Actor Contracts in 2024 (How-To Guide & Free Template)

Congratulations, you've booked a role and it's time to sign your first actor contract!

​By the end of this article, you'll know all about union and independent film actor contracts and what they entail, plus how to make sure you don't get taken advantage of by production companies.

No fluff in this guide, just real, actionable advice. Ready to get started?

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Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. Please consult a lawyer before signing into or creating any legally-binding documents. This article is for informational purposes only and I cannot be held liable for inaccuracies or omissions.

Actor Contracts

Contracts are legally binding documents that are enforceable by law when the agreement is broken. They are meant to protect you and the production company should something go wrong as you work together.

When you sign a contract, both you and the production company are legally bound to what's written in it, meaning if one of you does something the contract says you can't do (or doesn't do something the contract says you will), the side who didn't break the contract has the ability to either sue, cancel the contract, or get some sort of compensation.

Contracts are very common and used throughout the entertainment industry, so don't be surprised if you're handed one to sign the next time you book a role!​

​Free Actor Contract Template

Before we get started, feel free to download this completely free contract template to review. We'll be coming back to it as we work our way down the contract so you understand what each part means. Note: No credit card information is required to download this free actor contract template.

Free Download: Actor Contract PDF Template

​​What's an Actor Contract?

A standard actor contract is an employment contract between an actor and a production company.

Just like when you're hired for a regular job at a company (and they offer you a contract to sign that covers what you'll be paid, etc.), a production company will give you a contract to sign when you're hired as an actor in their project. The contract is there to to protect the interests of both parties involved – you and the production company.

There are two different types of acting contracts – the actor contract AND the model release (unless the two have been combined together under one document). The actor contract goes through all the details of the work relationship, including pay, hours, type of work, etc., whereas the model release allows the production company to use your appearance and/or voice in their project.

Legal Jargon You Should Know

Before we go through what a standard actor contract includes, you should understand the common terminology used.

Note that this is not a complete list, so if you come across something you don't understand in a contract, google it before signing!!

• Parties: This refers to people or entities on both sides of the contract. You are one of the "parties" involved and the production company or producer is the other "party" involved.
• ​Exclusivity: This means you won't be providing the same or similar service to another production company or group within a particular geographical region for a set period of time. Let's say you're acting in a war film. If you sign a contract with an exclusivity provision, it might prohibit you from acting in any other war films for one year, for example.
  • Tip: Whenever signing a contract with an exclusivity provision, read it carefully. In some cases, what you're being asked to give up might not be worth the amount they're willing to pay, so think hard before signing or ask if they're willing to change that part of the contract.
• Representation and Warranty: This is essentially what you're promising – don't make a promise that is untrue or you know you'll be unable to keep. Example: "You represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years old and can legally sign this contract."
• Back-End Payment: This means you'll be paid afterwards instead of up front. Some production companies work with limited budgets and promise to pay after a certain period of time, or only after the production makes money, etc., so be sure to read your payment terms carefully! It's always best to be payed "front-end" or right away, unless you're primarily acting in a project to build your resume and use the footage for your reel.
  • Related: Learn how to book acting work and grow your career here.
• Term of Agreement: This is how long the agreement lasts. If you're signing with an agent or manager, they'll usually have a contract that lasts for 12-18 months, for instance.
• Merchandising: Usually only needed for major productions, a merchandising provision essentially grants permission to the production company to use your image on merchandise related to the film, like t-shirts, games, books, action figures, etc.
• Perpetuity: This word essentially means forever. If you give them the rights to use your image/likeness "in perpetuity," it means they can use your face/voice for promotion of their project (or related projects) for as long as they want, potentially with no further payment to you.
• Indemnify: This means one party is protecting the other against something. Watch out whenever the word "indemnify" is in your contract. Who are you indemnifying (protecting) and from what? An example might be that you are agreeing to indemnify/protect the production company against any lawsuits made against you from other people (for instance, if you signed an exclusivity agreement with another production company, and then broke that agreement – the other production company can't sue this one who hired you because you're indemnifying them, so now it's you who is being sued directly).
• Most Favored Nations: This is a clause you can often request for a contract that guarantees you will be paid at the same rate as other actors who performed similar work to you. If you only had one line and were on set for one shoot day, you would be guaranteed to get the same pay rate as other actors who worked the same number of days.
• Image & Likeness: This basically means you and/or elements of your performance. It includes your appearance/face, your voice, the uniqueness of your performance, and potentially even additional creative elements such as choreography or the playing of an instrument. Example usage: The production company can use your "image & likeness" for promotion of the film.

