How to write a wrap report: what to log each day and why

What it is for

The English Wikipedia article "Production report" explains that a production report is filled in every day to track progress and spending, and is the basis for calculating cast and crew pay. At US studios the report goes to studio management and is kept permanently as a legal record.

A short film crew can keep it simpler. The same three uses still apply:

• Tracking progress: you can see at a glance how many scenes behind you are, so the producer can decide early whether to add a day or cut shots.
• Pay: who arrived when, who left when and whether there was overtime, so later payments rest on a record.
• Keeping a record: if there is an accident, damaged equipment or a complaint from a location, what was written down on the day is the most reliable account.

Which fields to log

The article notes that production reports have no standard format and are usually designed by the assistant director before the shoot, but the content is broadly the same. Scaled to a short film, include at least:

1. Header: title, shoot date, shoot day number (and total days).
2. Times: crew call, first shot, lunch, actual wrap.
3. Scene progress: which scenes are complete, which are part shot, which were not started.
4. Takes and the selected take: how many takes each scene had, and which one the director kept.
5. NG reasons: background noise on sound, a dropped line, soft focus, something in shot that should not be. One line is enough.
6. Where unfinished scenes move to: the field most often left blank, and the one that matters most for tomorrow's call sheet.
7. Other notes: accidents, equipment problems, location requirements, changes to tomorrow's call time.

The article lists larger productions also combining the script supervisor's notes, camera reports, sound reports and extras' attendance records, with the whole crew's in and out times and meal counts on the back. Small crews can add or drop items as needed.

Who fills it in

According to the article, the production report is usually completed by the assistant director or a production assistant handling paperwork, gathering information from each department on the day. Another source is the script supervisor: the English Wikipedia article "Script supervisor" says that at the end of each shoot day the script supervisor compiles the actual start and break times, how many pages, scenes and minutes were shot, and the running totals shot and remaining.

In practice, on short films the AD or the producer usually fills it in, with the script supervisor handing over the day's scene progress. Do it right after wrap while everything is fresh; five minutes is all it takes.

Who gets it

• Director and producer: to decide whether to reshuffle scenes tomorrow.
• Assistant director: to update the schedule and tomorrow's call sheet from "where unfinished scenes move to".
• Editor: together with the script log, to know what footage is in hand.

Our wrap report tool covers most of the fields above: the header, crew call and actual wrap, scene progress, takes, the selected take, NG reasons, rescheduling and other notes. Once filled in, print it, copy it as WhatsApp text for the crew group, or download it as Excel.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a wrap report and a script log?

The script log records every take, one by one, for the editor. The wrap report condenses the whole day into one page so the producer and AD can see progress.

Does a short film need a wrap report?

Yes. The fewer the days, the more one scene behind costs you. One page tells the whole crew what needs to be picked up tomorrow.

How detailed should it be?

Detailed enough that someone else can plan tomorrow's work from it. Scene progress, rescheduling and what happened in any incident must be there; the rest can be brief.

How long should we keep the reports?

At least until post-production is finished and every payment has been made. For projects with funders or investors, keep them for as long as they require.

References

1. Wikipedia, Production report: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Production_report
2. Wikipedia, Script supervisor: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Script_supervisor

The pages above were accessed on 1 November 2026.

Published 1 November 2026.