User:Wlmg/Under-Five

An Under-Five, also known as, and as under-5, or (U/5) : is an AFTRA-only contract term for an American soap opera actor whose character has under five lines of dialogue in a episode.

Under-Five work
Under-Five work is regarded as both desirable and undesirable. Getting an Under-Five can be a stepping stone to bigger roles. Some ,however, see it as mere grunt work or beneath their standing as an actor. One year after performing an Under-Five, as a member of AFTRA, the actor becomes eligible for SAG membership. This is a backdoor for getting the difficult to obtain SAG card.

AFTRA pay rate rules
As of 11/16/2009: The minimum pay rate for a principal actor on a soap is $913.00 for a 1-hour show, and $683.00 for a 1/2 hour show. The minimum pay rate for an under-5 actor on a soap is $397.00 for a 1-hour show, and $324.00 for a 1/2 hour show. The minimum pay rate for a background actor on a soap is $144.00 for a 1-hour show, and $111.00 for a 1/2 hour show.

Decline
With the general decline of American soap operas, the number of under-fives and extras; even day players employed has also declined, due to cost-cutting of production budgets.