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Industry Reference · Anatomy of a TVC Budget

One TVC, line by line.

Fictional Bank · 2026 Spring TVC. A small slate · one principal, one featured extra, four extras, a voiceover, a stills extension, a casting director, a fitting and a travel day. Every figure on this page comes from the live engine that runs the Project Builder and reconciles to the same primary sources.

Producer grand total

$42,948

All in · talent + agency + super + WC + payroll tax

Shoot

NSW · 1 shoot day · 10-hour ordinary day

NSW · Motion Picture WC class

Term

12 months · National AU · Multi-platform

Within MEAA TVC 2024 36-month max

Lines on the budget

11

23 citations across the page

Principal

Principal · hero

Named, speaking performer · TV + BVOD + full online buyout

Producer

$11,250

Performer net $10,125

Principals are market-negotiated · MEAA TVC 2024 deliberately publishes no session-fee minimum for them. The $4,500 base sits inside the Story Machine triangulated mid-band; loadings are CGA percentages on top of the negotiated performance fee.

Breakdown

  • Session fee × 1 shoot day$4,500.00
  • Broadcaster VOD (9Now, 7Plus, 10Play, Pluto) (+50%)$2,250.00
  • Full internet / online buyout (+100%)$4,500.00
Commissionable subtotal$11,250.00
Agency commission · performer-borne$1,125.00

Source

CGA 24 Sep 2024 · Additional Media

BVOD +50% and Full internet buyout +100% are flat percentage loadings of the negotiated performance fee, additive on top of the bundled FTA + Pay TV base.

All loadings are expressed as a percentage of the Negotiated Performance Fee (session + base buyout). The base bundle covers Free-to-air TV, Pay TV, basic online and basic streaming · everything else additively stacks as a loading on the base.
Casting Guild of Australia · Recommended Guideline of TVC Percentages for Additional Media, 24 Sep 2024
+ 3 more citations

MEAA TVC 2024 · No published minimum for Principals

MEAA TVC 2024 does not publish a session-fee minimum for Principals. Producers quote off the agent submission, anchored to industry triangulation (Story Machine, Lokomotion, MCTV).

MEAA's 2024 rewrite intentionally omits a session-fee schedule. The contract sets the framework · term, rollovers, AI consent, cancellation · but leaves dollar amounts to negotiation between the agent and the producer.
MEAA TVC Standard Contract 2024 · framework only

MEAA TVC 2024 · 36-month max term

12-month initial period is the most common slot. The total usage term is capped at 36 months across initial + rollovers.

Maximum total usage term is 36 months. Perpetuity or unlimited-term clauses are prohibited. After the maximum, further use requires a brand-new contract and fresh negotiation, not another rollover.
MEAA TVC Standard Contract 2024 · Term & Rollovers

Acting agent · 10% performer-borne

Most acting agents (MCTV, RGM, BGM, Pinnacle) deduct 10% from the performer's fee on receipt. The line never appears on the producer's invoice as a separate charge.

Producer pays 1× talent fee. Agency receives payment, deducts 10%, remits 90% to performer. Commission never appears on the producer's invoice.
AGENCY_COMMISSION_MODELS · ACTING_AGENT_10

Featured Extra

Featured Extra · barista

Auditioned, individually directed, recognisable on screen · multi-platform

Producer

$5,490

Performer net $4,500

Featured Extras have the only hard dollar minimum CGA publishes ($1,500 adult). Loadings stack as percentages on top. Booked through a model agency, so the producer pays an explicit 20% + GST agency service fee on top of the talent fee.

Breakdown

  • Session fee × 1 shoot day$1,500.00
  • Broadcaster VOD (9Now, 7Plus, 10Play, Pluto) (+50%)$750.00
  • Full internet / online buyout (+100%)$1,500.00
  • Social media (paid or organic) (+25%)$375.00
  • Online banners / display / in-app bumpers (+25%)$375.00
Commissionable subtotal$4,500.00
Agency commission · producer-borne$900.00

Source

CGA 24 Sep 2024 · Featured Extra hard minimum

$1,500 adult / $750 child for FTA + Pay TV + basic online + basic streaming. Any other media stacks a percentage loading on top of the $1,500.

Featured Extra: auditioned, or individually directed on the day and recognisable in finished material; not a Lead, Solo or speaker. Adult hard minimum: $1,500. Child hard minimum: $750. Includes FTA, Pay TV, Online basic, Streaming basic.
Casting Guild of Australia · Recommended Guideline of TVC Percentages, 24 Sep 2024 · Featured Extra Minimum
+ 2 more citations

MEAA TVC 2024 · Extras upgrade triggers

If a Background Extra is individually directed, recognisable in finished material, or required to speak (including ad-lib), they upgrade to Featured Extra and are paid the full Featured Extra fee for the day.

