A commercial shoot day is a long, tightly scheduled day in which most of the hours go to setting up, not to filming. If you are an actor, expect to spend far more time waiting and repeating than performing. If you are a client, expect to spend most of the day watching a monitor and making a handful of decisions. Everyone works from the same document, the call sheet, and the day runs best when everyone has read it.
Below is a realistic order of events, who stands where, how decisions get made, and what to do (and avoid doing) whether you are in front of the camera or behind the monitor.
The document that runs the day: the call sheet
The day before the shoot, the production team sends out a call sheet. It lists the location address, parking instructions, the schedule, each person’s call time, the scenes to be shot, weather notes, and the nearest hospital. Read it twice. Most first-day mistakes, from arriving at the wrong entrance to showing up without the right wardrobe, are answered somewhere on that page.
A call time is the moment you must be on location and ready to work, not the moment you leave home. Crew call is usually earlier than talent call, because lighting and camera need hours of preparation before anyone steps in front of the lens. Talent call is staggered so that actors are not sitting idle longer than necessary, which is why you may be told to arrive at a different time from the person playing opposite you.
A typical shoot day, hour by hour
Every shoot differs, but the sequence below holds for most commercials.
Crew call and load-in. The crew arrives first. Vehicles are unloaded, the production base is set up, and the camera, lighting and sound departments start building the first setup. A production assistant is usually posted at the door to direct arrivals and keep the entrance clear.
Talent arrival, hair, makeup and wardrobe. Actors check in with the production assistant or assistant director, then go to hair, makeup and wardrobe. Bring the wardrobe options that were agreed in advance, clean and pressed. Wardrobe is photographed before filming starts so that clothing can be matched exactly if you change or step away.
Blocking and rehearsal. The director walks the actors through the scene: where to stand, where to move, what to do with your hands, which line lands on which beat. The camera operator and director of photography watch the movement and decide where to place the camera. Stand-ins often hold the actors’ positions while the lights are finalized, so you can rest until you are called back.
Lighting and final set-up. This is the longest stretch and usually the quietest. The crew fine-tunes lighting, checks sound and sets camera height. Actors wait, and this is normal. Stay close, stay quiet, and keep your makeup touch-ups to the moments when the makeup artist calls you.
Rolling. The assistant director calls for quiet, the camera operator confirms they are rolling, and the director calls action. A scene is shot as several takes, usually from several angles and sizes (a wide shot, a medium shot, a close-up). Between takes the director gives notes, and the crew adjusts. You will repeat the same action many times, so keep your performance consistent.
Lunch. A meal break comes around the middle of the day. On most professional sets, the crew and cast eat together or in shifts, and the clock does not restart until the meal is over. Eat lightly if you still have close-ups to shoot.
Afternoon coverage and pickups. The second half of the day typically handles remaining scenes, product shots, and any alternate takes the client wants. Time pressure rises as light changes, particularly on exterior locations.
Last shot and wrap. The assistant director announces the last shot, then wrap. Talent is released after signing out, and the crew packs equipment. The director and producer confirm what was captured, and the footage is backed up before anyone leaves.
Who is where on set
| Person | Where you will find them | What they decide |
| Director | Next to the monitor or beside the camera | Performance, framing, overall look |
| Producer | Near the base or the client area | Schedule, budget, problem solving |
| Assistant director | Moving through the set with a radio | Pace of the day, call for quiet, who goes where |
| Director of photography | By the camera and lights | Lighting and lens choices |
| Sound mixer | Near the action with headphones | Whether the audio is usable |
| Script supervisor or continuity | Beside the director | Whether each take matches the last |
| Production assistant | Doors, parking, snacks | Logistics |
| Client or agency representative | At the monitor, behind the director | Whether the take meets the brief |
On smaller shoots, several of these roles merge. One person may direct and produce, and one assistant may handle both the door and the snacks.
