Prep Days - Is there a standard?

[Sean Jensen]

Hello everyone.

 

Is a prep day always included before you start a long term gig? Friends of mine are getting shafted on prep days and production is blaming them for delays on set. Is this a common thing now? Being a Canadian I'm just curious how ops in the US deal with this.

 

Sean

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Part of the deal

[Rob Vuona SOC]

depends on the type of gig

 

• live gigs, no prep days, just rehearsal days

all others yes as Eric said , part of the deal

[Victor Lazaro]

On small non union gigs, some productions want to cut the prep day. I then let them know that in case of any issue or delay I cannot be held responsible. Production can't be both cheap and picky, they need to chose.

[Iain Baird]

Sean, I've noticed a change in the last few years as well. Some local PM's are so eager to cut corners thinking that eliminating the Prep day makes them a budget Hero. Really it just costs them more in the long run with potential on set delays and the loss of general goodwill towards the Production. I always insist and have only had one PM refuse, I've never taken another gig that they were PM'ing.

 

IB

[Frederic Chamberland]

Hi Sean,

 

Fellow Canadian op here: on tv series : I have 1 day for prep ( 8 hours) and one day for wrap (another 8 hours) . Part of the deal.

[Mike McGowan SOC]

Television seems to be a 1 in 1 out kind of deal. Same on a low budget feature.

 

Higher budget features can have multiple day preps.

 

I had 2 full weeks on Step Up 4 but that was 3D and had somewhat of a budget. The producers recognize that its cheaper to work the kinks out of specialty equipment in the rental house than on set.