Photo calls add wonderful memories for your cast and marketable information for your marketing department. They can be well run or they can be total chaos. Here again the stage managers preparation is the key to the success of the photo call or not.
Unions have rules about photo calls. When working in a union environment it is best to ask upfront what the regulations may be. Video is separate from straight photography. Local One in New York has very strict regulations about video work and the outcome of the video. It is best to go in informed rather than walk in and have to ask permission. It can cost a lot of money.
On simple rulebooks the concerns are rather straight forward. Here is an example from the URTA rulebook:
(3) There shall be no more than one picture call in any week and of no less than
one-half hour's and no more than 90 minutes’ duration. The Actor shall receive
no less than 24 hours' notice of a picture call. (See also (1) above.)
(4) If the picture call takes place after a performance, refreshments shall be made
available to the Actor at the University and/or Theatre's expense, and no photo
call may extend beyond 1 a.m.
Straight forward. If you are not operating under a union contract and don't have to deal with union regulations then you might want to start planning your photo call in advance. I like to give a solid week warning to both cast and the director and designers that photo call is taking place. In schools it is often quite difficult to do photo call prior to a performance unless you have a fairly open Saturday. If you have a Saturday open scheduling it then may make the most sense. Most schools will schedule them following a performance. Being well prepared prevents this event from taking unnecessary time.
First thing to consider is who is the photo call for? Are these record photos so that the production can be archived visually? Or, is this the photo call for the designers where they can take pictures of their work? Many designers leave once the show opens so you may want to discuss with your director allowing the designers to shoot during the dress rehearsals so they may have an accurate record of their work. In academia, the designers don't necessarily fly away the day after opening so there is a chance for them to finish their work during dress rehearsals and capture their work later during the run. Please keep in mind that if you're shooting with a live audience you don't want to take away from their experience. In all cases, you'll want to determine who the photos are for, how many they need to take, organize them into a reasonable order, and execute the call as efficiently as possible.
Whom To Talk To:
Depending on who wants the shots determines who you talk to and how much time you need. If you're doing archival shots people generally want full stage shots with some action on them. Close ups help capture costumes but not scenery, etc. It's important to determine who the shots are for and cater your call and paperwork in that direction. So find out, "are these record photo's or designer photo's?" It changes how you approach the call.
If they are shots for multiple persons and multiple departments then your job becomes much more challenging keeping the many groups in focus. I generally allow the hired photographer the first shots. Then, while that set up is in place, I invite the designers to take their shots. This generally works well and you can complete your call in around an hour to an hour and a half. Often I'll create a space offstage where the costume designers can take separate, close up shots of the costumes.
In working with multiple photographers who have varying requests for picture set ups, you could spend hours in these calls. It's best to have them all submit to you what their top shots are and then you can look for similarities that will cover most designers and pare down the number of shots. Here ideally we like to cut them down to 14-20 shots. We do our calls following a performance and we'd like to have the students heading back to their dorms before it gets too late. Your theatre may run differently
Getting Organized:
Once you've determined who and why, it's time to determine how. In the past, I've always organized the call in reverse order of the show if I am going the photo call following a performance. In older days, this means that your lighting system was switched to the last set and you would work your way backwards. Switching in those days took a lot of time so we tended to work backwards making it easier for them to keep up with shots. The same is true for costumes. If you're shooting after a performance then you don't lose time while they change clothes. You can start as soon as the house has cleared and the actors and scenery are ready.
If you're shooting before a performance you might want consider going backwards anyway. This will leave your scenery in place for where you need to start the show following the call. Based on the rule book you're working under there may need to be a break between the call and the call for performance. If so, you account for the break and then count backwards for the allowable amount of time. Bear in mind an actors day is supposed to be continuous. You can't call them in the morning for a photo call and the evening for a performance call. Never do a photo call on a two-show day. It's just a bad idea.
If you've enough time and there is not a lot of scenery to move or costumes to change you might also want to consider doing your group shots first and work your way down to your solo shots. This gets most of the people in and out and you can start releasing crew along the way as well. Unfortunately, if you'e in a union house that may not be an option but it is something to work towards.
The Paperwork:
Create a list with each shot in the order you're going to take the photos. Include the light cue, cast member(s), and properties needed for the shot. If your show is broken down into scenes, as most are, use that as your guide in grouping your photo order. Give a copy to your light board operator(s), wardrobe crew, props crew, stage managers, carpenters, etc. Post them in each dressing room, quick change room, and backstage. Basically, anyone who has any responsibility for making the photo call happen should have a copy.