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Rain Dates in Documentary


caleymw

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How do you handle rain dates in low budget documentary? I mostly don't do sound for film of any sort but have taken on some outdoor documentary work and I'm not sure how to balance the need to make myself available in the event of rain against the need to be paid for time I'm holding. For those who do this work regularly, what is your policy on compensation for rain dates? Thanks!

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The normal answer is that the filmmakers need a group of people ready and able to do the job, with a preferred order and a lot of communication between everyone.  If you are the #1 the assumption would be that you are avail to them except when you say you're not.  If you get another job offer, then you inform the producer and they decide whether to buy you for that day or not.  If they don't want to (that rain), then the call goes to #2 to see if they can make it and so on.  This keeps them covered and allows you to make a living and have a life.

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I also think it's important to distinguish between time that you're "holding", and time that is booked. 

If you're holding time for that producer then yes its key to do as Phillip suggested - assuming that they are the first hold. 

However if this is time that was booked and is now being cancelled because of rain or something outside your control, you deserve financial compensation for that. At my company we have a policy that firm sessions which are cancelled with less than 24 hours notice are subject to a cancellation fee (which is basically our minimum day rate). We can choose client by client and situation by situation how strictly we want to adhere to this policy - for a good client we will often waive it especially if there is other work that day - but it is in writing on our rate card so that everybody knows about it up front. 

-Mike

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Philip and Mike covered this well. I'd add that whatever late cancellation policy you adopt, put it forward when you quote terms to the producer as you discuss the booking. Put it in your deal memo email. If you don't state a cancellation policy upfront, you have no leverage to charge a fee when the rain comes.

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