​​What's Included in Standard Actor Contracts?‍

In this section, I'll break down the standard parts of an actor contract, along with some tips to look out for in each:

• Description of Work: This is where your main role and responsibilities will be found, along with any other expectations and requirements related to the work you'll be doing as an actor. Make sure what's written here doesn't alarm you and doesn't ask for anything out of the ordinary. You'll likely be required to attend rehearsals and costume fittings, show up to set on time, memorize your lines, etc., but if anything seems different or out of the ordinary (unexpected nudity, picking up and delivering food to crew members, etc.), tread carefully.
• Term of Employment: Make sure the dates and hours you're expected to work seem normal. You should have a general idea of the shooting dates, along with knowing how many hours they expect you to be on set each day. In some cases (if you've booked a recurring television role, for instance), the timeline might be a bit more vague, saying you need to be available with a certain amount of notice for the next 3 years if the show is picked up, etc. Just remember that vagueness is a bad sign in contracts, so the more specifics the contract has, the better off you'll be.
• Payment: Whether you're being paid a flat fee, a fee per hour, or even a percentage of earnings, make sure the payment details are clear. You might be asked to invoice the production company, in which case you can send them a simple, standard PDF invoice (plenty of free invoice templates can be found online). Be sure to pay attention to the payment timeline – how soon after the shoot finishes (or before the shoot starts) will you receive payment?
• Expenses/Food/Wardrobe/Lodging: Pay attention to how you'll be reimbursed for the expenses you incur. Will the production company pay you back for travel costs (gas/tolls), food, and accommodations (hotels, etc.)? Will they provide wardrobe? Or will you be required to provide all of that? Will you be reimbursed and if so, how (check/cash/card/etc.) and when?
• Merchandising: In general, you should speak to an entertainment lawyer whenever you see something in your contract about merchandising because it means you're probably involved in a major project with a big budget. Will you be required to make appearances in talk shows, premiers, and other events that go beyond just the production itself? Will the production company be able to use your face on books, posters, t-shirts, etc.? For major productions, merchandising can be a good bargaining chip for actors looking to get extra compensation for the production to use them in advertisements relating to the project.
• Exclusivity: Many productions will want to have you exclusively during the production dates. The contract will state that you are not allowed to work on other films, commercials TV shows, or even internet projects – either during the days, weeks, or months the production is shooting and potentially even for a length of time afterward. An exclusivity section is fairly common, but pay extra attention if it also blocks you from working in other productions outside the expected shoot dates – there have been some actors who have been blocked from acting in any other production for an entire year after the initial production ended, simply because they didn't read their contract and signed a year-long exclusivity agreement!
  • Note: Exclusivity provisions are are fairly common for commercials. For instance, if you perform in a PepsiCo commercial, the exclusivity provision might say you're not allowed to work in any CocaCola related projects for the next two years to avoid conflicts of interest.
• Model Release: As stated earlier, sometimes the model release is presented as a separate document in addition to the actor's contract, but basically this release allows the production company to use your name and image in the production and/or and related promotional materials such as the trailer, movie posters, etc.
• Crediting: The contract should specify whether you're going to receive credit, and how the credit will appear (opening title sequence or end credits, font size, duration on screen, etc.).
• Union Provisions: Is the production a union-sanctioned project? Or is it non-union? If it's union and you're a member of an actor's union like SAG-AFTRA, be sure to know your rights. If you're not being paid enough per union rules or being forced to work under non-approved conditions, you might want to reach out to your union for guidance.
  • Related: How to Get a SAG Card
• Insurance Provided: Insurance should always be provided on set to protect you should an accident happen (i.e. lighting gear falls on you, you get injured during a stunt, etc.). Be sure your production provides insurance – even if it's for a small, non-union project.
• Remedial Clause: An actor contract should specify what a breach of contract is, and what measures can be taken if the contract is breached (broken). Some contracts will specify fines (for example, if an actor is late or absent for a required event) or allow a production company to cancel a contract entirely (while also suing the actor for monetary compensation to make up for the extra expenses they incurred due to the actor breaching the contract, such as casting to find a new actor, re-organizing shoot dates, legal fees, etc.). The remedial clause should also specify your rights as the actor and what happens if the production company breaches the contract. You'll usually need to provide the production company a reasonable amount of time to fix the breach, and if past that point you can usually get out of the contract and potentially sue them for any losses (unless the contract says otherwise).
• Termination of Contract: Every contract includes a termination clause, which explains when the contract will end. Most will state that the contract terminates after a certain period of time after the project has premiered, or on a specific date. It will also likely explain reasons for early termination and who is responsible for what if either party chooses to cancel the contract.

