2014Legal / Business Practices forum
Standard working hours and fatigue management on film and television productions
12 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Union film and television productions in the United States typically involve 12 to 14 hour workdays, not including meal breaks, with commercials ranging from 10 to 18 hours and music videos often exceeding these limits.
- Extended single work days of 23 to 27 hours have been documented on various productions, particularly music videos, low-budget features, and international shoots.
- Production schedules in Germany generally observe legally mandated rest periods of 11 to 12 hours between workdays, though actual daily shoot lengths still commonly reach 12 to 16 hours.
- Crew fatigue from excessive hours measurably degrades work quality and safety, including performance errors and heat-related medical emergencies.
- Budget pressures often lead producers to extend daily shoot times rather than add shooting days, as overtime pay costs less than additional equipment rental and crew fees.
- Music video productions frequently demand unlimited hours due to director ambitions, reduced budgets, and single-day artist availability.
- Low-budget feature productions sometimes exceed call sheet estimates by 2 to 3 hours daily without additional compensation.
- Legal rest period requirements are sometimes not fully observed on various productions, despite regulations.
Depends on
- The thread discusses primarily union productions in the United States and some European productions, with limited data on other regions.
- One anecdotal report mentions Mexican commercial shoots routinely lasting 36 hours, but this remains unverified.
- The discussion spans from 2006 to 2014, and industry conditions may have changed.
- Experiences vary widely by production type, budget level, and specific producers or directors.