Why holds exist at all
An actor booked for a run of days has to stay available for all of them. If Rosie shoots Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, production is holding her Wednesday and Thursday even though she doesn't set foot on set. SAG-AFTRA's theatrical rules pay performers on a consecutive basis from their first reporting day, so those two days usually cost the same as a work day (SAG-AFTRA consecutive employment).
Counting the cost
Here is Rosie's row on the day out of days before and after a board change:
| Version | D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | Work | Hold | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First draft | SW | W | H | H | WF | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Revised | SW | W | WF | 3 | 0 | 3 |
The revision moved her day 5 scene (a 5/8-page kitchen scene, INT. ROSIE'S DINER, KITCHEN - DAY) to day 3, which was already at the diner. If her deal is a $1,200 day rate (a figure used here for illustration), dropping two holds saves $2,400 plus fringes.
On the call sheet and the DOOD
Holds don't appear on the call sheet's cast list, since the actor isn't called. Some 2nd ADs add a line in the notes ("Rosie on hold, available by phone") so the production office knows she could be brought in if the schedule flips. On the DOOD the H sits between SW and WF, and the totals column counts it toward paid days.
Common mistakes
A hold is easy to miss when the DOOD isn't re-run after a schedule change. The strip moves, the actor's WF slides out two days, and nobody tells casting, so the deal memo is short two paid days. Another error is marking travel as a hold. If an out-of-town actor flies in on a non-working day, that's a travel day (T), which may carry different pay terms.
A hold also isn't a free day for other bookings. If an actor has a conflict on a hold day, that has to be negotiated up front, and the AD should flag it on the board with a banner strip or a note on the cast header.
When a gap is long, ask whether a drop and pickup is allowed instead of carrying holds. The DOOD generator will count holds for you once scenes are placed.