Plan your shoot, track your cast, and control your budget — without guessing.
What a Day Out of Days Does
A Day Out of Days (DOOD) is the document that shows exactly when each cast member is working across your entire production.
It tracks:
- start days
- work days
- hold days
- travel days
- finish days
All in one place.
Without it, you’re relying on scattered call sheets and memory to understand who is needed and when. That’s where scheduling mistakes — and unnecessary costs — start to build.
Why it Matters
A DOOD connects your schedule to your budget.
It tells you how many days each performer is actually engaged, how schedule changes affect those numbers, and whether your assumptions hold up as production shifts.
On smaller films, where there’s less room for error, that clarity becomes critical.
What Happens Without One
Productions that skip the DOOD usually run into the same problems.
Cast are held longer than expected. Days are miscounted. Changes to the schedule quietly increase costs without anyone noticing in real time.
By the time those issues are discovered, they’re often difficult — or impossible — to fix without compromise.
Choose the Version That Fits Your Workflow
DOOD Excel Template (Planning & Scheduling)
Use this when you’re building and adjusting your schedule.
It allows you to:
- map cast across the entire shoot
- update days quickly when scenes move
- understand total engagement at a glance
Built for indie productions without requiring complex software.
Day Out of Days Notepad (On-Set Use)
Once production starts, spreadsheets become harder to rely on.
Schedules shift. Scenes move. Decisions need to happen quickly.
The DOOD Notepad is designed to stay in front of you during the shoot, so you can track changes as they happen and keep the schedule clear without digging through files.
A Simple Example
A DOOD typically looks like a grid that tracks each cast member across the shoot:
| Cast | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | SW | W | W | H | W |
| Supporting | SW | W | W | ||
| Day Player | SWF |
This allows you to immediately see:
- who is working
- how many days they’re engaged
- where schedule pressure exists
Built for Real Production Workflows
These tools are designed for how productions actually run — not how they look on paper.
They’re simple, usable, and built to support decisions in real time, whether you’re planning your schedule or adjusting it on set.
Get Started
For planning and scheduling:
Download the DOOD Excel Template
For on-set tracking:
Explore the Day Out of Days Notepad at Thoolie Collective
Want to Understand How It Works?
If you want a deeper breakdown of how DOODs function in production:
→ Read the full guide: What Is a Day Out of Days (DOOD)
