What a small-crew call sheet needs
- Crew call and wrap. The one time everyone must get right goes at the top, in bold.
- Sunrise and sunset. If anything is shot outside, the light sets the schedule.
- Location and parking. The address, and exactly where to put the car with a boot full of kit.
- Nearest hospital. Nobody reads it until the day it matters.
- Weather. The forecast and anything that changes the day, such as wind after lunch.
- Contacts. Everyone's role, name and phone, including the person who opens the door.
- Schedule. Times down the left, one line each. Lunch is on it.
- Notes. What to bring, what to wear, any rules on the location.
What to leave off
Department breakdowns, cast lists, scene numbers and page counts are for productions with a script and a crew of thirty. On a small shoot they push the useful lines below the fold of a phone screen.
When to send it
The evening before, early enough that people can still ask a question. Send the client a copy too: it tells them what time you arrive and when they're needed, and saves a round of messages.
On your own?
Still make one and send it to the client. It answers the questions they would otherwise text you at 6am, and having the hospital and the parking written down helps you too.