For artists’ contracts, the actors’ union, Equity, has negotiated collective agreements for all types of artists including Stunt Performers working on productions in the following areas:
- BBC
- ITV
- TAC
- BSKYB
- Independent film and television
- TV and radio commercials
- Sound recordings
- New technologies: internet, podcasts, mobisodes, motion capture
- Non-broadcast film or video
These agreements for artists’ contracts cover the detail of working terms and conditions such as numbers of performances, hours, breaks, health and safety, dispute procedures, usage rights, royalties and touring etc.
Equity also offers a pension scheme. Artists have the option of opting into the scheme on each contract. The Production then needs to ensure that the appropriate deductions are made and the employer’s contribution paid into the scheme.
In the US, artists agreements are negotiated by the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. These two unions have been merged are now known as SAG-AFTRA.
When engaging background artistes, stand-ins and doubles, there are agreements with BBC, ITV and FAA (The Film Artistes Association).