How decisions get made
Decisions flow through the director. The client can say what they think, but the best practice is to speak to the producer or the director, not to the actors or the camera crew. The producer coordinates what can be changed within the time and budget, and the director decides how to get it.
This is why a single decision maker on the client side matters. If three people each give notes after every take, the director gets contradictory instructions and the day slips. Agree before the shoot who makes the final call. Everyone else sends their comments to that person, who relays them at a quiet moment.
Tips for actors
- Arrive early, not just on time. Aim to be at the location a few minutes before your call time, with your phone silenced.
- Bring the agreed wardrobe, plus backups. Bring everything from the approved list, in case something is stained or does not photograph well.
- Come with clean hair and skin. The hair and makeup team will build on what you bring.
- Hit your marks. A mark is a piece of tape on the floor showing where to stand. The focus puller sets focus for that exact spot, so landing on it matters.
- Mind your eyeline. Your eyeline is where you look. Look where the director tells you, which may be at a spot next to the lens, not at the lens itself.
- Keep continuity. If you hold a cup in your right hand on the first take, hold it there on every take. Note which line you lifted it on.
- Take direction without arguing. Ask a clarifying question if you need one. Save disagreements for after the day.
- Do not talk to the client directly about the creative. If you have a concern, bring it to the assistant director or the director.
Tips for first-time clients
- Appoint one decision maker. See above.
- Watch the monitor, not the actors. The monitor shows what the camera sees. What you see in person is not always what the audience will see.
- Speak up early. Raise concerns about product positioning or script wording before the take, not after the crew has moved on.
- Stay out of the shot. Keep away from the lens, the lighting and the sound path. If a crew member asks you to move, move.
- Be quiet when the crew calls for quiet. Even whispering can be picked up by the microphone.
- Eat, drink and stay close. Crews work better when the client is relaxed and available. Snacks help.
- Do not add new ideas late in the day. A new scene at 4 PM can cost the day’s light, or the next scene.
A worked example: why a shoot day costs what it does
A shoot day looks short on the page and expensive on the invoice, and the call sheet explains why. Every role in the table above is a person being paid for the whole day, along with camera, lighting and sound equipment, and the production management that keeps the schedule intact.
LV Productions publishes its pricing, which gives a useful reference point. On its pricing page, one shoot day typically runs $4,000 to $8,000, covering crew, gear and production management, and each additional day costs about $3,500 to $6,000. Those are San Francisco-based figures from one studio, not a market average, and rates differ by city, crew size and scope.
The studio also shows how crew size changes scope. Its Base Launch tier is built around a half-day shoot with a 2-person crew, while its Essential Launch tier uses one filming day with a 3-person crew. In the studio’s line-item quote, crew and gear are listed separately from post-production and deliverables, so a client can see what a day contains instead of reading a lump sum. If a quote you receive shows only a single figure for “production,” ask for the crew, gear and day count behind it.
FAQ
How long is a typical commercial shoot day?
Plan for a long day. Ten hours or more is common once set-up, meals and wrap are counted, and the call sheet will list the planned hours. A half-day shoot with a very small crew can be much shorter.
Do actors need to bring their own wardrobe?
Usually the production sends a wardrobe list in advance, and actors bring the pieces from it. Larger productions may have a wardrobe department that supplies or adjusts the outfits. Ask the casting contact or producer which applies.
Can the client talk to the actors during the shoot?
It is better not to. Send notes through the producer or director, who can pass them to the actors in a way that fits the take. Direct comments from clients to actors tend to confuse the performance.
What should a client wear or bring?
Comfortable shoes, layers for changing weather, and a charged phone. Avoid noisy jackets and bright patterns if you will be near the set.
Your next step
Before your first shoot, ask the producer for the call sheet at least a day ahead and read it with the brief beside you. Confirm who is the final decision maker, where the client area is, and when lunch is planned. If you are an actor, check your call time, wardrobe list and the location address, then plan your route and arrive early. A shoot day rewards preparation, and the people who prepared are the ones who enjoy it.