If any of the following apply during the shoot, a Background Extra upgrades to Featured Extra or Principal and is paid the higher category's full session fee for the day: (i) individually directed on set; (ii) recognisable in finished material; (iii) required to speak (including ad-lib).
MEAA TVC Standard Contract 2024 · Extras Upgrade Triggers

Model agency · 20% + GST producer-borne

Fashion / commercial model agencies (Chic, Vivien's, IMG, Priscillas, Chadwicks) bill an explicit 20% Agency Service Fee + GST on top of the talent fee. The producer pays 1.20× talent + GST on the 20%.

Agency adds 20% + 10% GST as an explicit "Agency Service Fee" line on the producer's invoice. Producer pays 1.20× talent fee + GST on the 20%.
AGENCY_COMMISSION_MODELS · MODEL_AGENCY_20_GST

Extra · cafe patron #1

Extra · cafe patron #1

Background, no dialogue · TV + BVOD + full online buyout

Producer

$1,200

Performer net $1,080

Background Extras have no MEAA/CGA published TVC minimum. The market triangulates to $350-$500, with usage loadings stacked on top of the negotiated session figure exactly as for principals.

Breakdown

  • Session fee × 1 shoot day$480.00
  • Broadcaster VOD (9Now, 7Plus, 10Play, Pluto) (+50%)$240.00
  • Full internet / online buyout (+100%)$480.00
Commissionable subtotal$1,200.00
Agency commission · performer-borne$120.00

Source

Market triangulated · no MEAA/CGA TVC minimum

Story Machine, Lokomotion (independent agreement), and MCTV publish background extra ranges of $350-$500. CGA 24 Sep 2024 explicitly covers Featured Extras and not Background Extras.

Background Extras: market range $350-$500 triangulated across Story Machine, Lokomotion (independent agreement). No MEAA/CGA TVC minimum published for Background Extras.
PERFORMER_ROLES · EXTRA · market triangulation
+ 1 more citation

CGA Statement Re: Advertising · April 2025

CGA recommends a 6-hour minimum call for Background Extras. The MEAA minimum call is 4 hours, so 6 is a recommendation not a requirement.

CGA recommends a minimum 6hr call for Background Extras. The current MEAA minimum call time for Background Extras is, however, 4 hours.
CGA Statement Re: Advertising, April 2025 · Background Extras Minimum Call

Extra · cafe patron #2

Extra · cafe patron #2

Background, no dialogue · TV + BVOD + full online buyout

Producer

$1,200

Performer net $1,080

Same booking conditions as Extra #1. Identical loadings.

Breakdown

  • Session fee × 1 shoot day$480.00
  • Broadcaster VOD (9Now, 7Plus, 10Play, Pluto) (+50%)$240.00
  • Full internet / online buyout (+100%)$480.00
Commissionable subtotal$1,200.00
Agency commission · performer-borne$120.00

Source

Market triangulated · no MEAA/CGA TVC minimum

See Extra #1.

Background Extras: market range $350-$500 triangulated across Story Machine, Lokomotion (independent agreement). No MEAA/CGA TVC minimum published for Background Extras.
PERFORMER_ROLES · EXTRA · market triangulation

Extra · pedestrian #1

Extra · pedestrian #1

Background, no dialogue · TV + BVOD + full online buyout

Producer

$1,200

Performer net $1,080

Same booking conditions as Extra #1.

Breakdown

  • Session fee × 1 shoot day$480.00
  • Broadcaster VOD (9Now, 7Plus, 10Play, Pluto) (+50%)$240.00
  • Full internet / online buyout (+100%)$480.00
Commissionable subtotal$1,200.00
Agency commission · performer-borne$120.00

Source

Market triangulated · no MEAA/CGA TVC minimum

See Extra #1.

Background Extras: market range $350-$500 triangulated across Story Machine, Lokomotion (independent agreement). No MEAA/CGA TVC minimum published for Background Extras.
PERFORMER_ROLES · EXTRA · market triangulation

Extra · pedestrian #2

Extra · pedestrian #2

Background, no dialogue · TV + BVOD + full online buyout

Producer

$1,200

Performer net $1,080

Same booking conditions as Extra #1.

Breakdown

  • Session fee × 1 shoot day$480.00
  • Broadcaster VOD (9Now, 7Plus, 10Play, Pluto) (+50%)$240.00
  • Full internet / online buyout (+100%)$480.00
Commissionable subtotal$1,200.00
Agency commission · performer-borne$120.00

Source

Market triangulated · no MEAA/CGA TVC minimum

See Extra #1.

