Here's how the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) defines the different pay scales:
* Ultra Low Budget: This category is for films with budgets of less than $700,000. Actors in this category are paid $18.40 per hour.
* Low Budget: This category is for films with budgets between $700,000 and $2.5 million. Actors in this category are paid $18.40 per hour, plus 10% of their gross earnings.
* Medium Budget: This category is for films with budgets between $2.5 million and $10 million. Actors in this category are paid $21.43 per hour, plus 15% of their gross earnings.
* High Budget: This category is for films with budgets over $10 million. Actors in this category are paid $30.60 per hour, plus 20% of their gross earnings.
* Television Series: The minimum wage for an actor on a television series is $17.35 per hour. Union actors may earn more than this minimum, depending on their level of experience and the terms of their contracts.
In addition to their hourly wages, actors may also receive other compensation, such as royalties, residuals, and points. Royalties are payments that actors receive when their work is sold or distributed, such as when a movie is released on DVD or streamed online. Residuals are payments that actors receive each time their work is aired or performed, such as when a TV show is re-run or a commercial is aired. Points are a percentage of the profits from a film or TV show that actors may receive if they are successful.
The pay for actors can vary widely depending on their level of experience, the type of production they are working on, and their union status. However, the Screen Actors Guild's minimum wage rates provide a good starting point for understanding how much an actor can expect to earn.