Calculating High-Budget Subscription Video on Demand Residuals: Demystifying the Residuals Payment Process

The SAG-AFTRA President’s Task Force on Education, Outreach & Engagement presented Calculating High-Budget Subscription Video on Demand Residuals on Oct. 11. The session was hosted by SAG-AFTRA Executive Vice President Ben Whitehair and featured SAG-AFTRA Executive Director, Contract Enforcement & Strategy Jennifer Gaudry. 

Gaudry’s presentation brought special attention to original high-budget subscription video on demand programming on streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime among others. The presentation highlighted the criteria that help qualify original programming as “high-budget,” the differences between initial work compensation and residuals payments under the different contracts, and residuals payment scheduling. To further help clarify residuals payment calculations, Gaudry gave examples of different scenarios that determine overall payment amounts. 

For more information, watch our previous discussions on television, theatrical and new media residuals payments, Understanding Residuals for SAG-AFTRA Performers, hosted by Gaudry and SAG-AFTRA Chief Contracts Officer Ray Rodriguez. To contact the SAG-AFTRA Residuals Department for more information, call (855) 724-2387 or email residualsmail@sagaftra.org.