Background terminology
Background Support, Canada. General.
Words you'll see on your RABS digital voucher and hear from the crew on set.
| Background Actors (BG) | Performers hired to create atmosphere in a scene. Also known as extras. |
|---|---|
| Assistant Director (AD) | The on-set manager for the production's director and producers. Responsible for crew management, scheduling, and creating scenes, among many other duties. There are different types of ADs, each with their own duties. |
| Background Coordinator | Hired by the background casting company to help manage background on set, usually responsible for running the RABS app. Also known as wranglers. |
| Holding | The area designated for background performers to sign in, eat, wait, and rest during a work day. |
| Call time | When a background performer is expected to be at holding. Your day officially begins here. |
| Wrap time | When a background performer finishes work for the day. The official end of daily pay. |
| Category upgrade | Additional payment added to a UBCP performer's daily wage for acting in multiple roles. |
| Allowances / Bumps | A flat payment added to a performer's wage with no effect on the daily base rate. |
| Meal penalties (MPV / MP1 / MP2) | Paid to union performers after 6 hours without a meal. ACTRA performers also receive MP2 past 4 hours of overtime. |
| Non-deductible breakfast (NDB) | A meal, usually 15 to 18 minutes, given without deducting from daily hours or wage. The end of the NDB starts the 6-hour clock for MPVs. Usually lines up with crew call. |
| Grace | A 12 to 30 minute period for the crew to finish a current shot. Helps avoid MPVs. |
| Pacific Northwest time (PNW) | Guarantees UBCP performers a wage equal to nine hours of work, with an 11-hour grace period starting at call time. |
| Hair and makeup time (HMU) | Additional compensation for ACTRA performers for time in hair and makeup, equal to 0.25 work hours. |
| Turnaround (TA) | A penalty paid to ACTRA performers when the next day's call time is within 11 hours of the prior day's wrap. |