Working Conditions in Estonia
Permits
- Estonia is a member of European Union. No special working permits required.
- Film permits are issued by municipal authorities and other local administrative bodies. Requirements vary, depending on the location. Permit applications must be in Estonian.
- Filmmakers shooting on private property must also deal directly with the property owners.
- Filming permits will be arranged by Estonian co-producer or production service company.
Working Hours
- 5-day week (if needed can be a 6-day week, if agreed with crew, then extra charge)
- 12-hour shooting day for the crew, including up to 1 hour lunch break + transport from office / rental.
- Actors regular day is 10 hours, extra hours are negotiable
- Minimum turnover time is 11 hours
- If shooting is taking place outside of the residential area, 1 hour of the travel time per day is free of charge. More trsvel time accounts accounts as a work time
- Extra charge for the night shoot for the technicians starting from 11pm til 6am.
Overtime:
- 6th consecutive working day charged 1,5x daily rate.
- Overtime 13th & 14th hour charge is 1,5x hourly rate.
- Overtime rate is x1,5 of the hourly rate.
- Hourly rate is daily rate divided with 11.
- Overtime 15th hour charge is x2 of the hourly rate.
- Lunch later than 6h from call time charged 1x OT hour.
- Running lunch charged 1x OT hour.
Travel
- Travel day for the crew is 50% of the daily fee
- Travel day for the drivers is 100% of daily fee
Rates
- There are no unions in Estonia. Film crew rates are not regulated by the government and are the subject of negotiation. Actors who belong in Estonian Actors Society have their minimum rates, and regulations for but again everything is negotiable.
- Sample rates [PDF] for cast, extras, crew and transportation.
- Most of the crew members and even actors provide their services under their own companies, so most of the crew members will deal themselves with the fringes and social security. In Estonia, the VAT is 20% which is added to the invoice. Dealing with a foreign company who is VAT applicable, the VAT is 0%.
- It is compulsory to provide trauma and accident insurance for cast and crew.
Allowances
- • When shooting is outside of residential area, production has to provide transportation or cover the appropriate fuel cost.
- When shooting is on the distant location and the crew is accommodated, full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) should be provided, no need for extra per diems. We pay per diems, 50 EUR/ day when Estonian crew is working outside of Estonia only.
Catering
- Normally, catering includes breakfast, snacks between breakfast and lunch. Snacks are provided between lunch and wrap. Tea, coffee, drinks all day long. Good quality food and service included would cost around 20-25 EUR/day per person./li>
Additional info:
- Estonian Film Institute is providing finances for co-productions on local spend, amount is decided by Film Institute and has to be asked by local producer.
Useful links