What does H (Hold) mean?
H (Hold) is a work status code used on call sheets and production reports to indicate that an actor is under contract to a production but is not scheduled to work on that specific day. H days are paid days — under SAG-AFTRA agreements, actors on hold receive their contracted daily rate even though they are not filming. Hold days exist to ensure the production retains the actor’s availability during their contracted run, preventing them from booking other work that would conflict with the production’s schedule. Related work status codes include SW (Start Work), W (Work), and WF (Work Finish).
Example:The recurring guest star was on set Monday and Wednesday but listed as H on Tuesday — meaning she was being paid for the day even though she was not scheduled to film, ensuring she remained available in case the production needed to add scenes.
Example: The child actor’s contract included three H days during a two-week shoot, which the production used as buffer days in case weather or scheduling delays pushed his scenes. His parents were notified each morning whether the H day would convert to a W day.
Did you know?
Hold days can be a source of confusion for first-time actors and their parents. Being ‘on hold’ in the work status code sense is different from being ‘put on hold’ during casting — where a production flags a potential booking before an offer is made. In the work status context, H means you are already contracted, already being paid, and simply not filming that particular day.
You can also find “H (Hold)” and related terms in this category: Acting Jobs and Auditions.
