Your first day on set: the guide

You got the part: well done. Your first day on set can be intimidating, especially when you don’t know the schedule, the vocabulary or who does what. Here is what you need to know to arrive calm and make a good impression, whether you are an extra or have a speaking role.

The day before: the call sheet

The day before the shoot, the production usually sends the call sheet. It gives the set address, your call time, the day’s scenes and useful contacts. Read all of it, plan your route and leave extra time: sets are sometimes far from the city centre, even out in the desert near Ouarzazate.

If you have lines, go over them again, but don’t set them in stone: the director may ask for changes on the day.

What to bring

• Your ID, and any documents the production asked for.
• The clothes you were asked to bring, clean and ironed, with one or two options if you were told to.
• Water, a snack, a charger and a power bank.
• Something warm, or protection from the sun: a lot of waiting happens outdoors.
• Something to pass the time quietly: a book, earphones.

On time means early

Report to the production base or the assistant in charge at least 10 to 15 minutes before your call time. Then usually comes costume, followed by make-up and hair. Then you wait. A lot. A shooting day is mostly waiting between takes: stay reachable and never leave the area without telling someone.

Who does what on set

• The director guides the acting and decides on the takes.
• The first assistant director runs the day and gives instructions: they are your main contact.
• The production team on set handles the welcome, meals and logistics.
• Costume, make-up and hair get you ready and touch you up between takes.
• The script supervisor watches continuity: same gesture, same object, same place from one take to the next.

Words to know

• "Quiet on set!": no more noise, no more movement.
• "Roll camera!" / "Rolling!": camera and sound are recording.
• "Action!": you act.
• "Cut!": the take stops. Stay where you are until the next instruction.
• "Going again": a new take, often for a technical reason and not because of you.
• "Back to one": return to your starting position.

The basic rules

• Phone on silent, and put away during takes.
• No photos or videos of the set, and nothing on social media without the production’s approval.
• Don’t look at the camera unless you are asked to.
• Keep your continuity: same clothes, same hair, same props all day.
• Be discreet around the lead actors and the crew: everyone is focused.
• Ask your questions to the first assistant director, not to the director between takes.

On a set, the quality people remember most is reliability: being there, ready, at the right moment.

End of the day

Don’t leave before you are released. Return the costumes and props, sign the attendance sheet if you are given one, and check how and when you will be paid. A simple thank you to the crew counts: it is a small world, and people gladly call back the ones who were pleasant to work with.

Key facts

• The day before: read the call sheet and plan your route
• Arrival: 10 to 15 minutes before your call time
• Bring: ID, the requested clothes, water, a charger
• Main contact: the first assistant director
• Don’ts: photos of the set, a ringing phone, looking at the camera
• Before leaving: return costumes, sign the attendance sheet