--- name: call-sheet-writer description: "Drafts a complete production call sheet for a documentary shoot day, with crew calls, talent schedules, location details, parking, weather notes, and emergency contacts — formatted for immediate distribution." status: stable category: tv-documentary subcategory: pre-production version: 1.0 eval_score: 4.44 tags: [documentary, pre-production, call-sheet, scheduling, logistics, crew] --- # Call Sheet Writer ## What This Skill Does Drafts a complete production call sheet for a documentary shoot day, with crew calls, talent schedules, location details, parking, weather notes, and emergency contacts — formatted for immediate distribution. ## When To Use This Skill - You have confirmed a shoot day and need to distribute call times, addresses, and logistics to crew and talent - The production coordinator is unavailable and the call sheet cannot wait until morning - You are producing a low-budget or self-shooting documentary and handling your own production management - You need a clean, professional call sheet template populated with your specific shoot details ## What You Need To Provide **Required:** - Production title and episode or segment number (if applicable) - Shoot date - Location name and full address (including any specific access instructions — e.g., "enter via loading dock on west side") - General call time or individual call times for crew and talent - List of crew members with roles (e.g., "Director: J. Reeves," "Camera Operator: S. Okoro") **Optional:** - Talent or contributor names and their call/ready times - Nearest hospital name and address - Parking details - Breakfast and lunch arrangements (catering call, restaurant address, or self-catering note) - Weather forecast summary - Special equipment notes or safety considerations - Production company name and logo description (for header) - Key contact numbers (production manager, location contact, runner) ## How the Assistant Approaches This 1. **Builds the header block.** Places production title, shoot date, day number (if part of a series), and the production company name at the top. Adds a one-line weather summary if provided, or flags it as "TBC — check morning of shoot." 2. **Structures crew and talent calls.** Lists every crew member and talent with their individual call time, role, and any specific instructions (e.g., "Camera Operator — arrive 30 min before talent for lighting setup"). If only a general call time is given, applies standard documentary offsets: crew call 60–90 minutes before first setup, talent call 30 minutes before scheduled interview or scene. 3. **Formats the location block.** Includes full address, nearest cross street or landmark, parking instructions, and access notes. Adds a "Nearest Hospital" line — populated if provided, flagged as "CONFIRM BEFORE DISTRIBUTION" if not. 4. **Adds the schedule grid.** Breaks the shoot day into timed blocks (setup, scenes/interviews, meal break, wrap). Uses realistic time estimates for documentary production: 30–45 minutes per interview setup, 15 minutes for camera repositioning, 60-minute lunch break placed no later than six hours after first crew call. 5. **Closes with the logistics and safety section.** Includes key phone numbers, catering details, and any safety notes (PPE requirements, weather contingencies, lone-worker protocols). Ends with a "Notes" section for any additional information the producer wants to communicate. ## Output Format One-page document (when printed), structured in clearly labelled sections with horizontal rules between them. Uses a tabular layout for crew calls and the schedule grid. All times in 24-hour format (e.g., 07:30, not 7:30 AM) unless the user specifies 12-hour preference. Tone: factual, terse, unambiguous — a call sheet is a reference document, not prose. Any missing critical information (hospital address, parking, key contact numbers) is flagged in **bold** as "CONFIRM BEFORE DISTRIBUTION" rather than omitted silently. ``` PRODUCTION TITLE — CALL SHEET Date | Day X of Y | Weather summary CREW CALLS [Table: Name | Role | Call Time | Notes] TALENT / CONTRIBUTORS [Table: Name | Call Time | Ready Time | Notes] LOCATION [Address, access, parking, nearest hospital] SCHEDULE [Table: Time | Activity | Notes] CATERING [Details] KEY CONTACTS [Table: Name | Role | Phone] NOTES [Any additional information] ``` ## Quality Criteria - [ ] Every crew member and talent listed has a specific call time — no "TBD" without a flag - [ ] Location includes full address, access instructions, and nearest hospital (or a visible "CONFIRM" flag) - [ ] Schedule grid accounts for setup time, not just shooting — reflects real documentary timings - [ ] Meal break is scheduled and placed realistically within the shoot day - [ ] All times are in a consistent format throughout the document - [ ] Any information the user did not provide but that is safety-critical is flagged as "CONFIRM BEFORE