Getting Paid

Some people have been asking me lately about how you get paid for extra work and since I happen to have 3 different checks in front of me, I thought now might be a good time to answer some questions.

Check one is from Cast & Crew Talent Services and is for $148.58.  Not bad for one days work, right?  Because I am part of AFTRA, anytime I work an AFTRA job I have a base rate of $147 for 8 hours or less of work.  So if you look at the number above, you can see that I worked a little over time that day.  Don't get thrown by the name on the check, the job was for Icarly and happened a few weeks ago.  Usually you get paid a week or two later unless a company is really on it or really not on it.  The people writing the check are a financial service that the production uses.  There are several different services, but most of my checks come from Entertainment Partners.

Check number 2 comes from, well look at that, Entertainment Partners.  It is for $58.41.  Hmm...  not so good after all.  This was for a SAG production.  Because I'm not part of SAG I get paid at the non-union base rate; $64/8 hours.   For any of you doing the math, stop and realize you don't know how to calculate the taxes.  An interesting fact about this check is I actually got a $5 smoke bump.  A bump is where they pay you money because of an extenuating circumstance.  In this case we happened to be in a garage with smoke machines going.  The amount of money you get is based on your union status and what the circumstance is.  Sometimes you hear stories of extras having to fight for their bumps, but I find for the most part they hand them out without saying much. 

The third check is from BTL Production Services and is for $87.56.  This was a ten and a half hour day on a non-union set at the $64/8 base rate.  After 8 hours of work the rate goes to time and a half.  This is how most non-union background stay afloat, because typically work days are long.  Pre-taxes I made $64 in the first 8 hours and $30 in the last 2.5.  Every time you go to a set as an extra you will hear people say the same thing, they either want a super short day or a very long day. 

So there are some examples of how I get paid.  Any questions?

In other news, I've worked on House, my mom's favorite tv show, Chuck, my guilty pleasure show, CSI: NY, a Nickelodeon commercial, The protector and House of Lies lately.  All pretty good days and much easier now that I'm not sick anymore.  My only regret is that I barely got used on House so can't tell my Mom any good stories.

Off to deposit my checks!  Bye!