Background Extras: market range $350-$500 triangulated across Story Machine, Lokomotion (independent agreement). No MEAA/CGA TVC minimum published for Background Extras.
PERFORMER_ROLES · EXTRA · market triangulation

Voiceover

Voiceover · narrator (separate session)

Separate studio session · MEAA Visual Commercial single-platform · 15/30s · National · 12mo

Producer

$985

Performer net $887

Voiceover is its own MEAA instrument. The 1 July 2025 rate card publishes hard cell minimums by length × coverage × term. The narrator booking lands at the 15/30s × National × 12-month cell on page 1.

Breakdown

  • Television (FTA + Pay TV) · National$985.00
Commissionable subtotal$985.00
Agency commission · performer-borne$98.50

Source

MEAA VO Rate Card 1 Jul 2025 · p.1 single-platform

Visual Commercial single platform Television · 15/30s · National AU · 12 months = $985 minimum.

Visual Commercial single-platform minimums by length × coverage × term. 15/30s · National · 12mth = $985. 15/30s · National · 4-6mth = $785. 15/30s · National · 3mth = $590.
MEAA Voiceover Industry Rate Card, 1 July 2025 (v9) · p.1
+ 1 more citation

MEAA VO Standard Contract · separate session

Voiceover work performed in a studio outside the TVC shoot day is its own session, paid at the VO rate card not the on-camera fee.

A voice performance recorded in a studio session (not on a TVC shoot day) is contracted under the MEAA Voiceover Standard Contract and priced under the MEAA Voiceover Industry Rate Card. On-set voiceover is absorbed into the TVC day fee if same-day.
MEAA Voiceover Standard Contract 2024 · session definition

Stills usage extension

Stills usage extension · principal

Continuation of stills usage past the TVC shoot day · agent quote

Producer

$10,000

Stills usage is the largest area MEAA does not codify. The producer types the agent-quoted session fee and usage percentage from the deal memo. The engine bills it as a session + percentage of session.

Breakdown

  • Stills session fee$2,500.00
  • Usage loading (+300%)$7,500.00
Commissionable subtotal$10,000.00
Agency commission · performer-borne$1,000.00

Source

Agent quote · stills not MEAA-covered

MEAA does not publish a stills usage matrix. Producers and agents negotiate session + usage % per booking, often anchored to a multiple of the TVC day fee.

Stills are not MEAA-covered. The producer enters the number from the quote they have in hand, because there is no public stills usage matrix to encode. CGA does not publish a stills loading separate from "Online stills" (+25%) and "Stills on stadium" (+35%).
Engine · STILLS line item · per deal memo
+ 1 more citation

CGA 24 Sep 2024 · stills-related media loadings

CGA does publish stills-flavoured loadings where stills appear in named media · online stills +25%, stills on stadium +35%, stills in print combo +60%. They are loadings on the on-camera fee, not a standalone stills usage schedule.

Online stills +25%. Stills on stadium +35%. TVC + stills on stadium combo +60%. Magazines + press print combo +60%.
CGA Recommended Guideline of TVC Percentages, 24 Sep 2024 · Additional Media

Casting director

Casting director · pre-pro

Pre-production casting · flat, non-commissionable

Producer

$4,500

Casting director fees sit outside the talent fee ledger. They do not feed agency commission, super, workers comp or payroll tax · they are a producer-side professional service.

Breakdown

  • Casting director fee (flat)$4,500.00
Commissionable subtotal$0.00
Non-commissionable$4,500.00

Source

Casting director invoice · not MEAA/CGA-codified

Casting fees are negotiated directly between producer and casting director. CGA represents casting directors but does not publish a recommended fee schedule for the engagement.

Casting director fees are flat, project-quoted, and non-commissionable. They do not feed any of the talent-fee derivatives (agency commission, super guarantee, workers comp wages base, payroll tax wages base).
Engine · CASTING line item

Wardrobe fitting

Wardrobe fitting · principal

2 hours @ CGA hourly · principal

Producer

$150

CGA publishes flat hourly rates for ancillary work (wardrobe, hair, makeup, rehearsal). Fittings are commissionable and fold into the talent commissionable subtotal that feeds super, workers comp and payroll tax.

Breakdown

  • Wardrobe fitting · principal · 2 × 75$150.00
Commissionable subtotal$150.00
Agency commission · performer-borne$15.00

Source

CGA 24 Sep 2024 · Ancillary · Wardrobe / Hair / Makeup

$75 per hour. CGA does not publish a formal minimum call · market practice is 2-2.5 hour minimum.

