Working Conditions in Bulgaria
Permits
Bulgaria is part of the EU. No working permits requested for citizens of EU.
Shooting / Location permits have to be asked for by a Bulgarian authorized production company.
A tax is due to the Bulgarian National Film Centre:
for a shooting period less than 1 month the tax is 1 500 BGN = 767 EUR
for a shooting period exceeding 1 month the tax is 3 000 BGN = 1 534 EUR
Working Hours and Overtime
- 6 working days per week;
- The 7th day is day off. Bulgaria is a Christian orthodox country and Sunday is the normal day off. However it is possible to work on Sunday and give another day off, on the condition that no more than 6 working days are scheduled in a row.
- 12 hours per day. 11 hours of work with 1-hour lunch break.
- The lunch break must be given not later than the 6th hour after crew call as per call sheet. Meal penalty is calculated as overtime. (Can be negotiated on the spot)
- Turnaround time between work shifts is -11 h.; 35h. on the day off.
- Overtime is calculated after the 12th hour from crew call and if the turnaround hours are less than 11h.
- The calculation is daily rate/12h*150% per each hour.
- Sometimes we also work on 10 hours continuous day – without lunch break (lunch is running).
- We have also the practice of semi- continuous day 10 working hours +30 min. lunch break (not running).
- We shall not do OT during those days. If we have any than the calculation is daily rate/10h*150% per each hour.
In this situation the overtime starts after the 10th or 10:30th hour. - If we do not give a day off on the 7th day of the week this day is calculated as overtime on basis daily rate*150 %.
- Working on national holidays to be paid as 7th day if not negotiated otherwise.
- Overtime can be negotiated to be included in the weekly salary for some of the heads of departments. For all other crewmembers we have to pay overtime.
- Extras overtime is 8 BGN without VAT per each hour, but they can’t work more than 14 hours a day.
- If we film in the city of Sofia, no travel is included, but if we film outside Sofia, than we are including the travel time from base (Studio or Production office) to the location in the working hours. This is paid as OT. This shall be negotiated with the HOD’s upfront.
- Children under 18 years old can work 4 hours a day only between 7:00 and 20:00 o’clock. They require a special permits from the authorities.
- No additional payments for night work
Rates
There are (almost) no film technicians nor actors unions in Bulgaria
Fees are not agreed or established on national level. Average weekly fees [XLS] valid for 2017. These rates are just an indication; actual rates are subject to negotiation.
usual daily fees are 1/6 of weekly fee
Overtime
overtime fee is x 1.5 of the hourly fee, while hourly fee is 1/11 of daily fee if the done by day: from 12.00 till 22.00).
overtime fee is x 2 of the hourly fee, while hourly fee is 1/11 of daily fee if the done by night: from 22.00 till 12.00).
there is no additional charge for working on Sunday: daily, hourly and overtime fees are related to the regular ones.
Allowances
Employer is to provide transport for some of the Bulgarian crew and actors to/from shooting location or, alternatively, cover the corresponding fuel cost. Some crewmembers like location, transport managers etc… to be provided with Car allowance 150 BGN /week or rent a car (50 BGN /day)
Employer is to provide transport for all of the foreign crew and actors to/from shooting location or, alternatively, cover the corresponding fuel cost.
Meal allowance for construction crew on a location without infrastructure and eating places (mountains, fields etc…) are to be provided lunch or an allowance of 6 BGN per day. Negotiable depending on the case.
Unlimited amount of water to be provided for each crewmember in the prep as well as during the shoot and wrap/strike.
A minimum of one full meal, a sandwich, snacks coffee/tea and water is to be provided to everyone on set during a working day
a 10 € perdiem is to be paid for every working day at more than 45 km distance from Sofia.- This is negotiable.
a 15 € perdiem is to be paid for every day on a distant location when the crew has to stay overnight in hotel.
Actors & Extras
Actors working days are also 12 hours (wardrobe and makeup time included) per day; normally no overtime is due (in the limits of the common sense)
Extras are paid for number of shooting days. Normally between 50 – 162 BGN (27 - 80 EUR) depending of day/night shootings, regular or specialized extras etc. If they have lines (aka "silhouettes") – paid up to 200 BGN (102 EUR).
Shooting with Children
If working with minors requires a special permit and medical visit (for Bulgarian minors). The rules for working with children are strict.
There are no yet regulation concerning the working schedules and/or practices for foreign minors
Fringes
In Bulgaria the amount of social fees and health insurances is around 40% (depends of the regulation voted for the current year). Nevertheless as some of the technicians are paid on invoices for services issued by companies they own (in which case no social fees are due), the exact percentage might vary between 14% - 18%.
Generally an insurance for Injuries during working is done for the Bulgarian, crew, actors and extras. We do not insure them for third party damages etc. This is usually covered by the Main production insurance provided by the foreign production company. Foreign crew and cast must be also covered by the main prod. Insurance package.
Locations
Permits from the Police and from the local municipalities are needed.
VAT
The VAT in the country is 20%. Most VAT is refundable for film companies. But one exception is for fuel and some of the food costs.
Bulgarian National holidays for 2018
| Monday | January 01st | New Years Day | |
| Saturday | March 03rd | Liberation Day | National Day. Marks the Treaty of San Stefano signed on 3 Mar 1878 |
| Friday, Saturday and Sunday | April 6th ,7th and 8th | Orthodox Good Friday and Easter | Movable |
| Tuesday | May 01 | Labour Day | Labour Day and International Workers' Solidarity Day |
| Sunday | May 06 | St Georges Day | Day of the Bulgarian Army |
| Thursday | May 24 | Culture and Literacy Day | Day of Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture and of Slavonic Alphabet |
| Thursday | September 06 | Unification Day | Commemorates the unification of Eastern Rumelia and Bulgaria in 1885 |
| Saturday | September 22 | Independence Day | Independence from the Ottoman Empire |
| Monday | December 24 | Christmas Eve | |
| Tuesday | December 25 | Christmas Day | |
| Wednesday | December 26 | Second Day of Christmas | Celebrated on 26th December |
| Monday | December 31 | New Year Holiday |
Useful links and sources of Information:
Bulgarian National Film Center: www.nfc.bg/en/za_nas
Bulgarian National Filmotheque: www.bnf.bg
Actors and Film crews Association: www.filmmakersbg.org