What is a crew deal memo?
On most shoots, crew are booked by phone or text, and the details only get argued over after wrap: what the standard day was, when overtime started, whether the kit fee was per day or flat, who paid for the hotel. A deal memo puts those terms in one short document that the production and the crew member both sign before prep starts.
This template covers a freelance or fixed-term hire on a feature, short, series, documentary, commercial, music video or branded video. It records the position, department and who the crew member reports to; prep, shoot and wrap dates; the day rate, the length of the standard day and how overtime is paid; meal breaks and rest periods; a kit rental fee with a kit list and who insures it; mileage, distant location travel and per diem; screen credit; work for hire and assignment of rights; confidentiality and social media; safety and conduct on set, including the right to stop unsafe work; and cancellation pay and notice to end early. If a union or guild agreement applies, you name it and its better terms win.
- Best for
- Independent films, TV and online series, commercials, music videos and corporate shoots
- Signed by
- The production (producer or line producer) and the crew member
- Pay terms
- Day rate, standard day, overtime, prep and travel days, kit fee, per diem
- Length
- 3 pages, initialled on every page
When to use a crew deal memo
- Booking a 1st AC, gaffer or sound mixer for a three-week indie feature
- Hiring a freelance editor or DIT who brings their own kit
- Crewing a one-day commercial or music video shoot
- Taking a crew member to a distant location with travel, hotel and per diem
- Recording a fixed-term employee hire for a series season
What you fill in
35 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: production, crew member.
1 The production
- Date of this memo*
- Production company*
- Project title*
- Type of project* feature film · short film · television series · television pilot · documentary · commercial · music video · corporate or branded video
2 The crew member
- Crew member's full name*
- Crew member's company (if invoicing through one)
- Crew member's phone and email
- Position*
- Department*
- Reports to*
- Basis of hire* a freelance independent contractor · a fixed-term employee of the Production for this project
- Union or guild agreement that applies (if any)
3 Dates and location
- Prep dates
- First shoot day*
- Last shoot day (expected)*
- Wrap dates
- Base or main locations*
4 Pay
- Currency*
- Day rate*
- Standard day (hours, excluding meal break)*
- Overtime*
- Prep, wrap and travel day rate
- Payment*
5 Kit, travel and expenses
- Kit or box rental fee
- Kit fee is paid per shoot day · per week · as a flat fee for the project
- Kit included
- Kit insurance The Production's equipment insurance covers the kit while it is in use on the project · The crew member insures their own kit
- Mileage or local travel
- Distant location travel and accommodation
- Per diem (per day on distant location)
6 Credit and rights
- Screen credit
7 Cancellation and ending
- Cancellation notice (hours before call time)*
- Paid if a day is cancelled with less notice*
- Notice to end early (days)*
- Governing law*
8 Who signs
- Production signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The producer, line producer or production manager authorised to hire crew for the project.
- Crew member signature and date, initials on every page · The person being hired. If they work through their own company, put the company in the crew member box and have its owner sign.
What the crew deal memo covers
- Position
- Dates
- Pay and hours
- Kit, travel and expenses
- Credit
- Work for hire and rights
- Confidentiality and social media
- Safety and conduct on set
- Cancellation and ending early
- General
Using the crew deal memo, step by step
1 Describe the project and the job
Enter the production company, project title and type, then the position, department and who the crew member reports to. Choose whether they are a freelance contractor or a fixed-term employee, and name any union or guild agreement that applies.
2 Set the dates
Add the first and last shoot day, plus any prep and wrap days. The memo says schedules may change and the crew member doesn't have to work days they haven't agreed to.
3 Agree the money
Enter the day rate, how many hours the standard day covers, how overtime is calculated and how prep, wrap and travel days are paid. Add a kit fee, kit list and who insures the kit, and mileage, travel and per diem if needed.
4 Credit, cancellation and law
Write how the credit will read, or leave it empty if the project has no crew credits. Set the cancellation notice and what is paid for a late cancellation, the notice to end early and the governing law.
5 Send for signature
Send the memo to the crew member to sign online. Both of you get the signed PDF, and it is filed in your vault with the rest of the production paperwork.
Tips before you send it
- Agree the standard day and overtime before the first call. Most crew disputes are about hours, not the day rate.
- If a crew member invoices through their own company, enter it. The memo then says the named person must do the work personally.
- Calling someone a freelancer doesn't make them one. Where crew work set hours under your direction for weeks, check local employment rules.
- Keep risk assessments for stunts, water, heights and vehicles with the call sheet. The memo promises to share them.
Sign it online in minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Crew deal memo: frequently asked questions
What is a crew deal memo?
A short contract that confirms a crew member's hire on a production: their position, dates, pay, kit, travel and credit, plus who owns the work they create. It is signed before prep or the first shoot day.
Does the production own what the crew member creates?
Yes. The memo treats it as work made for hire where the law allows, and otherwise assigns the rights to the production, with moral rights waived as far as the law allows. The crew member keeps their own kit and pre-existing materials.
What happens if a shoot day is cancelled?
If the production cancels with less than the notice you set, it pays what you agreed, such as the full day rate and kit fee. For cancellations caused by events outside its control, such as severe weather, the parties agree a fair payment.
Does this replace a union agreement?
No. If a union or guild agreement applies, name it in the memo. Its terms apply wherever they are better for the crew member.
Can crew sign on their phone?
Yes. The crew member gets an email link and signs in the browser, with no account needed. FileIt keeps the audit trail with the signed PDF.