In the film industry, craft service is a department that provides food and refreshments to crew members on set. Craft services are usually catered by an outside company, but some productions have their own in-house team. The idea of providing food for cast and crew members has been around since the beginning of filmmaking; it began as a way for filmmakers to feed their actors while they were filming scenes outdoors. CRAFT SERVICES TABLE What Is The Craft Services Table? The Craft Services Table is a staple of any film set. It’s where the crew and talent can grab breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks while on set. The table is stocked with food that may not be provided by the catering company for the cast and crew. These items include but are not limited to – fruit, veggies, chips and dips, nuts, cookies – anything easy to eat when you’re busy working hard on set! Catering For Film Sets – Craft Services If you are a film set caterer, this article will help you know what to expect when preparing for your next big filming. It is important to be prepared and well-versed in the different aspects of catering for film sets, such as how much food to bring and how long it will take. You also want to make sure that all of the staff working on site knows their responsibilities so that everything goes smoothly. There are a lot of considerations when catering for film sets – including location, size, budget, and more! What Are Craft Services? Craft services are the food and drinks that a production company provides for cast and crew during filming. Craft service is usually provided on set, right before or after takes to keep everyone energized and happy. Some productions might have craft services available all day long, while others only provide them at lunchtime. The amount of food varies from job to job but there’s always plenty of snacks and beverages like coffee, tea, water, soda, or juice readily available. Craft services (or catering) are one of the most important aspects of any film or television set. With some movie productions running upwards of 30 days straight with no break, craft services can be a life-saver! What do they offer? Simply put: everything from coffee and donuts in the morning to burgers and fries in the afternoon. And if all that wasn’t enough…they also provide snacks during filming breaks – think chips & salsa! How Do Craft Services Differ From Regular Catering? Catering can be in the form of craft service or traditional catering. Craft services are snacks that provide energy to people on set while they’re working long hours with little breaks in between. These snacks usually consist of chips, candy bars, crackers, granola bars, fruit cups, and chocolate milk cartons. Traditional catering offers breakfast items such as eggs benedict or omelets with toast; lunch options like sandwiches with soup; dinner dishes such as lasagna casserole or pork fried rice; and even dessert options like cookies or brownies! Have you ever been to a movie set and seen the craft table full of snacks, coffee, tea, soda, bottled water, and other amenities? They make sure everything is taken care of so that the cast and crew can focus on their jobs without worrying about food or drinks. What’s different from regular catering is that they have a lot more options because they cater to everyone in production – including those working behind the scenes! What Are Some Sample Craft Service Offerings? The idea of craft service can be a bit confusing at first, but it doesn’t have to be. In reality, the term really just means food for your cast and crew while they’re working on set. The best way to ensure that everyone is satisfied with their meal is to provide as many options as possible. One thing you might consider providing are sandwiches or wraps, chips and dips, salads in containers (for those who want something lighter), fruit cups (great for day filming!), and granola bars for energy! Craft services are often provided by vendors who specialize in providing this type of service, but even if you’re not hiring a vendor, you will still want to consider what kind of food and drinks your crew likes so that they are happy when they arrive on set. You should also take into consideration what your budget is because craft services can be quite expensive depending on how much you order from the vendor or prepare yourself. The best way to start is by asking yourself what kind of event do you need? Is this for an intimate gathering or a huge party with hundreds of guests? If it’s the latter, then you may want to consider catering food as well. Keep Caterers Away From The Craft Services Table It’s not just your mom who is a little skittish about having people she knows at her wedding. Many caterers are also uneasy with the idea of being in close proximity to their clients’ food and drink. This means that when you offer them free access to craft services, they will likely take it – even if it means going into your kitchen to get snacks for their crew. There’s a persistent myth that caterers can’t be trusted with the craft services table. This is not true, but it often feels like an uphill battle to dispel this rumor. Keep caterers away from the craft services table by giving them their own space and stocking up on healthy snacks for your crew! But, too often, this table can be taken over by caterers who are trying to sell their goods and end up pushing out all of the yummy snacks that you’ve stocked for your crew. Here’s how to keep caterers away from the craft services table so they don’t steal all of your good food! Fill Your Craft Table With Healthy Options It’s time to fill your craft table with healthy options. With the holidays coming up, it can be very tempting to overindulge in all of those delicious goodies that are so readily available at every turn. But there is no need! There are plenty of healthier alternatives for you and your family members this season. It’s the holiday season and it’s time to get your craft on! In order to keep yourself healthy this year, make sure you have a variety of snacks out for your guests. Here are some tasty examples: -cut-up fruit with dip or yogurt -popcorn kernels in a bowl with seasoning salt (no butter) -granola bars, pretzels, rice cakes, etc. Pro Tip: Keep Your Craft Service Table Nearby We all know that craft service is important, but did you know it can keep your cast and crew happy? The craft service table needs to be accessible for those who are hungry or thirsty. It should also be placed near the set so the cast and crew have easy access to it. This will make sure everyone’s energy levels stay up! Do you need to keep your craft service table nearby? You might not think so, but in reality, it’s a great idea! For those of us who work on set, we don’t have the luxury of getting up to get something. So what do you do? Have someone else bring it out for you or get up yourself and go all the way across the room. Well now there’s an easier solution: just have your craft service table nearby! This will save time and energy while making everyone happy because they won’t be running around looking for food like wild dogs anymore…well, at least that is my experience. Become Friends With Whoever Is In Charge Of Craft Services Take a minute to get to know the person who is in charge of craft services. They can help you out with anything from what kinds of food are available for your scene, to where you should put that last prop so it doesn’t get kicked over by an actor and broken. If they’re not around, don’t be afraid to ask someone else on set! It’s important that we all work together and make sure everything goes smoothly! If you love to craft, but find yourself constantly running out of supplies, it’s time to get friendly with the person in charge of crafting on set. By becoming friends with them, you will be able to score all sorts of goodies that would otherwise be off-limits. Craft Services vs. Catering Recently, a question has been on many people’s minds: is it better to hire a catering company or bring in craft services? It turns out that there are pros and cons for both options. Catering companies are typically hired by event planners when they know what kind of food they want to serve at their event. The caterers will send over a list of available dishes with prices and can provide additional items such as tablecloths and chairs if needed. Catering companies usually take care of everything so that the host doesn’t have to worry about anything other than having fun at the event itself. Catering is more expensive than having craft services, but catering will provide the meal you are looking for and have it ready on time. Craft Services provides food that can be eaten as well as an option of providing only beverages and snacks. The important thing about deciding which service to use is knowing what type of party you want first before making any decisions! The post Craft Services Table: A Guide To Stocking Your’s The Right Way appeared first on Filmmaking Lifestyle.
