Picture Car Glossary
picture car prep day
What is a picture car prep day?
Updated June 2026 · Revolution Picture Cars
Also called prep day.
A picture car prep day is a scheduled, paid production day dedicated to inspecting, detailing, dressing, rigging, and camera-testing picture vehicles before principal photography begins.
Prep days allow coordinators to address mechanical issues, confirm that set dressing matches the art director's specifications, photograph continuity, and verify that all vehicles are ready before they are ever needed on set. Prep days are negotiated as part of the vehicle rental agreement and are typically billed at the full daily rate.
Example
A prep day covers detailing, dressing, camera rigging, a mechanical check, and a camera test under the actual lighting. It is a paid production day, and skipping it moves all of that onto the shooting day.
Figures are illustrative, chosen to show the mechanics rather than to quote market rates.
Where you'll see it
Scheduled and paid before the shoot, and charged by owners at a reduced rate.
Common mistake
Cutting prep days to save money. Everything on the prep list still has to happen, and doing it on the shooting day means doing it with the whole unit standing by.
Related questions
- What happens on a picture car prep day?
- Inspection, detailing, dressing, camera rigging, a mechanical check, and a camera test under the lighting the scene will use.
- Are prep days paid to the owner?
- Yes, usually at a reduced rate against the shooting-day rate, and they are agreed in the rental agreement.
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