r/acting • u/Odd-Operation4200 • 1d ago
I've read the FAQ & Rules Someone make this make sense pls
I understand what they are trying to say, but how does this add up? I’m so confused…
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u/StoryAndAHalf 1d ago
Request to work one hour less than that. Problem solved. 11hrs at $20/hr = $220.
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u/Dry_Cricket_5423 18h ago
The reply would read “we regret to inform you that-“
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u/StoryAndAHalf 17h ago
Then show up for a full day, leave for an emergency at end of 11th hour, and invoice them for 11 hrs of work.
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u/Dry_Cricket_5423 17h ago
Sherlock vs moriarty
They stiff you on the paycheck and block you on communications. A complaint to the better business bureau is phone only, a 3hr long wait time
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u/Former-Tennis5138 1d ago
Seems like they put $20 per hour to get people in, but actually plan on 12h+ shoot and $150 is the real rate. AVOID these liars
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u/Agile-Music-2295 1d ago
No. They may only need you for 4 hours on Monday so that’s $80. 7 hours on Tuesday so that’s $140. Then 12 on Wednesday that’s $150.
They have a ceiling on daily payouts that’s all.
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u/Odd-Operation4200 1d ago
They did specify that it would only be 1 day (12hrs). Also it is for a vertical if that matters
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u/Agile-Music-2295 1d ago
If it’s a vertical I would do it for $10 an hour.
Remember before YouTube was big the few decent content creators became huge. Mr Beast wouldn’t have the popularity he has today if he didn’t start when the competition was small. As a result everyone knows his name.
Same for IG, Twitch and TikTok. First mover advantage is a thing.
Already there are 5 or so actors that no one knows about outside the Vertical world. Ie Mark Vaga . But they are huge for the tens of thousands that consume the media.
Remember people under 35 spend 90 mins a day on TikTok. Verticals are a real thing for late Gen Z/A.
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u/ausgoals 1d ago
Yeah, it’s just not articulated well. The rate is $150/day, but if you work 7 hours or less you’ll get paid $20/hr worked.
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u/pachinkopunk 1d ago
Yes the standard is to put your rate for the minimum number of hours you are guaranteed to be paid for daily (like 100/8 or 150/12 ) and then anything beyond that is generally time and a half relative to that rate. This seems like a shitty way into tricking people into agreeing to 150/16 or more.
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u/ausgoals 1d ago
I think it’s honestly a badly articulated way to try and pay people who work less than 7 hours a bit more.
It should have been framed as $150/12, but if you work 7 hours or less you get paid $20/hr worked.
Assuming the actor isn’t regularly needed for much more than 7 or 8 hours, it would seem like they might be trying to avoid suggesting a lower rate than they’re actually paying by putting an ad out, say, an $80/day rate and have people assume they’ll be making $6.6 an hour, rather than that they’ll actually only work four hours.
It’s poorly communicated, and it’s not a great rate either way. I would personally see if there’s a suggestion on how much time you would actually be needed to work; if it’s 4 or 5 hours it might be an easy $80 or $100. But it also could very easily push out if the experience level is reflective of the communication so far.
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u/Doc-tor-Strange-love 1d ago
Except that's illegal.
In a legit show day rate (10,12) everything over 8 hours is OT whether you see it or not.
150/12 is paid as $150 for 14 hrs of straight time since the 4 hours after 8 are 1.5x.
Source: this is my job
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u/pachinkopunk 1d ago
Yeah I have seen rates in the US as low as $25 a day..... Illegal doesn't stop bad productions from trying and desperate people from accepting.
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u/actorpractice 1d ago
Similar to what /u/RedAspen5018 mentioned
Even for Union shoots, the day rate is higher than the weekly rate... from SAG-AFTRA
As of July 2025, the union day rate is $1,246, and the weekly performer scale is $4,326
$1,246 x 5 days = $6,230 (daily for a week would be $1,904 more)
You're getting a "deal" because you got to work the whole week, and they're getting a "deal" by paying less for employing you more.
Also... a "Day" is usually considered 8 hours, if they go over that, they usually it's 1.5x an hour. So if you shot for 9 hours, it would be $150 + $30 ($180), since the hourly still stands. This keeps them from saying the daily rate is $150, but then they have you there for 12 hours.
Might be a little weird for hourly vs day, but it's not weird for productions in general.
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u/Goldeneyes105 1d ago
Since when is a typical day on-set 8 hours? Every day I’ve been on has been 10-12 hours…sometimes longer.
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u/Glittering-Bear-4298 1d ago
Union day is 8 hours (not including meal breaks) and then OT kicks in. Non union is very typically a 12 hr day. 10 if you’re very lucky. I think SAG microbudget, and maybe new media lets you do more than 8 hrs.
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u/seekinganswers1010 1d ago
For Union productions, overtime typically hits after 8 hours. Which is why non-union sets it at 10 or 12, because they can.
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u/actorpractice 1d ago edited 1d ago
That’s why I added the quotes around “Day” and mentioned how they work the hourly to add to the daily rate. As you mentioned a “Day Rate” and a “typical day on-set”very often are not the same total hours. I, too, have rarely been on set for only 8 hours. While the Day Rate is for 8 hours, they almost always plan/budget for going over.
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u/MadJazzz 12h ago
Being physically there on standby for immediate action also means I will be unable work on another job. I'm there ready to work for this production and this production only. That time is sold and has to be properly compensated. It's really up to the production company to plan the time they have me as efficiently as possible.
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u/DonatCotten 1d ago
The minimum wage is $15.49 in my state so imo they are ripping you off with the $150 a day rate. Honestly I'd probably still do it if it's a good role and project. I'm not motivated by money when it comes to acting so being paid less is not a deal breaker for me.
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u/George-555-1212 1d ago edited 1d ago
They will pay you $150/12.
12 hours = (8hrs * X) +(2hrs * 1.5 * X) + (2hrs * 2 * X)
= 8X + 3X + 4X
= 15X
$150 = 15X
They will pay you $10 per hour.
And they will pay you late.
If you are in California, you might have options. California state law states that you will be owed 1 days' pay for every day they are late paying you up to 30 days. It will take more than a year to get your late penalties fee, but they will be considerably more than a day's pay if the company is still solvent. I do believe they have to put up a bond in order to legally employ people, but anyone willing to be duplicitous in how they are willing to pay you, probably is not going to be 100% legal.
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u/RedAspen5018 1d ago
Think of them as separate rates. If: full day, pay = $150. If: not full day, and is instead hourly, pay = $20/hr. Just a way for them to pay you less if filming takes longer.