1. Catering for film sets - craft services

Keep caterers away from the craft services table

There should be no shortage of food on set with meals and snacks coming from catering and craft services. But where does each start and end?

1. Catering for film sets accounts for the hot, sit-down meals that usually occur twice a day. The keyword here is hot: sandwiches and subs are not meals, pizza barely cuts it. Catering is provided by a company or local restaurant and is a hearty, sit down affair. Not everyone can always break for catered meals, however. Depending on your talent’s status, special meals can be brought to set. Catered meals occur six hours after filming starts, with the next, six hours after that
2. Craft services (provided by “Craftys”) makes up the snacks that keep the production running smoothly between meal breaks. Pizza, sandwiches, fresh fruit, cookies, and veggies are all fair game. Designated for the “crafts”--grips, costume department, make up artists, filming crews--who might not have time for a sit down meal, you can find anyone on set munching the goods here. Unlike catering, this is also a social space--the film set equivalent of a water cooler.

Manning a craft services table is a full time job. If you’re hiring a craft services company, hire a catering company as well. By dividing up your food services, you ensure the quality of one won’t suffer for the other.

2. Buy food in bulk

Buy supplies in bulk from wholesale market

When budgeting your film for special effects and actors, food can easily slip your mind. But when most of your crew is working 16 hour days, food isn’t a luxury. It’s an absolute must.

You can’t skimp on the craft services budget. If you’re not hiring a company, you can easily buy supplies in bulk from a wholesale market and save money.

Ralph’s, Sam’s Club, and Costco are great places to start browsing for your supplies.

FREE CRAFT SERVICES SHOPPING LIST

To make this process easier, we’ve compiled a craft services shopping list template to get your craft service table off the ground ASAP. We also have a template version that you can modify to your production’s specific needs.

These are just some craft services ideas for you to bounce off of.

3. Dietary needs

Account for allergies and diets

When compiling your talent and crew’s personal information, be extra cautious to categorize everyone’s dietary needs. An allergic reaction is no way to start a film shoot.

In some film production software, you can easily note dietary needs of your crew and actors as you begin the process.

While you should have a variety of foods (more on that in a second), you need to make sure you carefully label your craft services table so everyone knows where to look for food.

MOST COMMON DIETARY RESTRICTIONS:

• Gluten-free diets
• Lactose intolerance
• Vegan diet
• Vegetarian diet
• Peanut allergies
• Egg allergies
• Shellfish allergies

If you’re preparing gourmet steak sandwiches, don’t just put out a sad platter of veggies and ranch for vegetarians.

Make sure the alternative food on set is always substantial, and don’t be afraid to get creative.

4. Healthy Snacks

Fill your craft table with healthy options

Make sure your craft service table has a variety of snacks.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t have cake. You need it. However, by giving your crew all the major food groups, you make sure that everyone's needs are being fulfilled.

POPULAR HEALTHY OPTIONS:

1. Hummus
2. Baked chips
3. Fruit slices
4. Celery sticks
5. Baby carrots
6. Salad
7. Trail Mix

The list goes on...on our craft services shopping list template.

Great 1st ADs know a wholesome craft services menu keeps crew from lagging. Make sure that your catering for film sets also is healthy.

5. Be a creative crafty

But don't get too crazy

There’s a lot of non-negotiables when it comes to assembling a craft service table, but that doesn’t mean you can’t but your own twist on it.

Craft service tables have grown increasingly artisan in the past ten years. Companies like David’s Gourmet Craft Services offer homemade flatbread pizzas all day long.

The only limit is your creativity and, um, budget. Some ideas to get you started:

• Taco bars
• Coffee Machines
• Pizza bars
• Fondue Fountains
• Yogurt bar

But don’t get too crazy. If you find your food getting too hot and hearty, you’re encroaching on catering for film sets.

6. Follow instructions to the letter

Get brands specifically asked for

If someone asks you to buy Coke, do not buy Pepsi. Craft services shopping lists are written specific for a reason.

It may be cheaper to buy off-brand, but you have to get brands specifically asked for. You can’t buy tea instead of coffee. On that note:

You must have coffee and water.

At all hours of the day.

It’s non-negotiable.

Otherwise, people will murder each other and fall asleep on set.

Following directions down to the letter especially comes into play when dealing with difficult talent. Know the food that your talent cannot live without and make sure it’s on set.

While you can plan for this, be prepared to have a Crafty run to the store at any second for random foodstuffs.

7. Always back stock

Turn cheese sticks into two

Don’t put out all your crew food all at once.

You want to buy all of your craft services supplies at once, storing the rest in a fridge if needed. This will give the illusion of an endless banquet straight out of Harry Potter.

The portions you pick up from the store will often be too much for a crew member to grab quickly. So cut your food in half.

Turn cheese sticks into two, cut fruit into tiny pieces. This will encourage your crew to only take what they need and will save you money.

8. Don't forget the non-foods

Keep your Production going

It’s easy to think of craft services as simply food. But you need a lot more than food to keep your production going. For one, you need to put the “table” in “craft services table.”

Some supplies that are always good to have on your craft services table are:

• Sharpies
• Pens
• Highlighters
• Printer paper
• Stapler
• Ice cooler
• Extra bowls
• Hole puncher
• Extra binders
• A printer
• Chairs
• Trash can
• Trash bags

The craft services table is as much a social hotspot as it is a place to shove your face. It’s important to equip your crafts services table with anything you may need to keep crew members working and conversations running smoothly.

If you outsource your craft services jobs, they may provide their own food service trailers. Make sure that you have space near the set for said food service trailers to park.

Craft services cost and wrapping up

Conclusion

An important portion of your budget. But doesn’t have to break the bank.

Everyone from lighting grips to skinny PAs will come flocking to your craft services table. Keep in mind the tips outlined above to ensure you not only have enough crew food, but enough variety to keep your production happy.

Now if you could only lock down that location...

Are you hiring a craft services company for your shoot? Why or why not?