Personal Managers Association
This is an email from Tim Gale, Equity – he would like to raise agent awareness of this issue:
Email from Tim:
One of our [Equity’s] members sent me an email about having filmed a commercial at home.
The member had to act as camera, set-dresser, wardrobe and make-up person. Under the director’s instructions, the member had to set-up shots and take directions, as well as make sure the technical aspects of the shoot were up to scratch. This took more than four hours, before any acting could begin.
The very reasonable point made by the member was that this was significantly more work than would usually be undertaken by an actor in a commercial and therefore the remuneration for the actor should be increased to reflect this.
Thus, I would like to recommend to agents that they make sure their actors are adequately briefed that these jobs require much more work than normal and also that agents consider the fact that this type of job should have higher fees to reflect this extra work.
Tim Gale