Wardrobe / hair / makeup hourly rate: $75. CGA does not publish a formal minimum call; market practice is 2-2.5hr min.
Casting Guild of Australia · Recommended Guideline of TVC Percentages, 24 Sep 2024 · Ancillary

Travel / lay day

Travel / lay day · domestic · principal

1 day · domestic · principal

Producer

$300

Performer travels to NSW shoot from another state. Travel days are CGA flat fees, commissionable. Per-diems would be separately non-commissionable but the FBT note (gross-up 1.8868 × 47%) attaches to the row in the engine output for compliance.

Breakdown

  • Travel / lay day · domestic · principal · 1 × 300$300.00
Commissionable subtotal$300.00
Agency commission · performer-borne$30.00

Source

CGA 24 Sep 2024 · Travel / Lay Day · Domestic

$300 flat per domestic travel/lay day. International (incl. NZ): $500.

Travel / lay day domestic: $300. Travel / lay day international (includes NZ): $500. Per diem: $75 · non-commissionable.
Casting Guild of Australia · Recommended Guideline of TVC Percentages, 24 Sep 2024 · Ancillary
+ 1 more citation

FBTAA 1986 · Type 2 gross-up note

If allowance components exceed ATO reasonable amounts (TD 2025/4: $38.65 overtime meal) the excess is a reportable fringe benefit. Type 2 gross-up = 1.8868 × 47% FBT.

FBT note — if this allowance exceeds ATO reasonable amounts it may be a reportable fringe benefit. Estimated FBT exposure (Type 2): 1.8868× gross-up × 47% (FBT year ending 31 Mar 2026). ATO reasonable amount for overtime meals: $38.65/meal (TD 2025/4).
FBTAA 1986 · ATO TD 2025/4 · Type 2 gross-up 1.8868

Statutory loadings

Super, workers comp, payroll tax.

The three lines that sit on top of every talent fee on an Australian shoot. None of them are MEAA / CGA · they're tax.

  • Super guarantee (12% on OTE)$3,838.20
  • Workers comp (NSW Motion Picture)$310.25
  • Payroll tax (NSW)$1,324.82
  • Producer-borne agency fee$900.00
  • GST on agency fee$90.00

Sources

SGAA 1992 · 12% on OTE from 1 July 2025

Super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings. Overtime is excluded from the OTE base. Performers engaged for advertising are deemed employees under s12-3 SG Ruling 2009/1.

From 1 July 2025 the Super Guarantee rate is 12% of OTE. Section 12(3) of the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 deems a person paid wholly or principally for their labour to be an employee for SG purposes. SGR 2009/1 confirms performers engaged under contract for advertising work fall inside this definition.
Super Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 · ATO SGR 2009/1

icare NSW 2025-26 · Motion Picture 0.97%

NSW workers comp rate for class 911100 (Film and Video Production / Motion Picture) is 0.97% of wages. Performer class (924200) is higher at 1.32%. Producers usually hold a Motion Picture policy already.

NSW Schedule 1 cl. 2 of the Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998: a person engaged as an entertainer in any public performance is automatically a worker of the person conducting the performance. Producer holds the policy. Motion Picture (911100) rate FY 2025-26: 0.97%. Annual minimum premium: $240.
icare NSW Workers Compensation Industry Classification Rates 2025-2026

Revenue NSW · Payroll Tax 5.45% above $1.2M threshold

NSW payroll tax is 5.45% on wages above the $1.2M annual threshold, apportioned by the producer's NSW share of total Australian wages. Single-project talent fees rarely hit this on their own · the line is meaningful only if the producer's group annual wages already exceed the threshold.

NSW payroll tax is calculated by deducting the apportioned threshold from Australian taxable wages, then taxing the remainder at 5.45%. The deduction is the annual threshold ($1.2M) multiplied by the proportion of NSW wages to total Australian wages.
Revenue NSW · Payroll Tax Act 2007 (NSW)

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Referenced sources

  • MEAA TVC Standard Contract 2024
  • MEAA Voiceover Rate Card v9 · 1 July 2025
  • MEAA Voiceover Standard Contract + AI Rider 2024
  • CGA Recommended Guideline 24 Sep 2024
  • Story Machine TVC Casting Cost Guide 2025
  • ATO PAYG Schedule 3 FY 2025-26
  • FY25-26 state workers comp rating orders
  • Super Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992
  • BoM forecast.gov.au
  • Nager.Date AU public holidays

Figures are indicative. Super guarantee is at the 12% cap. Verify with your union rep, agent, or accountant before making commercial decisions. Not affiliated with MEAA.

Last verified: May 2026
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