The cheat sheet
One page · nine cards · every figure cited. Print it, tape it on the production-office wall, and quote from it.
Last verified 2026-04-28CGA Recommended Guideline of TVC Percentages · 24 Sep 2024MEAA TVC Standard Contract 2024MEAA Voiceover Industry Rate Card v9 · 1 Jul 2025ATO Tax Tables FY 2025-26 · Schedule 3 (NAT 1023)
Performer day rates
Base day · 10-hour ordinary day (CGA) · before any usage loading.
Principal · named, speakingMarket range $3k–$25k. No MEAA/CGA floor.$4,500
Featured Extra (CGA hard min)$1,500 ADULT FLOOR · the only CGA hard min.$1,500
Extra · background, no dialogueMarket $350–$500.$425
Walk-on Extra$500
Stunt PerformerStunt adjustments negotiated per action.$2,500
Stunt Double$2,000
Body Double$1,200
Hand / Parts ModelBooked via parts agencies.$1,000
Voiceover (on-set)Same-day VO absorbed; usage paid separately.$900
Child Principal (under 16)Hours capped by state child-employment law.$1,800
Child Extra (CGA hard min)$750 child Featured Extra floor.$750
Adult standard callBackground Extra min call: CGA recommends 6h, MEAA floor 4h.10h day
Loadings cheat row · top channels
% of negotiated performance fee · stack additively · concurrent with term.
FTA + Pay TV (bundled into base)FTA + Pay TV + basic online + basic streaming = the base bundle.bundled
BVOD (9Now, 7Plus, 10Play)+50%
Full online buyout+100%
OOH (large / supersite)CGA range 80–150%.+80–150%
OOH (small / DOOH)CGA range 50–100%.+50–100%
Cinema+50%
Social media (paid or organic)+25%
POS / in-store posters+35%
Personal appearancesCGA flags the channel without a fixed %.negotiable
2nd cutdown (15–30 sec)Cap edits at briefing — unlimited edits PROHIBITED.+20%
3rd cutdown (45–60 sec)+25%
Term rollover · per 12-month extensionMax 2 extensions = 36 months.+100%
Worldwide territoryCheaper than stacking 3+ individual countries.+350%
Overtime · meal · turnaround
CGA flat overtime is the current TVC market standard.
Adult ordinary day10h
Adult OT after 10hCGA flat — replaces older 1.5×/2× bands for TVC.$150/hr flat
Night loading past 22:00$500 flat
Meal break window5h after call / last meal
Meal break length30 min unpaid
Late-meal penaltyAdditive on top of prevailing rate. ≥5 min into bucket = full increment.+1× base / 15 min
Turnaround min restMEAA TVC convention. 11h if travelling, 12h+ if interstate.10h
Turnaround breachRuns from start of next day until 10h cumulative rest taken.2× base hourly
Children · rates · hours · chaperone
Working hours, tutor and chaperone are STATE-regulated, not MEAA.
Child Featured Extra (CGA hard min)Under 15.$750
Child Principal (market)$1,800
Child standard dayCGA range. State law overrides on the day.4–8h
NSW · 0–under-3OCG Authority required (every 12 mo). 1h continuous max.max 2h on set / 4h
NSW · 3 to under-6max 4h on set / 6h
NSW · 6 to under-15max 6h on set / 8h
VIC · all under-15Permit required per child per production. 30-min break after 3h.max 6h work / 8h day
QLD · under-12Industrial Relations Act — entertainment sector code.max 4h / day · 5 days/wk
Tutor · day rate (market)Required when shoot interrupts NSW/VIC school hours.$650–$850 / day
Chaperone · day rate (market)Mandatory in NSW + VIC + QLD when parent absent.$400–$550 / day
Statutory overheads · super, workers comp, payroll tax
On top of talent fee. Producer-borne unless otherwise contracted.