​​Acting Contract Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, I'll explain answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about actor contracts:

• When should I sign my contract? In general, always sign before any work begins. If you wait to sign until after you've done work, it's possible you might not get paid for your time, and if anything goes wrong during that non-signed-contract time, you won't be protected.
• What happens if a problem arises where an answer is not clearly outlined in my contract? In general, since you're the one being paid (the employee), you have more protections than the payer does. So the law is usually on your side, meaning if you feel you've been harmed, you should seek legal counsel right away because chances are high you'll be able to get recourse.
• What is fair compensation for me as an actor? In general, for speaking roles you should almost always be paid at least $25/hr. That said, there is no technical minimum for non-union productions besides national or statewide minimum wage. In some cases, you might work for free in exchange for a copy of the footage so you can build your reel, but be sure this is spelled out clearly in your contract because many actors never wind up getting their footage back! You might also consider asking for a Most Favored Nations status, where you are guaranteed to be paid the same minimum as other actors on set who worked similarly to you.
• What happens if I breach my contract? Oftentimes you'll need to pay a hefty fine. Breach of contract is very serious issue and beyond just the fine, you could also get sued and even be badmouthed around the industry, leading you to find it more difficult to book acting work in the future. This industry is smaller than you think and people talk!
• When should I pay for a lawyer to review my contract? If you have an agent, they should be able to review your contracts for you, but if you don't have one, most actors will review contracts for small projects on their own and get a lawyer involved for bigger productions or longer-term agreements (especially for non-union projects) that pay over $10,000. You should ALWAYS have a lawyer review a contract before you sign with an agent or manager. Even if the agency has a legal department, keep in mind that their lawyer is looking out for THEM, not you.
• How much do typical entertainment lawyers cost? Most lawyers charge somewhere between $200-400/hr, and it could cost up to $1,500 to have a lawyer fully review and advise you on a major contract. It's generally worth it for any productions where you'll get paid over $10,000 because it's significantly cheaper to hire a lawyer to review the contract up front than to have them fight for you after a breach or problem arises down the line.
• How do I hire a lawyer? If you don't have any family or friend lawyers who can help you out, try searching Google and Yelp for highly-rated attorneys. You can also ask people you know if they know any lawyers. You don't necessarily need an entertainment attorney to review a contract, but if you can find one it's usually better since they have more experience with the terminology and can better anticipate potential things that could go wrong. The more experienced the attorney is, the less time they'll bill for, since they already know almost everything and don't need to spend time researching. Once you find a few lawyers, call them to see if you get a good feeling about working with them. As long as your personalities mesh well and they have some good reviews online, they'd probably be a safe bet – especially for simple work like contract review.
• If I get a lawyer, do I still need to read the actor contract myself? Absolutely! There are plenty of things you might be concerned with that your lawyer won't think you care about. Example: they might assume you already read the contract and were totally fine with being paid $8/hr and not being allowed to use the footage in your reel afterwards.
• What's the process for negotiating actor contracts? It's simple! No production company expects you to sign an agreement outright without asking questions or requesting modifications. Simply read through the contract and send the production company an email mentioning anything you'd like changed or modified. They will email or call you to go through everything and explain what can or cannot be changed and why, and at that point you can make your final decision on whether you want to sign.
• Should I sign an acting contract on the spot? Never do this. Always ask to take the contract home so you have time to read it through in full and understand it. If you are pressured to sign on the spot, that's a major red flag and you should avoid working with that production company. Be sure to sleep on it because you'll catch things you might have missed after a good-night's rest.

