For someone like me, puzzles go beyond the table you use to put them together on. They also inspire my work in the production world, especially when it comes to creating a call sheet.
Just as piecing a puzzle at a speed competition requires both precision and adaptability, so does assembling this essential production document. A call sheet provides the roadmap for a shoot day, detailing everything from call times to location addresses to key contacts, ensuring everything comes together smoothly.
On National Puzzle Day, see how how making a call sheet often feels like fitting puzzle pieces together during a speed puzzling competition:
Seeing both the details and the big picture
When putting together a jigsaw puzzle, it’s a constant balance of focusing on individual pieces and how they fit into the larger image. As I put pieces together, I start to see what kind of cut, connector, and type I’m working with. I’ve found the key is understanding that I can’t solve the puzzle by focusing on one corner or piece. Looking at each part and figuring out what contributes to the whole is essential. After figuring out the shapes, I leave spaces for pieces I haven’t found to see what I’m missing.
Creating a call sheet works in a similar fashion. Putting this production document together requires me to hone in on granular details from crew call times to equipment lists, while ensuring that all these elements align to serve the production's overarching goals. No matter how small the individual task, whether it’s transportation schedules, meals, or set locations, all are essential to support an efficient production day.
Promoting organization and efficiency
Speed puzzle competitions are all about efficiency. The less time you spend haphazardly trying to fit pieces together, the faster and further you move. Having been to speed competitions all over the United States, I’ve learned the value of sorting by edges, colors, or patterns to work systematically. The bottom line is: Know how you want to organize pieces before you put anything together to ensure you have a game plan.
Similarly, a call sheet provides organization to keep chaos at bay. Without a call sheet the cast and crew don't know what to expect and when they need to arrive. A schedule, arrival times, and a list of what’s happening during certain times keeps everyone aligned on what they’re doing and when they’re supposed to do it. Breaking down the shoot day into sections for “Key Contacts" and “Daily Schedule” makes the document clear and accessible to everyone on set. Anyone who’s been on a production set knows the unexpected happens, that’s why you’ll also be glad you added the weather, emergency contacts, and local hospital. Bottom line: When you approach a call sheet with a plan like you would piecing a puzzle, you save time and avoid unnecessary confusion.
Preparing for the unexpected
Speaking of the unexpected, in both puzzles and production, things rarely go entirely as planned. A puzzle piece that was accidentally knocked on the floor or still sitting in the bag can throw off a talented team as they scramble to find the missing piece. In some cases, a piece doesn’t fit where I expected. That means I have to work backwards to figure out where I went wrong or try fitting it into a different piece to solve the puzzle.
Like an elusive puzzle piece, an unforeseen delay in production can throw a wrench in the process, but flexibility and foresight are the key to recovery. Some elements like unexpected weather or an accident may be out of your control, but how you respond to them is within your grasp. Having information like location, parking, and emergency numbers can help you figure out what to do if someone's arrival time changes or weather conditions affect outdoor shots. Having a call sheet with built in buffer times and alternative options into the schedule are an essential part of your contingency plan. Like a speed puzzler on the search for a missing piece, having a back-up plan for “just-in” case moments and readiness to adapt is what a call sheet can help you establish.
Fostering collaboration and communication
As I’ve been preparing for this year’s USA Jigsaw Nationals, something that’s been essential for my teammates is communication as we divide tasks. Giving my teammates a verbal heads up that I’m pulling all of the green pieces or ones with lines and colors for an igloo helps us avoid bumping into each other. We’re also productive when we take a moment to think through how we’ll piece together a puzzle with similar colors or in shape that’s not a rectangle. Our success hinges on letting each other know which areas each of us is working on to avoid duplicate efforts or missed sections.
A call sheet also involves collaborating with the director, department heads, and production team to gather accurate information and ensure everything runs smoothly. As an in-house producer working with a freelance crew, I spend time making sure I understand the filming location, union restrictions, and any other concerns we need to consider when filming.
During pre-production meetings I lead conversations making sure the director and DP have everything they need including time built in to film talent for b-roll or portraits and access to rooms throughout the location for filming and storing equipment. I also take time to discuss the arrival time and number of cars with our security and facilities team so nothing comes as a surprise.
Clear communication ensures you capture all critical details, from crew availability to equipment logistics, making the call sheet a reliable resource for everyone involved. Without clear communication, a production can quickly unravel like puzzle teammates who don’t tell each other whether or not they’re sorting edges or the pieces for a rooftop.
Bridging the beginning and the end
Ask any puzzler what their favorite part is and they’ll probably tell you the same thing: Completing the puzzle. Whether they compete in speed competitions or not, they all share an immense satisfaction of completing puzzles. Seeing the puzzle come together brings a sigh of relief and sense of accomplishment knowing you put in the effort to solve it.
As a producer, I often feel the same way about a call sheet. While this is just the beginning of many steps until the final video or photography, knowing the call sheet is polished and ready for distribution provides a sense of accomplishment. There’s a feeling of reward in seeing the production day unfold, knowing my detailed planning played a key role in its success.
So, the next time you’re crafting a call sheet, think of yourself as a puzzle master, fitting the pieces together to create a seamless production day. And just like with a puzzle, the effort you put into planning will pay off in the form of a cohesive, successful shoot.
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Image by Sephelonor on Pixabay