“Twelve for film, ten for commercials” is useful shorthand for a booking conversation. It is not a complete deal. It does not tell you when overtime starts, whether lunch is included or whether the truck return is paid.
Write down the paid hours covered by the rate and what happens when the work runs longer.
Quoted hours, overtime and minimum calls
- Quoted day
- The block of time named in the offer. Ask whether it means paid work hours or elapsed time including a meal.
- Overtime threshold
- When the law or applicable agreement starts a premium. It can come before the quoted day ends.
- Minimum call
- A payment guarantee. It is not necessarily the planned wrap time or an overtime threshold.
What a quote needs to say
Write down the agreement
- Rate
- $___ in wages for ___ paid hours. Base hourly rate: $___.
- Overtime
- Starts after ___ hours at ___. Any included overtime is itemized.
- Meals
- ___ minutes; paid / unpaid; what happens if interrupted or late.
- Start & finish
- Prep, pickups, load-in, wrap, returns and travel: ___.
- Rest & transport
- Next call, travel time, safe ride or accommodation: ___.
- Other money
- Kit, mileage, expenses and applicable taxes listed separately.
- Payment & changes
- Who pays, when, cancellation terms and how changes are agreed.
A conversation checklist, not a contract template or a way to waive minimum rights.
“All-in” needs a breakdown
Suppose a hypothetical $420 package explicitly covers 12 paid hours: eight at base rate and four at time-and-a-half. That is 14 base-rate units, so the underlying rate is $30—not $35 from dividing $420 by 12.
An arithmetic example only. Whether a package is lawful or satisfies an agreement needs separate review. Do not use this division to retroactively reduce an agreed hourly rate. The Saskatchewan pay calculator does not use this example as a payroll preset.
Checking the terms for a Saskatchewan job
Ask for a defined day, an overtime formula and a record of all the work. A comparison with another production market still needs those details.
The province’s overtime guidance specifically includes employees paid by the day. Your employment status, exemptions and agreement still matter.
Check the hourly value of your day rate, or record your actual hours in a time card. Being above minimum wage does not confirm that all overtime and other pay were included.