​Some Final Tips to Keep in Mind

Hopefully your brain isn't hurting from all this information! Learning this info once will save you a lifetime of potential headaches in the future, so I applaud your willingness to stick with it.

​Here are a few final tips to keep in mind as you prepare to sign your acting contract:

• Review the contract on your computer screen AND in printed form. Read it through in full – once on the computer and once in printed form. It's likely certain things will jump out at you that you missed from one version to the next. Be sure to read every line with a highlighter, and feel free to take breaks if you need – getting through it from end to end is important.
• Look up words you don't understand. The first time you read an actor contract is the most difficult because you need to keep stopping to look every word up. But after you've done it once or twice, got becomes WAY easier since you'll know what everything means. So spend the time now to look up anything you don't know, and you'll never have to spend that time again!
• Be sure everything the production company said you'd get is in writing. Some projects get acquired by other companies midway through, and if something isn't in writing, it likely won't happen. This includes the accommodations you'll receive and even the way you'll be credited.
• Make sure the time commitment is clear. How long are you to be "exclusive" to them? How long will they own the rights to your image & likeness? How long will the production last? There should be clear dates or clear explanations of "if this then that," etc.
• Avoid signing contracts with vagueness. If something says, "to be negotiated in good faith," or "to be determined later," that's a bad sign – make sure all of this is spelled out in advance, otherwise it's essentially as though there is no provision at all for it.
• Don't be afraid to ask for what you want. As stated earlier, production companies expect you to negotiate. They won't back out of having you play the role just because you ask for some changes to your contract. You can even negotiate the rate you're to be paid – all you need to do is send them an email with the requested changes and include a line such as, "If any of these requests are not possible, please let me know and I can speak to my lawyer to see what I can do to make this work for both of us!"
• Ask for more than you'd be happy with. The first draft of any actor contract you'll get will almost always favor the production company more than it favors you, so when you ask for more, it's WAY easier for the production company to simply say "No, but we can do this instead," then for them to completely cut you off and sign with another actor. So ask for more than what you'll be happy with and they'll come back to you with something in the middle, so you get exactly what you want!
• Watch out for short contracts. Any contract under two pages long is a big red flag – it's probably missing important information and likely means the production company you're working with is not legitimate or experienced.
• You still need to read your contract even if you're a union member. Some companies add "riders" (additions) to the end of their contracts that modify the standard union contract, so be sure to check your contract for such additions.
• Always ask for a copy after signing. Be sure to get a copy of the agreement right after it's been signed so you can reference it at any point in the future should something go wrong.

3 Numbers All Actors Should Know

Knowing how actor contracts work is important, but it's just one small part of growing your acting career.

