Budgeting cast on the UPA
A 15-day ultra low budget feature with three leads working every day and eight day players working two days each has 3 x 15 + 8 x 2 = 61 performer days.
| Line | Math | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Performer days at $257 | 61 x $257 | $15,677.00 |
| Pension and health, 22% | $15,677 x 0.22 | $3,448.94 |
| Cast before payroll taxes and overtime | $19,125.94 |
Overtime is extra. Under the UPA, a day performer's overtime through the 12th hour is paid at time and a half, in tenth-of-an-hour units, and from the 13th hour at double time. At $257 for an 8-hour day, the hourly rate is $32.125, so one hour of time and a half is about $48.19. Budget a few hours per performer per week rather than zero.
The $300,000 includes more than cash
The cap applies to the total production cost: all above-the-line and below-the-line costs, including deferred compensation. A film with $240,000 in cash and $75,000 in deferred pay is at $315,000 and doesn't qualify. If SAG-AFTRA later decides a project doesn't qualify, the agreement lets it reclassify the film to the appropriate agreement, and the producer owes the difference in compensation. See SAG-AFTRA tiers for the next agreement up.
Rules that affect the schedule
- Day performers only. No weekly contracts.
- Consecutive employment is waived with each performer's written consent (except on overnight locations), and performers can take other work during the shoot. Producers waive exclusivity in return.
- A performer can't be required to hold a day unless they're paid for it, which matters when you build the day out of days.
- Payments go through an entertainment payroll house, so budget a payroll company fee.
Release limits
The base pay covers limited exhibition: film festivals, free-to-consumer new media for 13 consecutive weeks, a one-week theatrical run for Academy consideration, industry and financier screenings, and limited public access TV. Selling the film to a streamer or cable outlet is permitted, but it triggers residuals, and the producer has to notify SAG-AFTRA before that release.
Applying
SAG-AFTRA recommends applying four to six weeks before the first day of work. It asks for company formation documents, the script, the day out of days, a line item budget, and a pre-production cast list, and it may require a security deposit. The how to become a SAG-AFTRA signatory post walks through the paperwork.