Five-day or six-day weeks: the trade
A 24-day shoot is 4.8 weeks on five-day weeks and exactly 4 weeks on six-day weeks. The six-day version saves most of a week of anything rented weekly, but it pays a premium for four sixth days. Here's a rough comparison for a small union crew whose straight-time payroll is $40,000 per five-day week, with $22,000 a week in weekly-priced costs (gear, office, housing, vehicles):
| 5-day weeks | 6-day weeks | |
|---|---|---|
| Crew straight time | 4.8 x $40,000 = $192,000 | 4 x 5 x $8,000 = $160,000 |
| Sixth-day premium days | none | 4 x $8,000 x 1.5 = $48,000 |
| Weekly-priced costs | 4.8 x $22,000 = $105,600 | 4 x $22,000 = $88,000 |
| Total | $297,600 | $296,000 |
A crew day is $40,000 / 5 = $8,000. In this example the two schedules come out almost even, before counting the extra fatigue, overtime on long sixth days, and reshoots caused by tired crews. Change the weekly costs or the premium and the answer flips, so line producers run the comparison with their own show's numbers.
What the agreements say
For IATSE crew under the West Coast studio agreements, the sixth day worked is a premium day. The 2024 memorandum sets golden hours on a sixth day at 3x the regular rate after 12 hours (studio) or 14 hours (studio zone location), and 4.5x after 15 hours, compared with 2x and 3x on a regular day. See golden time.
For SAG-AFTRA performers on the Moderate Low Budget agreement (the Low Budget agreement has a similar provision), a performer can be called for a sixth consecutive day without a premium if they've consented in writing before employment starts and get at least 36 consecutive hours off in each seven days. That sixth day is capped at eight consecutive straight-time hours, and anything past the eighth hour is paid at the agreement's overtime rates.
The weekend shrinks
A six-day week also shortens the weekend turnaround. IATSE Local 80 lists a 54-hour weekend rest period after five consecutive days and 32 hours after six. That affects Monday's call time: a Saturday wrap at 8:00 PM with a 32-hour rest means no crew call before 4:00 AM Monday, but the performers' 36-hour rule could push their calls later.
Budget mistakes
Budgeting a six-day schedule at five-day week rates, forgetting that the sixth day often runs as long as any other, and not getting SAG-AFTRA consent forms signed before the start date. The seventh day has its own, steeper rules.