Actor Proposal Template: Commercial Film Performance Proposal
This Commercial Film Performance Proposal is a ready-to-use actor estimate for quoting a commercial shoot, branded film, online campaign, or broadcast spot. It helps performers, talent representatives, and production clients define the scope of a booking before the call sheet is issued.
Use this actor proposal template to price session days, fitting or rehearsal time, usage rights, exclusivity, travel, and expenses. It gives the client a clear total while separating the performance fee from media usage, so a one-day shoot does not become an unlimited campaign at a one-day rate.
Why use this template
- Protect the value of your likeness. Set the shoot fee apart from the term, territory, media, and edit rights granted to the client.
- Avoid scope creep. Define the number of shoot days, expected hours, wardrobe calls, pickups, ADR, and still-photography use before confirming availability.
- Present a production-ready quote. Give agencies, producers, and casting teams a clean breakdown they can review alongside their production budget.
- Make renewals easier. Record usage dates and renewal pricing so continued use after the original campaign term can be negotiated quickly.
- Clarify payment expectations. State deposit requirements, invoice timing, late cancellation terms, and reimbursable travel costs in one document.
What the template includes
- Client and project details: brand, agency, production company, campaign name, project contact, shoot location, and proposed shoot dates.
- Talent scope: performer name, role or character, speaking or non-speaking status, number of performers, and any required skills such as driving, dance, sports, or teleprompter work.
- Performance services: session fee by shoot day, hourly overtime basis where applicable, rehearsal, fitting, table read, wardrobe, hair and makeup, ADR, voice-over, or reshoot days.
- Usage and licensing: authorized media channels, including digital, social, paid social, web, OTT, broadcast, cinema, in-store, trade show, and print or stills if included.
- Usage term and territory: campaign start date, length of use, geographic territory, language versions, cutdowns, edits, and renewal options.
- Exclusivity: competing product category, duration of the conflict restriction, and any exclusivity fee.
- Travel and expenses: airfare, mileage, hotel, per diem, parking, baggage, ground transportation, and client-paid booking costs.
- Commercial terms: subtotal, agency commission if relevant, deposit, payment due date, cancellation fees, usage renewal fees, and acceptance signature.
How much to charge
Actor rates for commercial film work vary by market, experience, union status, campaign reach, and the rights requested. Treat the following amounts as general North American guidelines to adjust for the actual brief and applicable union agreement.
- Principal on-camera session: $1,200 to $3,500 for a standard shoot day, often based on an agreed day length and production conditions.
- Additional shoot day or pickup day: $900 to $2,500, depending on whether it is a full day, a short pickup, or a continuity-heavy reshoot.
- Fitting, rehearsal, or table read: $150 to $600 per session or half day. Quote separately when these calls extend beyond a simple wardrobe check.
- Usage buyout: $2,000 to $15,000 or more for a defined digital or regional campaign. National broadcast, extensive paid media, long terms, and broad territories should be priced materially higher.
- Category exclusivity: $1,000 to $10,000+ depending on the product category, the restriction period, and the actor’s ability to accept competing work.
- Voice-over or ADR: $500 to $2,500 per session, plus separate usage when the recording will be used beyond post-production fixes.
For SAG-AFTRA projects, use the applicable current agreement, scale, residual, and pension and health requirements rather than relying on a non-union buyout range. The proposal should also state whether agency commission is included in or added to the quoted total.
Who this is for
- Actors quoting a principal, featured, spokesperson, lifestyle, or testimonial role in a commercial production.
- Talent agents and managers preparing a commercial performance estimate for a client or producer.
- Freelance performers booking branded content, direct-to-camera campaigns, social ads, or corporate films.
- Production companies that need a clear talent cost proposal before contracting an actor.
- Actors asked to approve broad “all media, worldwide, in perpetuity” language and needing a structured alternative quote.
Frequently asked questions
Should I quote the session fee and usage fee separately?
Yes. The session fee pays for your time and performance on set, while usage pays for the client’s right to use your image and performance after production. Separating them makes the proposal easier to negotiate when the client changes the campaign term, territory, or media plan.
What usage details should be confirmed before I send the proposal?
Ask where the commercial will run, for how long, and in which territories. Also confirm paid versus organic social, broadcast, streaming, cinema, stills, internal use, cutdowns, language versions, and whether the client wants the right to create future edits.
How should I handle a request for a full buyout?
Do not list “full buyout” without defining what it covers. Quote a specific term, territory, and set of media rights, then include renewal pricing or a separately priced perpetual option if you are willing to grant one.
What happens if the shoot is canceled or moves dates?
Include a cancellation and postponement clause in the proposal. It should state when a kill fee applies, how a confirmed hold is released, and whether travel, fitting time, or non-refundable expenses remain payable when the production changes plans.
