Archive notice: This article was originally published on July 11, 2019. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Under the name G-Casper, Prodigum Pictures has released a free cloud-based production management system. The Google Sheet template contains call sheets, cast and crew lists, production reports and much more, among other things. Organizing film and TV productions can be quite an effort, depending on their size. To keep all members of the team synchronized with the right information, G-Casper has many automatic functions, error trackers and more!
G-Casper at a Glance
For a pleasant workflow, the entries for the total of more than 11 tabs should be entered in a clear order. The first information must be entered in the blue-colored tabs Globals, Breakdown, Days, Cast and Crew. Filling in Globals, Breakdown and Days is absolutely necessary for everything to work. This is because they contain, among other things, script data, general information and the planned days.
Next come the yellow-colored sheets with the front and back of the respective call sheet and a tab for the weather: CS Front, CS Back and Weather. These tabs are intended for the corresponding shooting day and bundle information such as call times, positions and names of the crew, set description, walkie-talkie channel, weather forecast and more. Most parameters are entered automatically by reference to other lists. At the end of the shooting day, reports can also be created, with G-Casper filling in many fields automatically. The green-colored tabs Exhibit G, PR-Front and PR-Back are intended for the reports.
Automation and Error Tracking
G-Casper contains a range of automatic functions intended to make your life easier. These include:
Auto-filling of call sheets, scene information, names and more!- Automatic weather and sun information
- Auto counter for meals and restrictions
- Auto-coloring for day/night, as well as INT/EXT scenes
- and many more!
Because things can quickly become hectic when filling in and printing call sheets, errors cannot always be avoided. G-Casper contains error warnings for such situations. For example, fields are marked for:
- Number of an incorrect / duplicate scene
- Incorrect times in various processes
- Invalid entries, such as an email address or telephone number
- Missing script days
Availability and Download
To gain access to G-Casper, you must register for free here. You will then receive an email with a private download link for the Google Sheet system. You can find instructions on the first page under “Welcome” – a sample production is also included in the download link.
Further information: Can be found on the official website
