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Commercials
What is the effective date of the Low Budget Digital Waiver?
Immediately.
Is Producer required to get permission from the union in advance before using the Low Budget Digital Waiver or provide a final edit to the union for review?
No advance approval is required. Go produce! And it is not necessary to send in a copy of the commercial, although the union may request one if a claim is filed.
Can the Low Budget Digital Waiver be used for television commercials?
No, the waiver is only for commercials made for Internet and/or New Media.
Can the Low Budget Digital Waiver be used for audio commercials?
No, the waiver only applies to the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract.
Who is allowed to produce under the Low Budget Digital Waiver?
It is only available to JPC authorizers and advertisers and advertising agencies that are signatories to the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract. The waiver is not available to 3rd party signatories.
What if I am producing multiple Internet/New Media commercials and my total budget exceeds $50,000?
The $50,000 budget is per commercial.
Example 1: A Producer is shooting two (2) Internet commercials over the course of two (2) days with a total budget of $100,000. The production would qualify for the waiver because the cost per commercial is within the $50,000 budget.
Example 2: A Producer is shooting five (5) New Media commercials in one day with a total budget of $150,000. The production would qualify for the waiver because the cost per commercial is within the $50,000 budget.
In the event of unanticipated budget overages do we lose the Low Budget Ditial Waiver?
No. From time-to-time unforeseen circumstances will have an adverse impact on the budget, and the Producer should not be penalized for these unforeseen circumstances. Examples of such unforeseen circumstances include your typical acts of Force Majeure (such as weather, illness, acts of God, and injury).
Should producers use the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract standard employment agreement (i.e., A-1 or A-2)?
Yes, please continue to use the standard A-1 and A-2s for production and note the negotiated fees in the Special Provisions portion of the form.
What does the Preference provision of the Low Budget Digital Waiver mean?
The goal of the bargaining parties in establishing the waiver is to increase the employment of professional performers in Internet/New Media commercials while also providing relief to signatory advertisers and advertising agencies. That being said, the union recognizes that in some instances (e.g., because of production location or costs) it may be difficult to hire professional performers. As a result, a Producer is permitted to hire non-professional performers, and will not be fined for Preference of Employment or Union Security.