The Background Tab
The Background tab has three subtabs: BG List, DOOD, and BG Breakdown. Each covers a different part of the BG workflow.
| Subtab | What It Does |
|---|---|
| BG List | Manage role groups: quantities, looks, bumps, rate, notes, and scene assignments |
| DOOD | Day-out-of-days grid showing which BG roles appear on which shoot days |
| BG Breakdown | Full spreadsheet of all BG across the schedule, with unique/reuse tracking and totals that feed the call sheet |
The BG Data Pipeline
BG data moves through four stages, from import to the call sheet:
- Import: Your breakdown file (Movie Magic, USS, or Excel) parses the EXTRAS column on each scene into role groups - one group per (scene, role) pair
- BG List: Role groups appear here automatically after import. You can edit quantities, add looks, bumps, rates, and notes, and assign groups to additional scenes
- BG Breakdown: Merges all role groups by shoot day. Shows daily and weekly totals. Lets you apply reuse tracking (None, Simple, Role, or Linked mode) to get an accurate unique performer count
- Call Sheet: The unique count from BG Breakdown flows to CS Front as the BG quantity. CS Back uses the same unique count for the BG meal total
No reuse tracking. Each performer covers exactly one role. Total = sum of all groups. No setup required.
None: Zero setup. Every performer is counted as unique. Lunch = total.
BG Role Groups
A BG role group is the core unit in BG management. Each group represents a specific role type on a specific scene. Groups are created automatically when you import a breakdown file - one group per (scene, role) entry in the EXTRAS column. You can also create groups manually from the BG List tab.
- Role Name: The character type (e.g. OFFICE WORKERS, SCHOOL KIDS, SECURITY GUARDS)
- Planned Count: How many performers of this type are needed for this scene
- BG Looks: Appearance notes and age range for casting
- Bumps: Special adjustments - smoke, wet work, stunts, uniforms
- Rate: Daily rate in dollars
- Notes: Wardrobe instructions, continuity notes, or any other detail
Adding and Editing BG
BG List gives you a row-based editor for role groups. Click any cell to select it, double-click to edit. You can also add new role groups manually if your BG needs differ from what the import picked up. Each row can be assigned to one or more scenes using the scene assignment column.
- To add a group: click the Add Row button at the bottom of BG List
- To edit a field: double-click the cell and type
- To assign scenes: click the scene column cell and pick from your shoot days
- Use Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z to undo any cell edit
Tracking Reuse
When background performers carry over from one scene to another, counting them twice inflates your meal count and call sheet BG number. BG Breakdown has four modes for tracking this: None (zero setup, everyone unique), Simple (one slider for the whole day), Role (per-role sliders for more precision), and Linked (explicit performer links for full waterfall accuracy). See BG Breakdown View for full detail on each mode.
The Call Sheet Connection
Whatever unique count BG Breakdown calculates for a shoot day flows automatically to the call sheet - no copy-paste needed.
- CS Front BG section: shows the unique performer count for the day
- CS Back meal count: uses the same unique count - reused performers are not double-counted
- If you set a manual day total override (amber indicator), that value overrides the calculated unique count on both CS Front and CS Back