2005Legal / Business Practices forum
Cancellation policies and compensation for day players in film and video production when jobs are called off with short notice
21 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Industry practice in the UK follows a tiered compensation structure: full rate for cancellations within 24 hours of call time, half rate for 24 to 48 hours notice, and 25 percent for confirmed booking cancellations
- Equipment rental companies typically charge full rate for last-minute cancellations regardless of notice period
- Many operators without representation use a less-than-24-hours rule for full compensation and sometimes charge half rate for 24 to 48 hours notice
- A booking fee separate from daily rate can be charged, similar to service call fees from tradespeople
- For multi-day bookings, standard cancellation terms typically only apply per individual day rather than compensating for the entire contract if cancelled shortly before start
- Asking for a firm commitment or having clients guarantee the day upfront protects the operator from loss when other work conflicts
- Some operators credit partial payments toward future work with the same production rather than charging outright
- The relationship with the client and likelihood of future work influences whether to enforce payment for cancellations
Depends on
- Practices vary significantly by region and whether work is union or non-union
- Film productions have different dynamics than commercials or industrial work regarding cancellation flexibility
- The advice reflects perspectives from approximately 2005 and primarily addresses non-union day players
- No consensus emerged on whether to charge for multi-day gig cancellations beyond the individual day compensation rules
- Some operators report never charging cancellation fees and receiving future work as compensation