Cast and Crew Commercials, Business Affairs & Talent Payroll, Live Entertainment

Commercials

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Business Affairs & Talent Payroll

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Live Entertainment

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Commercials

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Business Affairs & Talent Payroll

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Live Entertainment

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Access Commercial Payroll Forms & Resources

Manage your entire production slate with ease, not just one project. Our commercial payroll services are designed to keep costs in check and support your bottom line across every shoot, whether it’s a commercial, campaign, or music video.

With decades of experience and a team of industry veterans, we already understand the unique challenges of production payroll. There’s no need for the hassle of explaining production quirks. From onboarding to payments to reporting, we make payroll and crew management the smoothest parts of your process.

What you get with our commercial payroll services

Stay on budget with commercial accounting software built for job costing and profit analysis
Streamline payroll with full employer-of-record services for every crew member, union and non-union
Protect your production with included workers’ comp and unemployment liability coverage
Get clear answers fast from industry experts who know production payroll inside and out

Onboarding and Timekeeping

Cut setup time and reduce errors with our fully integrated digital payroll platform. Crew onboarding, digital timecards, and approvals flow seamlessly in one place, supported by our AICP- and union-compliant Hours-to-Gross calculator. Customizable to any production, this system offers real-time oversight, automatic syncing with the CAPS Pay payroll system, and centralized crew data so you spend less time on paperwork and more time running your shoot smoothly.

Learn more about Onboarding and Timekeeping

CAPS+ Commercial Accounting

Keep every production on track with CAPS+, our cloud-based commercial accounting software built for short-term, project-based work. Support job costing and corporate accounting in one platform. Manage AP, AR, budgets, P.O.s, and actuals at the job level with subaccounts, and use built-in job profit worksheets to track success by project.

Learn more about CAPS+ Commercial Accounting

Showbiz Budgeting 10

Simplify production budgets with Showbiz Budgeting 10, built for commercials, web projects, TV, and features. Budget, track, and report expenses while collaborating in real time with Showbiz Cloud. Preloaded with AICP templates and international commercial templates for the UK and Australia, Showbiz makes it easy to handle multi-city and multi-country budgets, so you can focus on delivering projects on time and on budget.
Learn More About Showbiz Budgeting Software

Commercial Payroll FAQ

What does commercial payroll include?
Commercial payroll services cover employer-of-record payroll, workers’ compensation coverage, and unemployment liability coverage.

How does Cast & Crew help keep commercial productions on budget?
Our commercialservices include budgeting and accounting software built for job costing and profit analysis, giving producers real-time insights into costs and profitability.

Is your commercial payroll platform union-compliant?
Yes. We provide full employer-of-record services for union and non-union crews, including compliance with AICP standards and union-specific rules.

Talent payroll

Make paying talent simple and worry-free with our specialized union and non-union talent payroll services. Our expert payroll team handles everything:

Session fees and residuals / usage for actors, extras, voiceover artists, and singers
Employer of Record (EOR) services for W-2 employees
Accurate wage calculations, tax withholding, and remittance
Union benefit contributions (SAG-AFTRA, AFM-CFM, ACTRA, UDA, and more)
Unemployment claims and workers’ compensation coverage
Year-end W-2 preparation and distribution
Payments to loan-out corporations, including incorporated C-Corps and S-Corps

With decades of production payroll expertise, we know how to support your advertising, commercial, and branded content projects, keeping your talent paid on time and your productions compliant.

Talent business affairs

Streamline every step of working with performers. Our talent business affairs services ensure accuracy and compliance when hiring union or non-union talent for commercials, online videos, or live appearances. We help you:

Draft and review talent contracts and releases
Prepare agreements quickly and correctly
Review scripts and storyboards for proper cast category classification
Estimate talent session fees, residuals, and usage
Support casting spec development to speed up approvals
Handle cast clearance management from start to finish
Prepare and file Taft-Hartley reports and PSA waivers
Provide expert guidance on union payroll compliance with SAG-AFTRA, AFM-CFM, ACTRA, and UDA contracts

Signatory

Work with top union actors, voiceover artists, singers, and other performers, even if your company isn’t signatory. Our wholly owned third-party signatory companies are signatory to major union agreements, giving you seamless access to performers from:

SAG-AFTRA
ACTRA
UDA
AFM
CFM

Celebrity and influencer engagement

Work with celebrities and influencers confidently. From concept to contract, we manage negotiations, payment schedules, and union benefit contributions, ensuring every campaign is compliant, efficient, and delivered on time.

Additional Support & Technology Solutions

Global talent and rights management
Keep your talent and licensed content organized with a centralized system designed for accuracy and consistency. We work with advertisers to build clear processes for recording data, standardizing naming conventions, and aligning with brand guidelines. Once created, we help implement this system across your entire creative supply chain, so every team member works from the same framework, and every project runs smoothly.

Traffic
Ensure your advertising content reaches the right destinations on time with expert traffic management. Our traffic team coordinates the logistics for broadcast, cable, radio, and print, providing clear instructions and seamless communication between creative and media agencies. By managing the growing complexity of modern distribution, we make sure your campaigns reach the intended outlets quickly and efficiently.

Network clearance
Get your advertising content cleared without delays. We manage the review process by navigating network standards, analyzing scripts and storyboards before submission, and identifying elements that may risk rejection. Our team suggests creative solutions that preserve your vision while meeting approval requirements, allowing your ads to reach the right audiences across television, digital, and other platforms.