If your goal is to act full-time, you should know these 3 numbers:

• 40-60 Submissions – This is how often full-time, working actors submit themselves (whether they have an agent or not) each month.
• 10-20 Auditions – This is how many times full-time working actors audition (or at least record and submit self-tapes) each month.
• 3-5 Bookings  – This is how often full-time working actors book real, paid acting jobs each and every month.

If your numbers aren't there yet, that's OK! It's certainly not easy to audition and book that much.

But those are actual, real numbers from busy, working actors who didn't just get lucky.

Those busy, working actors started at the beginning – for them, the biggest question swirling in their minds at the time was:

How do I get taken seriously by casting directors when I don't have good credits or footage? And how do I get credits/footage without being taken seriously by casting directors?

It's the classic actor's catch 22.

When we're struggling to get our careers off the ground, our minds can slip into "desperation mode" and start looking for quick-fix solutions. We'll ask ourselves questions like:

• "Should I take another acting class?"
• "Do I need better headshots or should I pay to shoot a reel?"
• "What's the fastest way to get an agent?"

But questions like those mean you're focused on Tactics, instead of Strategy.

Think about it this way: Would you bake a cake by randomly sliding a pile of flour, eggs, and chocolate into the oven? Of course not! How you combine the ingredients, the temperature you cook it at, and for how long are all just as important.

Similarly, the long-term, well thought-out strategy you follow as you grow your acting career matters. A LOT.

That's why "strategic thinking" is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself as an actor.

So today I'd like to give you a gift: 3 tools specifically designed to help you start thinking and operating strategically.

These tools have helped over 14,000 actors so far, many of whom have gone on to:

• Book Broadway roles
• Land network television and Netflix shows
• Sign with agents and managers
• And much more – faster than you'd expect (you can see some success stories here).

My free Actor's Toolkit will help you BLAST through the actor's catch 22 so you start getting WAY more auditions and bookings every month:
​

The Actor's Toolkit

• ​​The Top 6 Casting Websites to Find Auditions, plus 3 specific submissions strategies to get higher-quality auditions from them
• 3 Pro Actor Resume Templates, professionally formatted (they work on any device – just add your info)
• Contact info of over 140 Top Talent Agencies & Submissions Techniques to save you the hassle of trying to find legitimate (non-scam) agents

Get Instant Access

​
​​​​Martin Bentsen has helped over 14,000 actors with their careers and actor headshots since 2009 and his photography studio City Headshots is ranked #1 on Yelp. He’s spoken at NYU, The New England Theater Conference, The Actor’s Green Room, and other venues.
​
Want to book more acting work by thinking strategically? Start with his free Actor’s Toolkit to create new opportunities right away, or visit his website at www.martinbentsen.com.

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Some Additional Q&A

​Do Actors Have Contracts?

Yes! Whenever actors are hired by legitimate production companies, they need to sign a contract. To see a sample of what this document looks like, check out this Film Contracts for Actors PDF or you can search google for "actor contract template free."

​How Long are Actor Contracts?

Most actor contracts are between two and three pages long. The typical term for an actor contract is a certain a number of months after the film or play premieres, although some go on indefinitely. Term lengths can vary greatly!

The typical term for an agent or manager contract for actors is about 12 to 18 months.

​How Do Actors Get Paid?

Actors get paid by filling out a W2 or W9 on set and then are sent payment by direct deposit or check. For smaller, indie films, some actors are paid cash and others are "deferred," meaning they'll only get paid after the film starts earning money (which could be never).

Do Actors Have Contracts with Studios?

Actors no longer sign to studios. They sign a contract for each specific project they do but are free to work with all different studios over time.

In the past, actors used to sign with one particular studio for a certain length of time and could only perform in productions made by that studio, but nowadays that's no longer the case.

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​​Further Reading:

​If you enjoyed this article (Actor Contracts), you might be interested in some of these:​
​​

• Acting as a Career: All You Need to Know
• SAG Eligible: What it Means and How to Get There
  
• How to Get an Acting Agent: The Ultimate Guide