What does Forced Call mean?
Forced Call occurs when a production schedules an actor or crew member to return to work before the minimum required rest period — known as the turnaround — has elapsed since their previous day’s wrap time. Under SAG-AFTRA and most union agreements, performers are entitled to a minimum rest period (typically ten to twelve hours) between their out time and their next call time. When a production fails to provide this rest period, the shortened turnaround triggers additional penalty payments known as a forced call premium. For child performers, turnaround rules are even more strictly regulated.
Example:The production wrapped at 11 p.m. but scheduled the same actors for a 7 a.m. call the following morning — an eight-hour turnaround that fell short of the contractual minimum and triggered a forced call premium payment for every affected performer.
Example: The studio teacher flagged to the assistant director that calling the child actor back at 8 a.m. would violate the minor’s turnaround requirement based on her previous day’s out time, and the call was pushed to 10 a.m. to maintain compliance.
Did you know?
Forced call premiums are not optional — they are contractually mandated payments that productions must make regardless of whether the affected performer complains. Experienced production managers track turnaround times carefully because accumulated forced call penalties can significantly inflate a production’s payroll costs.
You can also find “Forced Call” and related terms in this category: Acting Jobs and Auditions.
