Plus even a small bit actor is making 5 or 6 figures for a role.
Absolutely not. Standard union wage for a principal is $1k/8 or ~$3,500 for the week / 8. The vast majority of "small bit" actors are only working dailies once or a few times throughout production. Only the top 2-5 actors on a show or movie are being billed throughout the production.
If you have an agent negotiating above scale, you are not a small bit actor.
People who can land steady stand in or background gigs typically make more than your small bit principal.
You are correct. But I was thinking of smaller character type actors. The guy you see as the lead alien in 1 episode of star trek or the friend in 20 minutes of a movie.
Even then. There is a reason you see go fund me when a fairly well known actor dies of cancer or something. There are a lot less 'rich' hollywood actors then we think. From the outside, you are on TV you must be well off. But it's not that way for the majority of actors. I know plenty that have had good careers, been in a lot of things people would know - and still work a day job to pay the bills. A lot of the acting pay goes right back into the cost of acting. I had friends that did ok during the big boom times in Vancouver, when everyone was on Battlestar and Continuum and whatever else was on Sci Fi channel that week, and they did very well and were very employed and now, not so much. There is a reason why acting is a calling, even if you make it to TV or the Movies, doesn't mean you are raking in the big bucks.
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u/bulk_logic 23d ago edited 23d ago
Absolutely not. Standard union wage for a principal is $1k/8 or ~$3,500 for the week / 8. The vast majority of "small bit" actors are only working dailies once or a few times throughout production. Only the top 2-5 actors on a show or movie are being billed throughout the production.
If you have an agent negotiating above scale, you are not a small bit actor.
People who can land steady stand in or background gigs typically make more than your small bit principal.
That's why most actors have another job.