Call Sheets for Stunt Days: How 1st ADs Plan Safety, Rehearsals, and Timing

A call sheet for a stunt day answers one question before anything else, who is doing what stunt, where, and under whose supervision, with rehearsal, safety checks, and a medic built into the schedule. If those details are missing or buried in a notes field, the day starts with confusion on the exact shoot where confusion is most dangerous. Build the stunt call sheet around the stunt coordinator, not around the scene order alone, and every department can prepare properly.

What should be on a call sheet for a stunt day?

Start with the stunt coordinator by name, with a direct phone number, at the top of the department notes, not at the bottom. Name the stunt performers separately from the principal cast, list each stunt they perform, and note doubles clearly so wardrobe, makeup, and camera know who they are dressing and framing. Name the medic or safety officer, list the nearest hospital, and note where the medic will be stationed during each stunt.

Describe each stunt in plain, specific language. Write fall onto mats from a low platform, vehicle pass at walking speed, or staged fight with no contact, rather than just stunt work. Note the equipment that makes it safer, such as mats, pads, spotters, fire extinguishers, or a closed road, and note who provides it and when it arrives. If a stunt needs a permit, a road closure, or a fire marshal, say so on the sheet and confirm that approval is in hand before you send it.

Add wardrobe and makeup notes that affect safety. Loose clothing, footwear with grip, hair that stays clear of the eyes, and padding under a costume all change how a stunt feels. Flag movement limits only to the people who need to know, and keep medical details in production files. The crew needs the instruction it must follow, such as no extra takes without coordinator approval.

How do rehearsals and safety checks change the schedule?

Rehearsal is scheduled time, not filler before the real work. Block a dry rehearsal without camera, then a rehearsal at reduced speed, then a full run only when the coordinator is satisfied. For a simple fall or fight, many coordinators want at least 2 walk throughs before anyone goes at full pace, and complex work needs far more. Put those blocks on the call sheet with start times, so camera, lighting, and sound do not plan other work over them.

Stagger the calls around the stunt. Bring the coordinator, riggers, and medic in early to inspect the location, test mats and rigging, and clear the area. Bring stunt performers in next for fitting, padding, and rehearsal, and hold principal cast until their scene is close, so nobody waits in costume beside an active stunt area. Give each group its own call time and report location, and keep spectators and nonessential crew behind a clear boundary that is named on the sheet.

Weather and light are safety facts on a stunt day. Wet pavement changes a vehicle stunt, wind changes a fall, and fading light changes depth perception. Easy Call Sheets adds an automatic weather forecast for the shoot date and location on its Pro plan, which is $9 per month with unlimited email sends, so the coordinator can see the conditions in the same document as the schedule. If conditions cross a limit the coordinator set in the morning, the sheet should say who has authority to pause or cancel the stunt, and the answer should always be the coordinator and the 1st AD together.

How do I know my crew got the call sheet and confirmed?

On a stunt day, an unconfirmed call is a safety gap, not an admin detail. If the medic, the coordinator, or a stunt performer has not confirmed, you do not know if they saw the revised location, the earlier call, or the new boundary. Easy Call Sheets builds a call sheet in about 2 minutes, emails it to cast and crew, and tracks live confirmations as each person confirms or declines with one tap and no account. Each person also gets a calendar file with their own call time, location, parking, and notes, shown in their timezone.

Chase the critical names first. Check confirmations for the coordinator, medic, stunt performers, and department heads before you chase anyone else, and call anyone in that group who has not confirmed within an hour of sending. Pro also sends reminder texts to unconfirmed crew, which helps on the night before when email sits unread. If you revise the sheet, resend the full version, mark what changed in plain language, and reconfirm the safety group again, because a performer working from the first version may arrive at the wrong area or miss a new rehearsal call.

Run a short safety meeting at the start of the day and put its time and location on the call sheet. Cover the stunt sequence, the boundary, the stop signal, and what happens if something goes wrong. Anyone can call a stop, and the sheet should say so. After the meeting, the coordinator walks the area one last time, the medic confirms position, and only then does rehearsal begin.

Who has authority to stop a stunt on set?

The stunt coordinator and the 1st AD can stop a stunt at any time, and any crew member can call a stop if they see a hazard. Put that rule, the stop signal, and the medic location on the call sheet so nobody has to guess in the moment.

Should stunt performers get a different call time?

Usually, yes. Stunt performers often need earlier calls for padding, wardrobe checks, and rehearsal, while principal cast can arrive later. List each call separately and give stunt performers their own report location away from the active rigging area until they are called in.

What happens if weather changes a planned stunt?

The coordinator reassesses, and the 1st AD revises or cancels the stunt if conditions are outside the agreed limits. Resend the full call sheet, reconfirm the safety group, and never move a stunt to a new location or surface without a fresh inspection and rehearsal.