What does Television Movie Agreement mean?
Television Movie Agreement is the SAG-AFTRA contract that covers actors working in made-for-TV movies. This agreement ensures that performers receive fair pay, health and pension benefits, and residuals for reruns or streaming. Made-for-TV movies, which are produced for cable networks or streaming platforms, often follow similar production standards to feature films but with specific guidelines to accommodate television distribution.
Key Points of the Television Movie Agreement:
- Fair Pay and Residuals: Actors receive residuals for reruns and streaming of made-for-TV movies, ensuring ongoing compensation beyond the initial broadcast.
- Health and Pension Protections: The agreement ensures that actors receive health and pension benefits for their work on made-for-TV movies.
- Flexible Work Schedules: Television movies typically have shorter production timelines than feature films, allowing actors to complete work in a more condensed schedule.
Negotiation Tips:
- Back-End Bonuses: Actors may negotiate for back-end bonuses if the television movie is expected to perform well in reruns or digital distribution.
- Increased Residuals: For made-for-TV movies likely to be streamed on multiple platforms, actors can negotiate higher residual rates for digital distribution.
- Script Approval: Lead actors may negotiate for creative input or script approval, especially if the movie is part of a larger franchise or series.
Example:A lead actor in a made-for-TV movie received residuals each time the movie aired on cable TV and was later streamed on a major platform.
Example: An actor negotiated for a back-end deal on a holiday-themed TV movie, receiving additional compensation based on the movie’s frequent airings during the holiday season.
Did You Know?
Actors in made-for-TV movies receive residuals for reruns and digital distribution, ensuring long-term compensation for their work!
Learn More:
For more detailed information, visit the official SAG-AFTRA Television Movie Agreement page.
