Our Long-Standing Contract Provisions

1937:

• 8-hour work days.

• 12-hour rest periods, between wrap and the performer’s next call time.

• Make-up time is work time. Previously, performers were considered on-the-clock only after 1 hour of make-up/wardrobe.

• Length of meal periods. Lunch breaks can’t be shorter than ½ hour or longer than 1 hour. 

• Travel time is work time. Performers receive 1 day’s salary for days spent traveling for production.

• Premium pay for holidays. Performers receive twice their day rate for working on holidays. This originally covered 6 holidays and now covers 9. 

• If you are hired then not used, you are still compensated. This rate has been improved over time. Today it’s the equivalent of 1 day’s salary or the performer’s guarantee–whichever is greater.

• Consecutive days of employment. This guarantees pay for intervening days between shooting days. E.g., if you are booked to shoot Monday and Thursday, you still get paid for Tuesday and Wednesday.

• Compensation for re-shoots, added scenes, VO, ADR, etc. These rates have been improved over time. Today, a performer is owed their prorated day rate for such work for up to 4 months after the original wrap date, or 6 months for theatrical motion pictures, pilots, and certain long-form television projects.

• The no-strike clause. Performers agree not to strike while the contract is in effect.

1938:

• Call time to wrap is a continuous day. This determines work time, rest period, and overtime.

• Overlapping Engagement policy determines each production’s financial responsibility when a performer’s filming schedule extends into their start date for another production.

• The Los Angeles studio zone dictates studios’ locations. It was originally 6 miles from the intersection of 5th St. and Rossmore Ave. Today it is 30 miles from the intersection of Beverly Blvd. and La Cienega Blvd, with a Secondary Studio Zone that extends 10 additional miles “as the crow flies.”

• Travel time rules expanded. If a performer starts traveling for work on the same day they completed other work, they are paid for the time in between.

• Meal period rules expanded to apply during travel.

• Transportation to and from overnight locations. When working in an overnight location, transportation is provided at no cost to the performer.

• Variable rest periods. While the default turnaround allowance is the 12-hour rest period, this rule allows several other rest periods with stipulations.

1941:

• Compensation for fittings and limitations on how long a performer could be kept at them. Today, the first hour is the performer’s hourly unit, then each subsequent 15 minutes are paid.

1945:

• Overtime pay for interviews. A performer is paid if kept waiting for a scheduled interview to begin. Today, this applies if one is kept for longer than 1 hour.

1947:

• 36-hour rest period per week.

• Pay for background performers who are given lines on set. Compensation is an upgrade to a full day of principal pay in addition to their prorated background pay.

• Overtime pay for auditions, if kept waiting for more than 1 hour for a scheduled audition to begin.

• Penalty for rest period violation. Producers owe performer 1 day’s pay if their rest period is too short.

• Publicity is no longer counted as work time, but the performer is not required to participate.

• Rules established for publicity stills, created to prevent free exploitation of the performer.

• Rehearsal time = work time. Performers are paid for rehearsals.

• Premium pay (+10%) for night work (8pm-6am). This has changed over time. Today, this premium is only applicable for ADR, looping, and singing.

• Holiday pay while at an overnight location, even if you don’t work.

Learn more about the history of Audition Pay.