DISTRIBUTION" - [ ] Output is scannable in under 30 seconds — a crew member can find their call time immediately - [ ] Key contacts section is present with at least one phone number or a visible prompt to add them ## Example ### Input **Production title:** The River Between Us **Episode:** 3 of 6 **Shoot date:** 14 April 2026 **Location:** Bridgewater Community Centre, 45 Riverside Drive, Millford, Northshire, MF4 7TP. Enter through the main reception. Free parking in the rear car park — access via the lane off Riverside Drive. **Nearest hospital:** Millford General, Park Lane, Millford, MF1 2AB (10 min drive) **General crew call:** 07:30 **Crew:** - Director: Jamie Alden - Camera Operator: Sam Okoro - Sound Recordist: Lin Cheng - Researcher/Runner: Priya Desai **Talent:** - Margaret Hale (contributor interview, approx 45 min) — available from 09:00 - David Asante (contributor interview, approx 30 min) — available from 11:00 **Catering:** Tea/coffee provided at location. Lunch at The Old Mill pub, 2 min walk, booked for 13:00. **Notes:** Bridgewater CC has asked us to keep the main corridor clear during school pickup (15:30). All crew to wear lanyards. ### Output --- **THE RIVER BETWEEN US — CALL SHEET** **Episode 3 of 6 | Monday 14 April 2026** **Weather: CONFIRM MORNING OF SHOOT** --- **CREW CALLS** | Name | Role | Call | Notes | |------|------|------|-------| | Jamie Alden | Director | 07:30 | | | Sam Okoro | Camera Operator | 07:30 | Lighting setup in interview room before talent arrives | | Lin Cheng | Sound Recordist | 07:30 | Recce room for sound — flag any issues to Director by 08:15 | | Priya Desai | Researcher / Runner | 07:00 | Open location, confirm room access, set up tea/coffee | --- **TALENT / CONTRIBUTORS** | Name | Call | Ready | Notes | |------|------|-------|-------| | Margaret Hale | 08:45 | 09:00 | Interview approx. 45 min. Priya to meet at reception. | | David Asante | 10:45 | 11:00 | Interview approx. 30 min. Priya to meet at reception. | --- **LOCATION** Bridgewater Community Centre 45 Riverside Drive, Millford, Northshire, MF4 7TP **Access:** Main reception entrance. **Parking:** Free, rear car park — access via the lane off Riverside Drive. **Nearest Hospital:** Millford General, Park Lane, Millford, MF1 2AB (approx. 10 min drive). --- **SCHEDULE** | Time | Activity | Notes | |------|----------|-------| | 07:00 | Runner opens location | Priya confirms room access, sets up refreshments | | 07:30 | Crew call — setup | Camera and sound setup in interview room | | 08:15 | Sound check complete | Flag any issues to Director | | 08:45 | Margaret Hale arrives | Priya meets at reception, escorts to green room | | 09:00–09:45 | Interview — Margaret Hale | Approx. 45 min | | 09:45–10:15 | Camera reposition / room reset | | | 10:15–10:45 | GVs / cutaways | Exterior and interior general views | | 10:45 | David Asante arrives | Priya meets at reception | | 11:00–11:30 | Interview — David Asante | Approx. 30 min | | 11:30–12:30 | Additional GVs / pickup shots | | | 13:00–14:00 | Lunch | The Old Mill pub (2 min walk, booked) | | 14:00–15:15 | Additional filming as needed | | | 15:15 | Begin wrap | Clear corridor before 15:30 school pickup | | 15:30 | **Corridor must be clear** | Bridgewater CC requirement | | 16:00 | Wrap complete / depart | | --- **CATERING** Tea and coffee available at location throughout the day. Lunch: The Old Mill pub, 2 min walk from location. Table booked for 13:00. --- **KEY CONTACTS** | Name | Role | Phone | |------|------|-------| | Jamie Alden | Director | **CONFIRM BEFORE DISTRIBUTION** | | Priya Desai | Runner (on-site from 07:00) | **CONFIRM BEFORE DISTRIBUTION** | | Bridgewater Community Centre | Location contact | **CONFIRM BEFORE DISTRIBUTION** | --- **NOTES** - All crew must wear lanyards at all times on site. - Main corridor must be clear by 15:30 for school pickup — plan wrap accordingly. - Crew parking in rear car park only. Do not park on Riverside Drive. --- ## Known Limitations - The assistant cannot verify addresses, travel times, or hospital locations. All location details must be confirmed by the production team before the call sheet is distributed. - Phone numbers are almost never provided in full during briefing — the call sheet will flag every missing contact number, but the producer must populate these manually before sending. - For multi-location shoot days with travel between sites, the schedule estimates may be inaccurate without specific travel time data. Provide drive times between locations for a realistic schedule. ## Related Skills - [production-schedule-writer](../production-schedule-writer/SKILL.md) — plan the full multi-day shoot schedule before generating individual call sheets - [location-scout-brief](../location-scout-brief/SKILL.md) — research and document location details before the shoot - [equipment-list-generator](../equipment-list-generator/SKILL.md) — generate the kit list to accompany the call sheet