News

Hollyoaks

By Catherine Considine

Email from Peter Hunt, Lime Productions:

Dear Agents,

A huge thank you for your patience throughout the last 2 weeks. These are anxious times for everyone and we hope you, your loved ones and your communities are keeping safe and well.

We are really conscious that uncertainty about when we will be able to return to filming is a huge concern for all of our actors. We have been working through a way to safeguard a level of income for all cast during this time, especially whilst they determine whether they are able to access the Government support on offer to the self-employed.

We have devised a framework for support for all regular cast contracted to Hollyoaks as of Friday March 20th and on a contract carrying a minimum episodic guarantee, as follows:

• All cast contracts will be paused for the duration of the filming shut-down. Contracts will then be extended by an equivalent period and any option pick up dates will likewise be pushed back.
• During the shut-down Lime will pay all Artists a payment of £500 per week. This will be made up of:
· £221.95 stand by day payments which are non-recoupable; and
· a further £278.05 which would then be recoupable against future repeat fees (but not from programme fees).
• If artists undertake any filming work for the digital team during this time, they will be paid a production day payment for that day instead of a standby day payment and the amount of the payment that constitutes an advance will reduce accordingly.
• When we return to shooting we will need to be all hands on deck to enable us to deliver as many programmes as possible this year and consequently we will need any artist who has already booked holiday during the shutdown period to take it. Once we reach a position that it is safe and practical to return to filming, we may need everyone to take one week of their holiday entitlement in the last week before shooting re-starts (by that stage we will have people back working on prep so it is assumed that restrictions will have been relaxed). Any artist can take additional holiday during the shutdown period. All holiday will be paid £119.18 per day ((£595.90 per week) and is not an advance. Additionally, we may need to schedule holiday for artists at specific times later in the year in order to facilitate the return to shooting and manage the overall situation that we are facing.
• All other terms of artist contracts continue during the period of suspension i.e. on first call to Hollyoaks but permitted to undertake ancillary and commercial activities subject to Lime’s prior approval. This will continue to be exercised reasonably and in line with our approvals process. For approvals please email: hollyoaksapprovals@limepictures.com
We have set out these proposals on the assumption that the shut-down lasts until the end of May. If production is unable to resume by the beginning of June we may need to review them again.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch should you need further clarity.

With best wishes,

Peter Hunt CDG, CSA
Head of Casting

LIVERPOOL OFFICE : 0151 202 2512
LONDON OFFICE: 0207 183 3425