2011Legal / Business Practices forum
Billing practices for rain cancellations and postponements on multi-day out-of-town production shoots
15 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- When a production books you for multiple days including a contingency weather day, you should charge full rates for all booked days regardless of whether work actually occurs, since you cannot accept other assignments during that period.
- Travel days exceeding four hours should be billed as full-day rates with per diem included.
- Equipment rental should be charged for all booked days, not just days when the rig is actively used, because the equipment cannot be rented elsewhere while committed to the production.
- Cancellations announced within 24 hours typically warrant full payment, while cancellations with more than 24 hours notice may be negotiated at half rate.
- A written deal memo specifying rates, rental days, travel costs, per diem, insurance requirements, and the rain policy should be signed before work begins to prevent disputes.
Depends on
- Discussion focuses on music video production, which may have different budgets and negotiating power than other production types.
- Regional practices vary, with examples given from US and UK perspectives.
- The specific scenario involves a three-day booking with one contingency day, which may not apply to all weather-dependent shoots.
- Discussion does not address situations where production cancels entirely versus postpones to another date.