Term:

November 1, 2005 - October 31, 2009

Work Week

Any 5 consecutive days out of 7. Work on 6th day in town = 150% of the Employee's daily rate; work on 7th day in town = double day. On distant location non-worked 6th and/or 7th day(s) = straight time day(s); work on 6th and/or 7th day(s) = double day(s).

Staffing/Prep/Canceled Call

• 1st AD: 1 day prep for 1-2 days shoot; 2 days prep for 3 or more days shoot or 2 substantially different or significantly distant locations. Producer will attempt to schedule tech scouts so that they do not conflict with the AD's time to prep the job.
  
  • 1st AD and 2nd AD - call must begin at earliest of cast or crew.
  • 1st AD cannot be dismissed prior to crew. 2nd AD shall not be dismissed before AD duties are completed, notwithstanding that such completion may require overtime.
  • 1st AD receives cancellation fee of 1 day's pay if canceled less than 48 hours prior to call.
    
  • Daily employees must be notified by 2 PM of prior work day.
    
    
• 2nd AD: Required on minimum of 1 shoot day on each production; required on all location shoot days when shoot is 4 days or more and cast & crew is 10 or more; whenever 12 or more people are to be photographed; when background action or crowd control cannot be accomplished by the 1st AD without assistance.
  

Overtime

13th and 14th hours are each paid an additional 1/8th of the Employee's daily rate. 15th hour is paid an additional 1/6th of the Employee's daily rate.

15+ hours = double day (not to be compounded with the 13th, 14th, & 15th hours).

17+ hours = an additional days' pay for each 5-hour period or portion thereof (not to be compounded with the 13th, 14th, & 15th hours).

With prior notice to the Employee, work on 5th day which extends into 6th day before completion of 12 hours is paid at double the Employee's daily rate.

Work in Excess of 18 Hours

Company will provide at its expense, 1st class nearby hotel accommodations or transportation provided by a reputable third party car service to the Employees' home (or hotel if on distant location).

Turnaround

8 hour rest period. If breached, 1 day's pay for each 5 hour period, or part thereof, worked until 8 consecutive hours off.

Meals

Reasonable time to be provided. Meal time is work time. If day starts at 9 AM or earlier, $30.00 penalty if no dinner provided by 7:30 PM.

Hazard Pay

All DGA Employees who agree to perform services on aerial flights, in "combat zones", or submarine diving or underwater diving, or from any high speed camera platform on land or water, shall receive Hazard Pay of $150 per incident, with a maximum of a $300 per day.

Holidays & Vacation

If any of the following holidays fall during production, 1 day's pay if unworked, double day if worked:

• New Year's Day; Martin Luther King's Birthday, President's Day; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Thanksgiving Day; Christmas
  
• If any of the holidays falls on Sunday, the following Monday shall be considered the holiday; if any of the holidays falls on Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be considered the holiday.
  
• Unworked Holiday Pay: 3.292% of gross salary for unworked holiday pay to be paid on all jobs at time of layoff, dismissal or termination of employment.
  
• Vacation = 4% of gross salary paid at layoff, dismissal or termination of employment.

Locations/Travel

Lodging & meals are 1st Class. Whenever Assistant Directors travel, travel is in same class as Director. Travel shall be Business or First Class if travel is 5 hours or longer.

Where Employees are assigned to start their day at any studio or location outside Los Angeles County, California, or outside the five (5) boroughs of New York City, travel time shall be included in the work day.

Pension, Health & CQL

Pension, Health & CQL = 14.25% (5.5% Pension; 8.5% Health; 0.25% Training Plan and Commercial Qualification List Administration ).

Low Budget Commercials

Special provisions apply to low budget commercials whose total costs do not exceed $75,000 for a one-day shoot, or $150,000 for a two-day shoot or $225,000 for a three-day shoot. No single day’s costs may exceed $75,000. Contact the nearest Guild office for info.

Internet/New Media

Special provisions apply to low budget commercials distributed solely in media other than TV and for internet commercials using experimental production methods.

Spec Spots & PSA's

On Spec Spots all salaries are negotiable; P&H to be paid on negotiated salary.

On PSA's Director's salaries are negotiable; P&H to be paid on negotiated salary. AD and UPM salary, staffing and benefits are unchanged.

Midwest Region Only

Special provisions apply to commercials produced in the Midwest by companies located in the Midwest. Contact the Chicago Office for more info. (888-600-6975).

Commercial Project Listing Form

The 1st AD must file a DGA Commercial Project Listing Form (CPLF) on every project involving the assignment of a Director for one (1) or more shoot days. The CPLF shall be signed by an authorized company representative and submitted by fax and US Mail to the Guild office responsible for the location where the work is being performed. CPLF's for work in foreign locations should be sent to the New York office. CPLF's must be submitted prior to the first day of shooting.

CPLF Fax Numbers

310-289-5393 (Los Angeles) 212-581-0219 (New York) 312-644-5776 (Chicago )

Remember: No member may work for a non-signatory company. No member may waive or defer any part of minimum salary or working conditions. All members must report to the Guild any proposal which is below scale. No member may work with a non-DGA member performing work in any DGA category It is the obligation of the member to report all jobs by calling the work report numbers below. Failure to do so may result in the imposition of a fine.

Work Report Numbers 310-289-5300 (Los Angeles) 212-258-0890 (New York) 312-644-7520 (Chicago)

DGA Safety Hotline: 1-800-DGA-3457

For a printable Adobe PDF version of this rate card please click here
2005-2009 DGA Commercial Rate Card

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