Day Out of Days (DOOD) Report Explained: Codes, Examples and How to Make One
By Gireesh Shanbbhag, Actor | Filmmaker | Screen Writer | Editor · Published 2026-09-25
Quick answer: A Day Out of Days (DOOD) report is a grid with cast members as rows and shoot days as columns. Each cell shows a code for that actor on that day — SW (start work), W (work), WF (work finish), SWF (start-work-finish on the same day), H (hold: paid but not working) and T (travel). Producers use it to count each actor's paid days, plan contracts and avoid holding expensive cast between scenes.
Key takeaways
The DOOD is generated from the shooting schedule, which comes from the script breakdown.
Every "H" (hold) day costs money without footage — reorder the schedule to reduce them.
DOODs are also made for locations, vehicles, animals and key props.
Totals per actor (work, hold, travel, holidays) feed directly into the budget.
What do the DOOD codes mean?
SW — Start Work: the actor's first working day.
W — Work: a working day.
WF — Work Finish: the actor's last working day.
SWF — Start/Work/Finish: the actor works only one day.
H — Hold: the actor is not needed but remains on contract (paid) because they work again later.
T or TR — Travel: a travel day to or from location.
R — Rehearsal, F — Fitting, HOL — Holiday and D — Drop (released and later picked up again) are used on some productions.
What does a DOOD look like?
Cast ............ D1 · D2 · D3 · D4 · D5 · Work · Hold
1. MEERA ....... SW · W · W · W · WF · 5 · 0
2. RAVI .......... SW · H · H · W · WF · 3 · 2
3. AJJI ............ — · SWF · — · — · — · 1 · 0
4. INSPECTOR .. — · — · SW · H · WF · 2 · 1
Here Ravi is held for two paid days doing nothing. If his Day 4 scenes can move to Day 2, the production saves two cast days.
How do producers use the DOOD?
Budgeting: work, hold and travel days multiply each actor's daily rate.
Contracts: agents negotiate based on the number of days and the span between start and finish.
Scheduling: the 1st AD rearranges strips to compress actors' spans — especially for stars and senior artists who are available only on specific dates.
Logistics: travel, accommodation and per diems are planned from the same grid.
How do you make a Day Out of Days report?
Break down the script and assign cast IDs.
Build a stripboard and group scenes into shoot days.
For each actor, mark the first and last day they work, then every day in between as W or H.
Count totals and review the hold days.
Re-run the DOOD whenever the schedule changes.
Doing this by hand in a spreadsheet is slow and error-prone because every schedule change means recalculating. That is why scheduling software generates it automatically.
Generate a DOOD automatically
Kathe Kaara builds a cast Day-Out-of-Days grid from your breakdown and schedule. Tag cast in each scene, group scenes into shoot days on the stripboard, and the DOOD updates as you drag strips. Export it to PDF, CSV or a multi-sheet XLSX report alongside scene, character and location reports.
Frequently asked questions
Who prepares the Day Out of Days?
The 1st assistant director or production manager, alongside the shooting schedule.
Is a hold day paid?
Usually yes under most cast agreements, which is why minimising holds saves money. Check your actual contracts.
What is the difference between a DOOD and a call sheet?
The DOOD covers the whole shoot; a call sheet covers a single day with call times and locations.
Can I make a DOOD for locations?
Yes. The same grid works for locations, vehicles, animals or equipment rentals.
Cover photo: Monthly planner used for a Day Out of Days cast schedule — by Eric Rothermel on Unsplash.