Film/TV Rules

 

DOUBLING

  • 1st Double – 50% of basic rate extra.
  • 2nd Double – 20% of basic rate extra for second and subsequent double.

The following instruments are not construed as doubles:

  • Piano and Celeste
  • Drummer’s standard outfit
  • Tympani
  • Mallet Instruments: Xylophone, Bells, Marimbas
  • Latin Rhythm Instruments (see agreement)

The use of electronic devices such as multiplex, maestro, octave dividers, etc. will be treated as a double if used to simulate other sounds in addition to the normal sounds of the instrument to which the device is attached.
Any combination of instruments not listed above is to be construed as doubling.

DOUBLE SCALE
New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. The above holidays are observed on the same dates as the U.S. Federal Legislation for public holidays.

SINGLE RECORDING MUSICIAN

Payment will be DOUBLE (200%) whether a leader is present or not.

MUSIC SOUND CONSULTANT:
For services in the booth, assisting and advising the producer or sound technician.

ORCHESTRA MANAGER (CONTRACTOR):            
When ten (10) or more musicians (including leader) are employed for any session, an orchestra manager is required. Minimum pay for playing or non-playing orchestra manager is double sidemusician scale. An orchestra manager must be physically present at all recording sessions during the entire engagement.

HOLDS
If a musician notifies the contractor at beginning of a session that he or she cannot stay beyond the one-hour hold period, it will not be the musician’s responsibility to secure the services of a replacement.

PREMIUM PAY:

  • 50% Premium after Midnight (until 8:00 A.M.)
  • Work hours beyond the hold hour performed between 8:00 P.M. and Midnight pays 150% of scale.
  • Work hours beyond an 8-hour span performed between Midnight and 8:00 A.M. pays 200% of scale.
  • Work hours beyond the hold hour performed between Midnight and 8:00 A.M. pays 165% of scale. Seventh (7th) hour of recording within the 8-hour span (before Midnight) pays 120% of scale.

GUARANTEED CALLS:                   
A musician may be held for one hour beyond a single session (or guaranteed longer call) and paid at straight time rate in units of 15 minutes for such hold hour. If musician is required to remain beyond the hold hour, he/she shall be paid for such time at 150% of straight time rate in 15 minute units. The guaranteed call and hold period combined shall not exceed six (6) hours.

A double session shall be completed within 8-hours. Work beyond 6 hours within an 8-hour period will be paid at 120% of straight time rate in 15-minute units. If required to remain after 8 elapsed hours (whether worked or not) musician will be paid at 150% of straight time rate in 15 minute units. There is no compounding in computing the above, and payment is made on the highest appropriate rate.

DOUBLE SESSIONS
Engagement of two sessions (completed within 8 hours of time called) may be divided into two periods at convenience of studio, with not less than one hour between sessions. When more than a double session of recording is continuous without a break of at least one hour, a penalty of one hour at minimum rates shall be paid each musician.

BOREN RULING                              

Two single sessions shall not be called in the same day in lieu of a double session in order to circumvent the time spread penalty when both of such single sessions are for the same motion picture (or the same television episode), utilizing the same conductor, and both utilize all of the same individual musicians.

MINIMUM CONDITIONS                   

On days when two or more recording sessions take place, the rate for all sessions on that day will be based on the session in which the highest number of recording musicians were employed. No longer will this determination be spread over several days of sessions. (Theatrical Motion Pictures Only)

GENERAL CONDITIONS
Saturdays and Sundays as such, shall be treated as regular work days, not premium days unless they are the employee’s sixth or seventh consecutive days of work for the Producer. The employee shall receive time and one-half (1½) for such sixth day and seventh day worked and double time for holidays worked.

MEAL PENALTIES
When more than six (6) hours or recording occur without a break of at least one (1) hour, a penalty of one hour at the minimum scale shall be paid each musician.

INTERMISSION
Ten minutes per hour away from the stand is required on all calls. At no time can a musician be required to perform for more than ninety (90) consecutive minutes on the stand.

CANCELLATION OF CALLS

  • Underscoring – may be canceled upon 96 hours notice.
  • Pre-recording – may be canceled upon 48 hours notice.

CARTAGE:                                      

  • $40.00 – Harp
  • $16.00 – String Bass, Tuba, Cello, Drums, all heavy or bulky amplifiers, Baritone Sax, Bass Sax, Contra- bass Clarinet, Contra-bass Bassoon, Accordion, Baritone Horn, Contra Bass Trombone.

Producer shall specify method of transportation, either by public or private transportation.  If public transportation is the only practical manner of transportation, Producer has the option of designating the qualified public carrier and shall pay the cartage bill of the designated public carrier. If the musician uses a carrier other than the one designated, the Producer shall not be liable for a cartage bill greater than the rate charged by the designated carrier.

LATE PENALTIES (Written notice required)

  • Payment is due within 15 working days from date of session. The following schedule of penalties shall apply if payment is made more than:
  • 15 but less than 31 business days – 6%
  • 30 but less than 61 business days – 10%
  • 60 but less than 91 business days – 50%
  • Additional 10% late payment charges shall accrue for each additional 30-day period in which payment is not made after written notice is given to the producer.

ELECTRONIC MUSICAL DEVICES

PRODUCER’S ELECTION
At Producer’s election, a musician employed to play an electronic device(s) shall be paid at existing rates (“real time rates”) or the following rates (“multi-tracking rates”). Producer must elect rate at the time of the call and must specify guaranteed length of call.

