How it looks on the DOOD
A performer who works early and late in the schedule would otherwise carry every day in between as a hold day. With a drop and pickup, the grid shows the break:
| Cast | D2 | D3 | D4 | ... | D17 | D18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5. DR. HALE | SW | W | WF (D) | (blank) | PU/SW | WF |
Different software prints this differently. Some mark D on the last day before the break and PU on the return day; others show a second SW. What matters is that the blank run is recognized as unpaid and that the pickup date is firm.
The arithmetic
Dr. Hale is a day performer on a fictional theatrical feature, scheduled days 2 to 4 and days 17 to 18. The shoot runs Monday to Friday, so day 4 is a Thursday of week 1 and day 17 is a Tuesday of week 4. The calendar gap between the end of day 4 and day 17 is well over 10 calendar days.
Without a drop, Hale is paid from day 2 through day 18: 17 consecutive shoot days, 5 of them worked. With a drop and pickup, she is paid for 5 days. At an illustrative $1,100 day rate, that's $18,700 versus $5,500 before fringes.
SAG-AFTRA's theatrical rule says a day performer given a firm pickup date more than 10 calendar days after the close of the initial employment doesn't need to be paid for the intervening time, and only one such break is allowed per production (SAG-AFTRA). Television and low budget agreements differ, so read the one your show signed (SAG-AFTRA TV answer).
Where it goes wrong
The pickup date has to be firm when the actor is first engaged. If the AD later decides to drop someone after the deal is signed without a pickup date, the drop may not be allowed and the holds get paid anyway. Casting should know about planned drops before making the offer, so it goes into the deal memo.
A second drop for the same actor is another trap. If the schedule slips and Dr. Hale now also works day 9, the single break is used up and the days around it may become holds.
Schedule changes can also shrink the gap under the threshold. Moving day 17 up to day 8 might make the gap too short, and then days 5 through 7 become paid holds. Re-run the DOOD generator after any board change that touches a dropped actor, and include travel days if they fly home during the gap.