Laying the Groundwork for the Shoot
A prep day is a fundamental unit of work and payment in the film industry that acknowledges a simple truth: a successful shoot requires extensive planning. These are the days—or in the case of major departments, weeks or months—of work that happen before the cameras start rolling. For most freelance crew members, their contract will specify a certain number of prep days in addition to their scheduled shoot days. This is the crucial time when the logistical and creative foundation of the production is built.
A film set is a complex, high-pressure environment where time is literally money. Every minute spent solving a problem on a shoot day that could have been solved beforehand is a waste of resources. Effective preparation is therefore not a luxury but a necessity for an on-budget and on-schedule production.
Who Gets Prep Days and Why?
Prep days are typically allocated to key crew members and department heads whose roles require significant advance work:
- The Director of Photography: Needs prep time for tech scouts, creating a shot list, and planning the lighting with the gaffer.
- The Production Designer: Requires extensive prep to design, build, and dress the sets.
- The Costume Designer: Needs prep days for research, sourcing materials, and conducting wardrobe calls with the actors.
- The Props Master: Must find, rent, or create every single prop that will be handled by an actor.
- The First Assistant Camera (1st AC): Is given at least one prep day to go to the rental house and meticulously check every piece of the camera package—lenses, monitors, batteries—to ensure it is all in perfect working order before arriving on set.
- The Stunt Coordinator: Needs prep time to design, choreograph, and safely rehearse all the stunt sequences.
In essence, prep days are the investment a production makes to ensure that when the shoot days begin, the entire crew can focus on one thing only: capturing the film.