Martini Shot
Film crew slang for the final shot of the shooting day, after which the next shot is in a glass.
Martini Shot
noun | Production
Film crew slang for the final shot of the shooting day - the last setup that needs to be completed before the crew is released and the day's production wraps. The name refers to the idea that the next "shot" after this one will be in a glass rather than through a camera: the crew will be heading to the bar. The martini shot is the goal of every shooting day, the endpoint that the entire day's schedule has been working toward.
Quick Reference
| Domain | Production |
| Type | Industry slang |
| Also Called | The last shot of the day |
| Origin | The next "shot" is in a glass (a martini) |
| Paired With | Abby Singer (the second-to-last shot) |
| Significance | Marks the end of the shooting day; precedes wrap |
| Related Terms | Abby Singer, Wrap, Take, Action, Shot List |
| See Also (Tools) | Shot List Generator |
| Difficulty | Foundational |
The Explanation: How & Why
The martini shot is a morale concept as much as a technical one. Film sets are long, demanding working environments where the end of the day can feel distant for most of the day's duration. The martini shot represents the visible, achievable goal: when this shot is completed, the day is over. The crew can go home.
When the 1st AD calls out "This is the martini shot," the information travels immediately through the crew. The camera department understands this is their last setup; the lighting crew knows this is the last light arrangement; the sound department knows this is the last mix of the day. For the actors, it means their last performance of the day. For everyone, it means the collective effort of the remaining time is concentrated on a single, final goal.
The psychological effect is significant. Crews who are tired, who have been working through a long day or into overtime, often find renewed focus and energy when the martini is called. The endpoint is in sight. There is something to work toward.
On a standard professional shooting day, the 1st AD calls "Abby Singer" for the second-to-last shot, signalling that one more setup follows. When the Abby Singer is completed, the 1st AD calls "Martini shot" for the final setup. On completion of the martini, the director calls "Cut" for the last time that day, the 1st AD calls "That's a wrap for today" or "That's a company wrap," and the crew begins the process of striking the set.
Experienced 1st ADs use the martini announcement strategically. Calling it when they calculate that the remaining schedule can realistically be completed in the available time creates a focused, energized final push. If the martini is called too early and the shot runs longer than expected, the crew may feel cheated. The timing of the call is a management skill that directly affects both morale and budget.
Historical Context & Origin
The martini shot is a piece of film industry oral culture whose precise origin is not documented. It belongs to the accumulated slang of the working film set that developed through the studio era, likely emerging in the mid-20th century. The term is standard across American film and television production and is understood by professionals at every level, from interns to department heads. Its paired term, the Abby Singer (second-to-last shot), has a more specific documented origin: it is named after Abby Singer, a production manager who worked at 20th Century Fox and later became a DGA assistant director. Singer had a habit of calling the second-to-last shot early to give the crew a heads-up, and the practice became associated with his name. The martini shot's longevity reflects the universal desire to see the end of a long working day, and the specific film set culture of counting down to the final setup.
How It's Used in Practice
Scenario 1 - Morale Management (1st AD): A long shooting day has run 45 minutes over schedule. The crew is tired. The 1st AD reviews the remaining shots and calculates that two setups are left. They announce the Abby Singer for the current setup and call the martini for the next. The announcement moves through the crew like a current: people stand up straighter, conversations end, the focus sharpens. The final two shots are completed in less time than the preceding four.
Scenario 2 - Schedule Slip (1st AD / Producer): The day's schedule has fallen behind and the production is running into expensive overtime. Under the 2024 IATSE Basic Agreement, overtime after 12 hours is paid at double time, and invasions of the rest period (turnaround) now carry double-time penalties. The 1st AD and director negotiate which remaining shots on the day's list are truly essential. They agree to cut two planned setups and combine elements, identifying a path to the martini shot that saves 40 minutes of overtime. The decision to call the martini earlier is a production management choice with direct financial consequences.
Scenario 3 - Crew Tradition (Set): On the final day of principal photography - the last day of the entire production - the martini shot of that final day carries extra significance. Many productions mark the last martini shot with a ritual: the director shakes a cocktail shaker, the cast and key crew gather for a photograph, or a speech is made before "Action" is called for the final time. The martini shot becomes a symbolic moment of completion.
