hours of work

Fulgencio Martinez · July 20, 2007

Hi,

in your opinion what is the standard working time for a long feature?

I mean how many hours of work before considering it extra time.

9+1? 10+1?

And how many days a week?

5+half? 6?

I feel i´ve been abused about working hours in my first films and would like to fix this in my next contract.

thanks

Mark Williams · July 20, 2007

Hi,
in your opinion what is the standard working time for a long feature?

I mean how many hours of work before considering it extra time.

9+1? 10+1?

And how many days a week?

5+half? 6?

I feel i´ve been abused about working hours in my first films and would like to fix this in my next contract.

thanks

I think whatever the agreement is.

Learn a lesson and next time tell them what you want and negotiate. And get it in writing. In life people now more than ever will take advantage. The times I have not been forthright and ended up getting caught. No matter how nice people are. Get it in writing signed and sealed.

Michael Collier · July 21, 2007

Keep in mind when negotiating never to set a 'limit' EI don't say, 'I will ONLY shoot a max of 12 hours a day' it always scares producers, since they are swimming in a sea of risk. What you do want to do is set financial barriers in your pay. My typical setup is 10 hour day standard rate. Anything over that is 1.5 pay, anything over 12 hours is double pay. I also require at least a 10 hour turnaround. Meaning if I don't get 10 hours from finishing the night previous to the next day, then overtime is still clocking. So even if day 1 I shoot 10 hours, and day two I shoot 10 hours, if I didn't get 10 between the two, then the first 2 hours of the second day is 1.5 pay, and the other 8 are billed at double.

but listen to mark, get it in writting. If its not in writting, then its not a deal.

robert duke · July 22, 2007

most shoots are 12hr days. 10 hr straight time and 2hr 1.5x. some are 14hrs, abuse is how you feel. the unions are here to help us protect ourselves from abuse. Contact the local IATSE chapter for the rates and hours. If you are feeling abused either quit or contact the IATSE for assistance. IATSE is made up of nice guys and gals. We want a better work place that respects us as humans with feeling and lives to live. Without the unions hollywood would have continued to abuse people working in it. we would be working 18+ hours a day every day, with no turn around.

when I started in this a typical day was easily 16-18 hours. those long days caused many people physical harm and killed some. many people fell asleep behind the wheel on their way home. now many producers refuse to go more than 14. you can thank the unions, and a famous DP who fought for the respect we all deserve.

If you worked a show and it was rough we have all been there. We sympathize with you and remember the days we spent in your shoes. buck up. there will be shows that no matter what you do will leave you feeling raw in the rump. a day is a day until it ends. If you want a finite time for your day you are in the wrong industry. Remeber man plans God laughs.

David Mullen ASC · July 22, 2007

Here in the U.S., the average is a 12-hour day. If you're lucky, overtime starts after 8-hours but it depends on the contract. Some low-budget agreements start overtime after 10 or 12 hours.

It's hard for an individual to negoitate a different scale for overtime than the other technicians.

Sometimes you just have to ask them what the deal is and decide whether to take the job or not -- there are limits to how far you can negotiate for a better deal.

Mark Bonnington · July 27, 2007

I don't think people perform well beyond 6 hours of work. I wish more companies would adopt a 30-hour work week.

Brad Grimmett · July 28, 2007

I don't think people perform well beyond 6 hours of work. I wish more companies would adopt a 30-hour work week.

Well, 6 hours just gets you to lunch. This would mean that a tv show that normally gets completely shot in eight days will now take 16 to finish (if they only do 12 hour days). Not gonna happen. Plus, a lot of people like all the overtime they get working in this business. It allows them to make a nice living. And truthfully, without overtime a lot of people would be forced to go out and get real jobs. And unfortunately, many of us are un-qualified to do anything else!

Dan Salzmann · July 28, 2007

Definitely. If the 30 hr. a week thing is for you, then the motion picture business definitely isn't.

Brad Grimmett · July 29, 2007

Definitely. If the 30 hr. a week thing is for you, then the motion picture business definitely isn't.

Dan,

Don't you have pretty reasonable hours in France? I know the standard work week is shorter than it is here in the U.S., but I also remember hearing that, in general, film shoots were shorter as well. Is that still the case?

It reminds me of the saying I've heard a few times, "Americans live to work, and Europeans work to live." I always liked that one.