How the table actually works
The craft service person usually arrives before crew call to get coffee going and sets up two stations: a full table near base camp or the trucks, and a smaller "hot table" or cart close to set so camera, grip, and electric can grab something without leaving. Between setups they'll walk a tray to the people who can't step away, like the 1st AC, the boom operator, and the actors on a hot set.
On a long day the menu changes with the clock. Morning is coffee, fruit, and something bready. Mid-afternoon brings a hot snack like quesadillas or sliders. If the day runs toward twelve hours, craft often puts out something heavier to hold people until second meal or wrap.
In Los Angeles, union craft service workers are represented by IATSE Local 80, the same local as grips. On a lot of shows crafty also handles set trash, recycling, and keeping the shooting area clean.
Budgeting it
Craft services goes in the below-the-line production section of the budget, usually split into food purchases, labor, and a kit or box rental for the craft person's equipment. A simple estimate for a 20-day indie with 45 people fed daily:
| Item | Math | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Food and drink | 45 people x $10 per head x 20 days | $9,000 |
| Craft service labor | 20 days x day rate (from your crew quotes) | varies |
| Kit rental | 20 days x agreed daily kit fee | varies |
The $10 per head is a placeholder to show the arithmetic. Get real quotes; food costs in Atlanta and Manhattan are not the same. Plug the result into the craft line on your film budget template.
Mistakes that cause problems
The most common one on small shoots is treating crafty as a replacement for a real meal. A bag of chips does not stop the meal clock, and cast and crew under union agreements are owed a proper lunch break on time no matter what's on the snack table. Another is putting the table where people will congregate loudly next to a dialogue scene. Keep the near-set station small and quiet, and ask the craft person to check with the ADs before running a blender.
Dietary needs matter too. Craft should see the crew list's allergy notes during prep, the same list catering works from.