Music publishing administration
Protect and maximize revenue from original music in your campaigns with expert publishing administration. We handle the complex process of performance royalty collection, monitor digital platforms through fingerprinting and watermarking, track eligibility for payments, and stay ahead of emerging streaming technologies. With our support, you capture the full value of every piece of music your projects generate.

Vendor payments
Help your in-house production team move faster and keep projects on budget. Our production vendor payment platform provides:

Expedited payments to vendors, ensuring crews and suppliers are paid quickly
Transparent reporting by project, so you always know where your money is going
Cost-effective fee structures designed for film, TV, and live entertainment productions

Optimize production cash flow with a system built for creative industries.

Talent and rights management made simple

Our Talent and Rights Management platform centralizes talent contracts and licensed content, giving production teams the tools to track usage, manage expirations, and stay compliant with confidence.

Track talent usage and expiration dates to avoid costly overruns
Monitor licensed elements for each project
Record essential metadata on usage rights and conditions
Upload and organize reference assets for quick access
Store key contract copies securely
Generate custom compliance and usage reports instantly

Ensure compliance and maximize ROI on talent and content rights with a solution trusted by producers and entertainment companies.

Clearance platform
Simplify the commercial clearance process with a system designed by industry experts. Our clearance platform helps you:

Submit scripts, storyboards, and video cuts to as many stations as needed
Track responses and easily upload supplemental files when requested
Receive real-time clearance updates in one unified report
Reduce errors and delays with a streamlined, intuitive workflow

Save time and reduce risk with a clearance solution built for speed and accuracy.

Business Affairs & Talent Payroll FAQ

What types of talent payroll does Cast & Crew manage?
We handle union and non-union payroll for actors, extras, singers, voiceover artists, singers, and more, including session fees, residuals, tax withholdings, and benefit contributions.

Can you help with SAG-AFTRA and other union contracts?
Yes. We administer payroll and benefits for SAG-AFTRA, AFM-CFM, ACTRA, UDA, and other major unions, ensuring compliance for every production. We also offer third-party signatory services to facilitate access to union talent while remaining compliant.

What is talent business affairs support?
Our talent business affairs services encompass a wide range of services including drafting and reviewing contracts, classifying cast categories, estimating session fees and residuals, and managing Taft-Hartley reports and PSA waivers.

Access Live Entertainment Payroll Resources

Cast & Crew Live Entertainment is the leading provider of employer-of-record payroll services for entertainment touring, live theater, sports leagues and teams, venues, festivals, pop-up and experiential events, and the wide range of production support companies that keep the live entertainment ecosystem running.

Simplify payroll for your live events and touring productions with Cast & Crew Live Entertainment. As the leading provider of employer-of-record services for tours, live theater, sports leagues, venues, festivals, pop-up and experiential events, and production service companies, we ensure every production has seamless support.

We make managing your crew and venue workforce easier by handling onboarding, timekeeping, direct deposit, and compliance. Whether you’re running a festival, managing a venue, overseeing a sports league, or producing a tour, our tools and expert guidance ensure payroll is efficient, compliant, and stress-free.

What you get with our employer-of-record services:

Simplified payroll for all crew, union and non-union
Protection with workers’ compensation, unemployment coverage, and claims administration
Seamless onboarding and timekeeping for crews across events and productions of all types
Compliance across North America with full employee and employer tax filing and remittance
Full access to integrated tools and technology that streamline crew management and reporting

Music payroll

Manage music payroll services with confidence. For more than 25 years, Cast & Crew has processed payroll for singers, musicians, composers, and music preparation professionals at major and independent record labels, film and television studios, and independent recording facilities.

We handle union and non-union session work for original recordings, as well as union residuals and non-union use payments for compositions and licensed works across:

The recording industry
Motion pictures
Television
Advertising
Animation
Internet, mobile, and other digital media

Our payroll experts provide guidance on staffing requirements, working conditions, and payment details so you can make informed decisions that support your creative vision. We also interpret AFM and SAG-AFTRA agreements, helping producers, studios, and artists navigate complex union rules for singers, musicians, and composers with ease.

Live Entertainment Payroll FAQ

What is employer-of-record payroll for live entertainment?
Employer-of-record payroll provides full payroll services for touring productions, festivals, sports leagues, live theater, and venues, covering onboarding, timekeeping, tax filing, and compliance..

Does Cast & Crew support union and non-union crews?
Yes. We manage payroll for both union and non-union crews, including workers’ comp, unemployment coverage, and claims administration.

How does this service help live event producers?
Our payroll system simplifies crew management, integrates onboarding and timekeeping, and ensures compliance across North America so productions run smoothly and on budget.

Can Cast & Crew handle union music agreements?
Yes. Our team interprets AFM and SAG-AFTRA agreements, ensuring compliance for both union and non-union music payroll.

Who uses Cast & Crew music payroll services?
We work with major and independent record labels, film and television studios, and independent recording facilities to process accurate, on-time payroll for music professionals.

Commercial payroll that works the way your productions do

Onboarding and Timekeeping

CAPS+ Commercial Accounting

Showbiz Budgeting 10

Your Team

Commercial Payroll FAQ

Simplify union and non-union talent payroll and management

Talent payroll

Talent business affairs

Signatory

Celebrity and influencer engagement

Additional Support & Technology Solutions

Business Affairs & Talent Payroll FAQ

Employer-of-record payroll for entertainment tours, venues, festivals, sports, and live events

What you get with our employer-of-record services:

Music payroll

Live Entertainment Payroll FAQ