multi-day shoots, day number (e.g. Day 1 of 2).
• General crew call (the time the main unit must be ready).
• Shooting call (first shot on the day).
• Lunch and estimated wrap.
• Sunrise, sunset and weather forecast for the primary location.
• Nearest hospital with address and travel time.

4. Shot schedule

For commercials and branded content, the schedule references boards or shots rather than script pages. List, in shooting order: shot or board number, brief description, interior/exterior and day/night, location, and the talent required. For music videos, mirror the treatment's setup order; for corporate, list interviews and b-roll blocks separately.

Group the day into clear time blocks: pre-light, rehearsal, shoot, lunch, company move, second setup, wrap. A reader should look at the schedule and immediately understand the rhythm of the day, including when the client should expect to see playback.

5. Talent and crew calls

Talent

For each talent member (actor, presenter, contributor, dancer, hand model), list:

• Name and role or character.
• Pickup time and pickup location (or "self-drive").
• Hair, make-up and wardrobe call.
• On-set ready time.
• Notes (e.g. agent on set, child performer chaperone, intimacy coordinator, signed usage in place).

Crew

List department call times where they differ from general crew call. Camera prep, art dressing, SFX, stylist pulls and grip pre-rigs routinely start earlier. The crew list on page two covers names, roles, mobile numbers and call times for every department, including freelance day-rate roles like runners and DITs.

6. Agency and client attendance

This is the section that separates a short-form call sheet from a feature one. List every agency and client attendee:

• Name, role (Creative Director, Account Director, Brand Manager, Legal).
• Arrival time and expected departure.
• Who is hosting them on set (usually the producer or a dedicated client liaison).
• Whether they have a video village seat reserved.
• Sign-off authority: who can approve a shot as "in the can".

For remote-approval jobs, also note the streaming setup (QTake, Frame.io Camera to Cloud, ClearView) and which approvers are watching remotely.

7. Logistics, safety and contacts

• Locations: full address, what3words or coordinates, parking instructions, unit base, and any access codes or gate contacts.
• Catering: breakfast, lunch and craft service times and locations. Note dietary requirements collected from cast, crew and client attendees.
• Safety: nearest A&E or hospital, on-set medic contact, H&S supervisor if applicable, and any specific hazards (heights, water, vehicles, food handling).
• Key contacts: producer, production manager, 1st AD (if booked), production coordinator, locations manager, transport.
• Wrap plan: a brief note on de-rig, return logistics and any pickups planned for the following day.

8. Invoicing and admin details

Freelancers cannot invoice what they don't have. Putting the production company's billing details on every call sheet removes a week of chasing emails after wrap:

• Production company legal name and registered address.
• PO number or job code freelancers must reference on invoices.
• Invoice email address (e.g. accounts@productioncompany.com).
• VAT number, where applicable.
• Payment terms (e.g. 30 days from invoice date).
• Any required attachments (signed deal memo, insurance certificate, right-to-work).

9. Common mistakes

• Don't forget invoicing details. Without the production company's billing address, PO number and invoice email on the sheet, freelancers chase the production office for days after wrap.
• Vague locations. "Studio in Hackney" is not an address. Use a full postal address plus what3words and unit base.
• Missing hospital. The nearest A&E must be on every sheet, every day. Non-negotiable for insurance.
• One call time for everyone. Listing general crew call and nothing else forces every department to ask the PM individually.
• No agency arrival times. Clients turning up mid-setup with nowhere to sit kills the room.
• Stale weather. Pull the forecast the evening before, not 48 hours out.
• No advance for multi-day jobs. Without tomorrow's preview, crew cannot book travel, parking or childcare.

10. Quick checklist

Before you hit send, confirm the sheet has:

• Job title, client, agency, date.
• General crew call, shooting call, lunch, estimated wrap.
• Sunrise, sunset and weather.
• Nearest hospital with address and travel time.
• All locations with full addresses, parking and unit base.
• Shot or board schedule in shooting order.
• Talent pickup, HMU and on-set times.
• Department call times where they differ from general call.
• Agency and client attendees with arrival times and hosts.
• Production company invoicing details and PO number.
• Safety notes and on-set medic contact.
• Producer, PM and 1st AD contacts.