Super GuaranteeFrom 1 Jul 2025. Employer-paid on OTE, not OT. Payday Super from 1 Jul 2026.12%
NSW · workers comp (perf class)Motion picture class 0.97%.1.32%
VIC · workers comp (perf class)Motion picture class 0.65%.1.55%
QLD · workers compverify manually
WA · workers comp (perf class)Motion picture class 0.99%.1.34%
SA · workers comp (perf class)Motion picture class 0.84%.0.41%
NSW · payroll tax5.45% · $1.2M
VIC · payroll tax4.85% · $1M
QLD · payroll tax4.75% · $1.3M
WA · payroll tax5.5% · $1M
SA · payroll tax4.95% · $1.5M
Cancellation · postponement · weather
CGA + MEAA TVC 2024 · cancellation is uncapped since 2024 rewrite.
No fault of artistUncapped. The pre-2024 $500 cap was removed.50% of fee
MEAA TVC cancellationPrevious cap $500 removed in 2024.50% of fee
Postponement < 24h notice (VO)MEAA VO Standard Contract Part 2 §B.6.$190
Weather day · standbyProducer convention. Performer holds the day; full fee applies.100% day rate
Weather day · cover at < 24h noticeProducer convention; align with cancellation logic.50% day rate
Pre-shoot 48h+ cancelCommon practice 25% if booking confirmed; verify with agent.negotiable
PR / behind-the-scenes capCGA endorses 3-year cap; In-Perpetuity refused.36 months
Payment terms10 working days
Unlimited edits clauseCap edits at briefing. Offshore exception only.PROHIBITED
Voiceover · MEAA card v9 (1 Jul 2025)
Hard dollar minimums per [platform × length × territory × term].
V1 Television · 15/30s · 12mo · national$985
V1 Television · 15/30s · 12mo · single state$645
Audio · 12mo · national (radio / streaming)$545
Submission / audition feePer track per hour. Not absorbed into session.$220 flat
Post-sync ≤60s$250
Post-sync >60s$320
Character voice · per character per track$220 (max 5 tracks)
Name association×2 total fee
Political×2 total fee
Rush job · 24-hr turnaround$250
Rollover · per extensionInitiate ≤2 mo before expiry · 12 mo lapse.100% of original
AI · synthetic voiceMEAA mandates rate parity. No published loading.×1 (parity)
AI · cloning / trainingWithout explicit informed written consent.PROHIBITED
Tax · compliance flags
Withholding triggers · ATO + ATPI thresholds for FY 2025-26.
ABN required atBelow threshold no ABN required; above + no ABN = 47% withholding.≥ $75 invoice
No-ABN withholding (s 12-190)Applies to ANY payee — resident or foreign — without ABN.47%
Resident no-TFN (Sch 3 NAT 1023)47%
Foreign-resident entertainer (default)Commissioner-varied per case. DTA may reduce.45%
Promotional activity (varied)Performing-artists varied rate · brand events, in-person appearances.20%
GST registration threshold$75k turnover
TPAR · cleaning / courierTVC payments not currently TPAR-reportable; check ATO if outsourcing.n/a TVC
GST on producer-borne agency feeAgency 20% + GST appears as line item; performer 10% does not.10% on the 20%
Top marginal rate FY 2025-2645% (>$190k) + 2% Medicare
Tax-free threshold$18,200
Primary sources · open the original card
Always verify against the live source before quoting commercially.
MEAA TVC Standard Contract 2024Term, rollover, cancellation, AI consent, payment terms.www.meaa.org
CGA Guideline · 24 Sep 2024Loadings, territories, cutdowns, performer floors, ancillary fees.www.castingguild.com.au
CGA Statement Re: Advertising · April 2025AI clause, Background Extras 6h call, social-media archival rules.www.castingguild.com.au
MEAA Voiceover Rate Card v9 · 1 Jul 2025Visual + audio cells, territory multipliers, character voices.www.meaa.org
ATO Tax Rates · Australian ResidentsPAYG marginal brackets FY 2025-26.www.ato.gov.au
ATO · Super Guarantee 12%SG rate + Payday Super 1 Jul 2026 transition.www.ato.gov.au
Bureau of Meteorology · forecastWeather-day decisions before locking call sheet.www.bom.gov.au
Nager.Date · AU public holidaysPublic-holiday loadings + permit lead times.date.nager.at
icare NSW · workers comp ratesPerformer (924200) + Film (911100) class rates.www.icare.nsw.gov.au