Beginning today, October 27, 2017, Producers can take advantage of the new Commercials Low Budget Digital Waiver. SAG-AFTRA and the ANA-4A’s Joint Policy Committee on Broadcast Talent Union Relations (JPC) worked together to negotiate this waiver for low budget digital productions, recognizing the parties’ focus on the growth of digital advertising.

The waiver applies to commercials made for the Internet and New Media (including social media) with a production budget of $50,000 or less per commercial. Understanding that production budgets are constantly in flux, the waiver provides some flexibility when production budgets exceed the $50,000 threshold due to unforeseen circumstances.  Talent- and production-related costs are included in the $50,000 threshold (e.g., talent, producer, and locations fees), but post-production costs are not.

Use of the new waiver is restricted to JPC authorizers as well as advertisers and agencies that are signatories to the SAG-AFTRA Commercial Contract—third party signatories cannot produce under the waiver.

Please visit the JPC’s website to read the Low Budget Digital Waiver and accompanying FAQs.