Free Deal Memo Template for Film Crew and Cast (PDF and Word)
A handshake feels fine until someone’s invoice doesn’t match what they remember. A deal memo puts the rate, the dates and the terms on one page, signed by both sides before the first day of the shoot. This free deal memo template gives you a crew deal memo and a cast deal memo as fillable PDFs, plus a Google Doc and a Word file, with a filled-in example for each.
TL;DR: Get It in Writing Before Day One
Use a deal memo for every crew member and every actor, even friends working for a low rate. Write down the rate, the guaranteed days, overtime, credit and how payment works. Both sides sign before the first call time. If you later sign a longer contract, the deal memo is the starting point.
Download the Free Deal Memo Template
The PDF is a fillable one-page crew deal memo. The Google Doc and the Word file have both the crew and cast memos. The cast deal memo PDFs are further down the page. Have a lawyer review this before you use it. It’s a general template, not legal advice, and deal, tax and union rules differ by state and country.
What Is a Deal Memo?
A deal memo is a short agreement that sets out the key terms between a production and one person working on it. It’s usually one or two pages.
- Who gets one: crew members, actors, and sometimes writers, directors and composers
- What it covers: the job, the dates, the pay and the few terms that cause the most arguments, like overtime, expenses, credit and cancellation
- When you sign it: before the person starts work. A producer or unit production manager signs for the production
- What comes after: on bigger projects, a longer contract. On most short films and indie shoots, the deal memo is the whole contract
What’s in the Crew Deal Memo Template
- Production and crew member: title, company, producer, shoot dates, location, and the crew member’s name, position, department, contact details and union status
- Rate and terms: rate, day or week, guaranteed days, overtime, kit rental, per diem, travel, payment terms, employee or contractor, screen credit and a kill fee
- Other terms box: prep days, reserve days, expense limits and anything else you agreed
- Standard terms: seven short clauses on services, work for hire, expenses, cancellation, no obligation, confidentiality and the whole deal
- Signatures: crew member and producer, with dates
Crew Deal Memo Example: Dead Air
Here’s the crew memo filled in for Priya Shah, the 1st AD on Dead Air, the made-up 13-page short from our screenplay template. Her rate matches the line in our film budget template.
- The rate says what a day is. $350 for a 12-hour day. Without the hours, “a day rate” means something different to everyone.
- The reserve day is spelled out. Thursday is paid only if the shoot uses it. That line prevents the most common argument on a short.
- Expenses need a yes first. Anything over $50 gets the producer’s OK in writing. Receipts come in within a week.
- Payment has a date. Net 15 from wrap, by bank transfer. Crew remember who paid on time.
- Credit is written down. First Assistant Director, in the end credits. No one has to guess.
Send the deal memo with the offer, not on the first morning.
People sign faster when they aren’t standing at the craft services table.
It also gives them time to ask about the one term that bothers them.
Cast Deal Memo Template
An actor deal memo covers the same basics, plus the things that only matter for people in front of the camera.
- Role and billing: the character, where the name appears in the credits, and whether it’s in the main titles or the end credits
- Fittings and rehearsals: how many, how long, and whether they’re paid
- Likeness: the right to use the actor’s name, face and voice in the film, the trailer and the publicity
- Special conditions: night work, stunts, hair or look changes, and any nudity rider, which should always be its own signed document
- Copy of the film: when the actor gets it for their reel
The Dead Air example is for Jess Monroe, who plays Nora. It notes the 2 AM wrap on Day 2 and a later call the next day, the rain towers for the car scene, and no haircuts before wrap.
If your production is signed to a SAG-AFTRA agreement, the union’s own paperwork and minimums apply. Use this memo for the extras the union forms don’t cover.
What to Put in a Deal Memo
| Term | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rate and length of day | Sets the base for every other number | $350 per 12-hour day |
| Guaranteed days | What they’re paid even if you finish early | 3 days |
| Overtime | Stops end-of-day arguments | 1.5x after 12 hours |
| Kit or box rental | Pays for gear they bring | $50 per day |
| Expenses | Stops surprise receipts | Pre-approved in writing |
| Payment terms | Sets when money arrives | Net 15 from wrap |
| Credit | What their name says on screen | End credits |
| Cancellation | Covers a cut day or a recast | 48 hours notice or 1 day paid |
Keep your deal memos next to the cast list and the call sheet. Actors also sign a talent release form, which covers the footage after the shoot.
Famous Deal Memo Example: Star Wars
George Lucas’s first deal for Star Wars was a deal memo. Alan Ladd Jr. at 20th Century Fox set one up dated July 13, 1973, which gave Lucas $150,000 to write and direct the film, according to Wikipedia).
American Graffiti came out a few weeks later and became a hit, and Lucas could have asked for a much bigger fee. Instead, he kept his fee and negotiated to keep the merchandising and sequel rights. Those two lines became worth far more than any director’s fee.
Read every line of a deal memo before you sign it, even the boring ones.
The rate is the part everyone checks. The rights and the credit are the parts that last.
FAQs About Deal Memos
Is a Deal Memo Legally Binding?
Usually, yes. A signed deal memo with the main terms (who, what job, when and how much) is a contract in most places. That’s why both sides should read it closely and a lawyer should review your template.
Should Crew Be Employees or Independent Contractors?
It depends on the job and where you shoot. In the US, many crew roles count as employees under state and federal rules, even on a short. Many productions use a payroll company to handle this. Ask a lawyer or accountant before you mark the box.
Do I Need a Deal Memo for an Unpaid Shoot?
Yes. Write the deal down even when the rate is zero. Meals, credit, a copy of the film and who owns the footage still need to be clear.
Who Keeps the Signed Copy?
Both sides. The production keeps the original with payroll and the crew member or actor gets a copy. A signed PDF by email works for most indie shoots.
The Final Cut on the Deal Memo Template
A deal memo takes ten minutes to fill in and saves you the awkward call after wrap.
Download the crew and cast templates, fill in one for everyone on your shoot, and get both signatures before the first call time.
Which term on your last shoot would you have written down if you’d had a deal memo?
Jay Neill
Jay Neill is the founder and managing editor of iFILMthings and believes everyone should have access to the film resources they need to plan their filmmaking project, which is why he’s dedicated iFILMthings to helping all filmmakers.