Crew deal memo: rates, working hours, equipment, and payment

A Crew Deal Memo records who is joining the production, what they will do, and when they will work. It also names the producer or production company hiring them, so everyone knows who is responsible for payment.

Defining the job also means agreeing on work outside the shoot itself. If a camera assistant needs to collect equipment the afternoon before filming, that time belongs in the booking too. This helps both sides understand how much work is involved, rather than discovering an extra commitment later.

“$400 a day” can mean different things to the person planning the shoot and the person working it. Is that an eight-hour day or a twelve-hour day? What happens if the final scene takes another two hours? A clear rate and overtime calculation make those conversations easier before everyone is tired and trying to wrap.

U.S. federal overtime rules generally require extra pay after 40 hours in a workweek for employees they cover. State rules may require daily overtime, and union agreements can add protections. A flat day rate cannot remove overtime rights, so actual working hours still need to be recorded.

Meals, rest between workdays, travel, and prep and wrap duties also affect the schedule and cost. Budgeting only for filming hours can leave a production short. A small budget or nonunion shoot does not excuse ignoring wage or safety requirements.

A sound recordist may bring a full recording kit, but their work and the use of their equipment are separate parts of the deal. An equipment list explains what is included. A separate rental rate makes the cost of an extra day easier to calculate.

It also helps to agree who can use the kit and who pays if it is lost or damaged. Insurance needs to cover the equipment and its use, with agreement on who pays any deductible—the portion of a covered loss insurance does not pay.

Parking, mileage, accommodation, and purchases for the shoot can add up. Agreeing how expenses are approved and repaid saves the crew member from guessing what they can spend. That process must still respect any legally required reimbursement.

After a busy shoot, nobody wants to chase payment through three different people. A payment date, a contact person, and a clear process for submitting hours or invoices make the arrangement easier for everyone.

Which payment rules apply depends partly on whether the crew member is an employee or an independent contractor. Even a two-day booking can be employment. In the U.S., that distinction also affects taxes and workers’ compensation. It depends on how the work is actually arranged and the relevant federal and state rules, not simply whether someone calls themselves a freelancer or sends an invoice. Employees have legal payday and final-pay protections; contractors need clear invoice terms alongside any payment protections the law gives them.

Some filmmakers offer deferred pay, meaning payment comes later, perhaps when the film sells. The difficulty is that a sale may never happen. Where this arrangement is lawful, both sides need to understand how much is owed and what would trigger payment. It cannot replace wages that legally have to be paid on time, even if the crew member is offered credit or a share of future profits.

When crew reserve dates, they may turn down another job. That is why a tentative hold and a confirmed booking are different commitments. Clear cancellation terms explain how much notice is expected and whether payment is due if the production calls off the work.

A postponement creates a different problem: the crew member may already be booked on the new dates. Confirming availability, rates, and which original dates are being released helps both sides move forward. If the job ends early, the remaining payments may include work already done, approved expenses, and an agreed cancellation fee. Legal deadlines for paying wages still apply.

The filmmaker needs to be able to use the footage, recordings, and designs made for the production. The crew member needs to know what they are handing over. The memo explains who owns that new work and separates it from materials or tools the crew member already owned.

You may see the phrase “work made for hire.” Under U.S. copyright law, qualifying work belongs to the employer or commissioning party from the outset. This can include work made by employees as part of their jobs, or certain commissioned film contributions covered by an express agreement signed by both parties. Where that rule does not apply, a written assignment can transfer copyright instead. Sending over files alone does not transfer ownership.

Credit and portfolio use are separate questions. Agreeing on the name, job title, and placement of a credit helps avoid disappointment when the film is finished. Permission to share clips or behind-the-scenes photos also matters, especially before release. A crew member may be proud to show the work, while the producer needs to keep a scene under wraps.