Usage Examples in Sentences
"That's the Abby Singer. One more after this and we're done."
"Martini shot, everyone. Let's make it clean and get out of here."
"The 1st AD called the martini at 7pm. We wrapped at 7:45. The timing was perfect."
"On the last day of the shoot, the director brought an actual martini shaker to set. When they called wrap on the martini shot, everyone got a drink."
Common Confusions & Misuse
Martini Shot vs. Abby Singer: The Abby Singer is the second-to-last shot of the day; the martini is the final shot. They are announced in sequence: Abby Singer first, then the martini. Some productions use only one of the two terms; professional sets typically use both to give the crew a two-shot warning before wrap.
Martini Shot vs. Wrap: The martini shot is the final shot before wrap; wrap is the conclusion of the day's production that follows the martini. The martini is the last creative act; wrap is the administrative and physical process of concluding the day. The sequence is: martini shot completed, director calls "Cut," 1st AD calls "That's a wrap."
Key People & Films
Abby Singer (1917-2014), the production manager and assistant director whose name became the term for the second-to-last shot, worked at 20th Century Fox and on numerous television productions. His practice of calling the second-to-last setup early gave crews time to prepare for wrap, and the DGA formally recognized the term. The martini shot itself has no single named originator but appears in production documentation from the 1950s onward. Contemporary 1st ADs including Tommy Gormley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker) and Chris Carreras (Black Panther, Creed III) are known for precise martini-shot timing that keeps productions on schedule. The 2025 Apple TV+ series The Studio, created by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, features an entire episode titled "The Oner" that dramatizes the pressure of completing a complex final shot before wrap.
Equipment / Tools Reference
No physical equipment is specific to the martini shot, but the production management tools used to track it are. Movie Magic Scheduling is the industry-standard software for building shooting schedules, with each day's shot list ending at the martini. StudioBinder offers cloud-based call sheet generation that includes daily wrap time estimates. Shot Lister is a mobile app used by 1st ADs to track shot progress in real time, showing how many setups remain before the martini. Physical call sheets printed from these tools list the day's scenes in shooting order, with the final scene corresponding to the martini shot.
Standards & Specifications
The martini shot is a slang term, not a technical specification, but its timing is governed by union turnaround rules. The 2024 IATSE Basic Agreement (effective August 4, 2024 through July 31, 2027) mandates a minimum 10-hour turnaround between wrap and the next day's call time for all film and television projects. Invasions of the rest period now carry double-time penalties, up from straight time under the previous agreement. SAG-AFTRA requires a minimum 10-hour turnaround for performers, and the DGA requires 10 hours for directors and ADs. When the martini shot is called late and wrap pushes past the turnaround window, the production incurs penalty payments that scale with the violation's duration.
Common Questions / FAQ
Q: Why is it called a martini shot?
A: The name comes from the idea that after the final shot of the day, the next "shot" the crew gets will be in a glass at a bar. A martini was chosen as the cocktail reference, possibly because it was considered the classic end-of-day drink. The term emerged from studio-era Hollywood slang in the mid-20th century.
Q: What comes before the martini shot?
A: The Abby Singer shot, named after production manager Abby Singer, is the second-to-last shot of the day. The 1st AD calls "Abby Singer" to give the crew a two-setup warning before wrap. When the Abby Singer is completed, the 1st AD calls "Martini" for the final setup.
Q: Does every production use the term "martini shot"?
A: The term is standard on US film and television productions, both union and non-union. UK and Australian productions use it as well, though some UK crews simply say "last shot" or "final set-up." Documentary and commercial productions may use the term informally but do not always follow the Abby Singer / Martini two-call sequence.
Related Terms
- Abby Singer - The second-to-last shot of the day; announced immediately before the martini
- Wrap - The conclusion of the shooting day that the martini shot precedes
- Take - The recorded unit of performance; the martini shot produces the day's final take
- Action - The cue called to begin the martini shot, as for every other shot in the day
- Shot List - The planning document that contains the martini shot as its final line for the day
See Also / Tools
The Shot List Generator is the planning tool that determines which shot becomes the day's martini - the final item on the day's shot list is, by definition, the martini shot, and careful shot list planning ensures the martini falls at a practical point in the schedule.
