Working Conditions in Netherlands

General

In The Netherlands are no strict rules for working hours and rates.

You have to negotiate with each crewmember, or arrange a budget with the Head of Department, who will make the deals with the assistants (for example: light, grip, make-up, wardrobe)

Permits

The Netherlands is part of the EU. No special working permits needed.

Working hours

• For feature films a working day is 10 hours including 30 minutes lunch.
• Maximum travel time (not paid) per day is 1 or 2 hours. (12 hours in total from home)
• Also common: 10 hours 15 minutes of shooting including 45 minutes lunch.

Standard (most common) day scheme:

• 07.45 hrs: Breakfast
• 08.00 hrs: CREWCALL
• 13.00 hrs: Lunch (30 minutes)
• 18.00 hrs: WRAP

Overtime

Depending on negotiations:

• After 10 hours: 150% (or just 100%)
• After 12 or 14 hours: 200% (or 150% when the 1st two hours are paid 100%)
• Flat fees are always including overtime.
• A 12-hour deal is also often made, which means 12 hours working day, incl travel time.

Night shoots

• Same fee as daytime shoots, although this is changing, especially for the technical crew.
• After a night shoot follow 2 unpaid days off or 1 paid sleeping day.

Rates

• Most Heads of Department get flat deals for the whole production.
• Production crew gets mostly paid by month.
• All other crew members get day rates.
• See PDF of average rates

Allowances

• Car: € 0,19/km
• Car: € 0,28 - 0,45/km (when transporting equipment)
• Truck: € 0,55 - 1,00/km
• Per diems vary (15 - 35 euros per day)

Actors' Rates

There are no standard rates for actors in The Netherlands. It depends on experience, quality and popularity. Rehearsals and fittings are paid 50%, or included in the flat deal for the main actors.

Agency fee is usually 10%

For children on set are very strict rules.

Extras

Day rates for extras + fees from casting agencies:

• Extras € 35 - 50 to be paid on set
• Fee € 20 - 25 invoice from the agency
• Specials € 50 - 150 to be paid on set
• Fee € 35 - 50 invoice from the agency
• For epic films, add around 20 euros per person for fittings.
• Some agencies also use a fee when the hair has to be cut.

When you're not working with a casting agency, extras are usually paid 35 euros on set.

Catering for extras is seperate from crew & cast when there is a large amount of extras.

If there is a small group of extras, they get the same catering as crew & cast.

Sources of information and usefull addresses

• Dutch Directors Guild www.directorsguild.nl
• Dutch Assistant Directors Club www.assistantdirectors.nl
• Start page for Dutch film and television industry www.filmstart.nl or www.filmindustryguide.nl
• Rotterdam Film Fund www.rff.rotterdam.nl
• Labour inspection: www.arbeidsinspectie.nl (also in English)
• The Netherlands Film Fund www.filmfonds.nl
• National Broadcasters Coproduction Fund www.cobofonds.nl
• Association of Dutch feature film producers www.speelfilmproducenten.nl
• General Terms and Conditions of the Netherlands Society of Cinematographers – PDF
• Netherlands Society of Cinematographers www.cinematography.nl
• Association for Dutch film sound www.vcafilmsound.nl