GUARANTEED CALL
Guaranteed call of up to 10 hours paid at straight time rates per hour. If engaged for a 10-hour call, musician must be paid for the entire 10 hours, whether worked or not, unless he/she leaves earlier for personal reasons, in which case payment shall be only for hours worked.

DOUBLING –       Electronic Musical Devices
Use of multiple electronic musical devices, as in conjunction with any electronic musical instrument such as synthesizers, EVI, or EWI, shall count in the aggregate as three (3) doubles.

MEALS
1 hour meal period shall be called not later than 6 hours after reporting for work.

HOLD HOUR/PREMIUM PAY

  • Hold hour shall be paid at straight time rates. Beyond hold hour shall be paid at 50% additional.
  • Work in excess of 10 hours, excluding meal periods, shall be paid at 50% additional, prorated in 15 minute increments.
  • Work between midnight and 8:00 A.M. (at the request of Producer) – 50% additional of applicable hourly rate.

MULTI-TRACKING PHONOGRAPH-RECORD NEW-USE                           

Phonograph records produced from music recorded under the multi-tracking rates shall be paid as follows:

  • 1 musician alone = basic sound recording session fee for each minute of music dubbed.
  • 2 or more musicians = basic sound recording session fee for each 2 minutes of music dubbed.

MINIMUM SCORING HOURS FOR TV FILM

Scoring hour requirements for fewer than 13 films to be pro-rated on basis of these schedules

For Non-Dramatic Pictures:

  • 13 ½-hour films – 12 scoring hours
  • 13 1-hour films – 36 scoring hours
  • 13 1 ½-hour films – 54 scoring hours

For Dramatic Pictures:

  • 13 ½-hour films – 15 scoring hours
  • 13 1-hour films – 39 scoring hours
  • 13 1½-hour films – 59 scoring hours
  • 13 2-hour films – 78 scoring hours

MINUTES OF MUSIC FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS

With respect to the live scoring of performance documentaries, special sessions called to replicate live theatrical productions and television films of live theatrical productions, a single session of three (3) hours shall consist of not more than fifteen (15) minutes of finished recorded music. Each additional two and one-half (2 ½) minutes of such recorded music scored in such session shall constitute an additional thirty (30) minutes of recording for those musicians recording such additional finished recorded music.

FORMAT MUSIC
Format Music defined as – Standard openings and closings, bumpers, billboards, lead-in and lead-outs. Once recorded live for a series may be re-utilized in subsequent broadcast seasons upon payment to musicians an amount equal to minimum single session fee. (Includes all applicable doubles and over-dubs.)

PRODUCTION MUSICIANS (REHEARSAL MUSICIANS)

  • Overtime per 15 minutes
  • Overtime must immediately follow a regular session. All hours not continuous will be charged as additional sessions.
  • After midnight NIGHT PREMIUM= 50%
  • Schedule under which a single musician is engaged must be designated at beginning of each week. A
  • ll hours over schedule shall be paid as overtime.

SIDELINE MUSICIANS

NIGHT PREMIUM               

  • For hours between 12:00 midnight and 1:00 A.M. – 10% additional per hour
  • For hours between 1:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M. – 20% additional per hour

WARDROBE ALLOWANCE
$30.00 allowance for tuxedo or white tie and tails.

WARDROBE CHANGE
$10.00 for first change and $15.00 for two or more changes.

WARDROBE REMOVAL
Whenever a sideline musician turns in wardrobe or property on time which he/she is not otherwise compensated, he/she shall be paid a wardrobe allowance of thirty minutes at the regular hourly rate for that day. If more than one-half hour is required, he/she shall be paid for such excess time in units of 15 minutes.

CANCELLATION OF CALLS
Calls may be canceled for any of the following reasons only:

  • Illness in principal cast
  • Fire, flood or other similar catastrophe
  • Governmental regulations or other issues due to a national emergency.

In the event of a cancellation, the musician so canceled shall be entitled to a one-half check, EXCEPT if the musician is notified of the cancellation before 6:00 P.M. of the day previous to the work date by the same or any other producer, HE/SHE SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO SUCH ONE-HALF CHECK.

ORCHESTRA MANAGER FOR SIDELINE

If ten (10) or more sideline musicians (including leader) are employed, an orchestra manager is required for such call. He/she may be one of the sideline musicians and in that event he/she shall receive double scale.

It shall be the duty of the orchestra manager to see that all musical activities conform to Federation rules and regulations which do not contravene any valid law. The orchestra manager shall be physically present at all times that the sideline musicians engaged by him/her are working during the entire engagement.

DOUBLING FOR SIDELINE ONLY
25% for the first double, 10% for each additional double

MEALS

Meal periods shall not be less than ½ hour nor more than one hour.  Not more than one (1) meal period be deducted from work time of call, and subsequent meal periods not later than six (6) hours after termination of preceding meal period.

SILENT BIT

When directed to do special business (portrayal of an essential story point in pantomime, in a 4-shot or less), or a pantomime special business with actors to convey an essential story point in a close shot, such performance shall constitute a silent bit.

Compensation for the day shall not be less than the prevailing rate in Los Angeles.

RECORDING BY SIDELINE MUSICIANS
Except for “leak through”, if a sideline musician records he/she shall be paid for a minimum of one recording session in addition to 100% of the sideline scale.

SIDELINE & RECORDING WITHIN A 3-HOUR PERIOD                              

A musician who performs live recording on camera within a three-hour session will be paid the recording scale for a minimum 3-hour session in addition to any other payments he/she would be entitled.