Staggered starts
Not everyone begins prep at the same time. On a fictional 18-day feature with a six-week prep, the start dates might be staggered like this:
| Position | Prep start | Prep length |
|---|---|---|
| UPM, 1st AD | Week 6 out | 6 weeks |
| Production designer, location manager | Week 5 out | 5 weeks |
| DP, costume designer | Week 4 out | 4 weeks |
| Gaffer, key grip | Week 2 out | 1 to 2 weeks, part time |
| 2nd AD | Week 2 out | 2 weeks |
| 2nd AC, set PAs | Final week | A few days |
This is the budget's shape too. The line producer multiplies each position's weekly rate by prep weeks plus shoot weeks plus wrap. If the DP's deal is 4 weeks prep and 4 weeks shoot at an illustrative $5,000 weekly, that's 8 x $5,000 = $40,000 before fringes, and adding a fifth prep week adds $5,000.
What happens in each week
The week number on the production calendar doubles as a deadline system. A 1st AD might set internal targets: first board by week 6 out, cast availability confirmed by week 4 out, the tech scout in week 1 out, and a production meeting two or three days before day 1. Departments work back from those.
Prep days vs prep weeks
On lower-budget shows prep is often paid by the day. A key grip might get two prep days: one for the tech scout and one to check the rental package. The crew deal memo template has fields for both. Be clear whether "1 prep week" means five paid days or a flat week, because it affects overtime and holiday pay.
Where it goes wrong
Cutting prep to save money usually costs more on the shoot. A production designer with two weeks instead of four builds less, or the crew builds on shoot days while the unit waits.
Another problem is unpaid prep. Crew are sometimes asked to "read the script and come to a scout" before their start date. If the work is needed, put it in the deal memo as a paid prep day. Prep weeks connect to pre-production as a whole.