Working with Minors

Overview

All actors below the age of 18 years must be accompanied by their legal guardian while participating on student productions. As the legal guardian makes final decisions on behalf of and represents the best interests of the child actor, they should always remain in sight or sound of the minor at all times during the production.

Students must not allow the legal guardians of minors to leave their children unattended on their sets. This also includes the children of the student’s friends and family members.

Student productions must adhere to the workday guidelines outlined below as the rules regarding the labor of minors are restrictive. These are based on the industry guidelines published in the SAG-AFTRA Young Performers Handbook but have been modified to comply with Florida Child Labor Statutes as well as Florida Administrative Codes.

Please consult with the instructor-of-recorder overseeing the student production about working with child actors.

Child Labor Laws

Students must be in compliance with Florida Statute 450.132 – “Employment of children by the entertainment industry; rules; procedures.” when using child actors in their productions as their involvement is considered child labor in the entertainment industry by the state of Florida, even if they are not formally employed, just volunteering and not being compensated.

According to Florida Statute 450.012 – “Definitions”, child labor in the, “’Entertainment industry‘ means any group, entity, organization, or individual, in which the services of any minor are rendered in any capacity in conjunction with any motion picture, television, video, audio, theatrical, or still photography, using any format whether now existing or hereafter developed, including, but not limited to, theatrical film, commercial, documentary, television, radio, and/or cable, by any medium, whether now existing or hereafter developed, including theater, television, audiocassette, or videocassette; legitimate theaters or photography; recording; modeling; theatrical productions or publicity; rodeos; circuses; musical performances; or any other performances where minors perform.”

Florida Statute 450.132 – “Employment of children by the entertainment industry; rules; procedures.” also does not permit conditions that are, “detrimental to the health or morals or education,” of a minor. As most student productions at UCF are not able to supply a certificated Studio Teacher, it is important to be mindful of the impact on the child actor’s ability to attend school when school is in session when scheduling table reads, rehearsals, camera tests, and principal photography.

If a student production is taking place outside of the state of Florida, they must comply with the Child Labor Laws of the state they are shooting in. This information can be found on the Child Entertainment Laws page of the U.S. Department of Labor website.

Definition of Terms

Here is a list of terms and their meanings as they apply to the Safety Guidelines of this Student Production Handbook:

• Work – When the child actor is engaged in blocking, rehearsal, performance, wardrobe, or hair and make-up sessions.
• Workday – The day of production the child actor is expected to Work.
• Work Hours – The hours or production the child actor is not on break and is expected to Work.
• Total Hours – All hours on set including Work Hours, Breaks, on Standby, and Meal Periods.
• Standby – When the child actor remains on or near set and is not performing but are expected to be ready at a moment’s notice.
• Break – When the child actor is not working or expected to Work for a scheduled period of time, typically in a green room or another quite or isolated space away from set.
• Meal Period – When the child actor is taking a mandatory 30-minute break for food.
• Call Time – When the child actor is required to arrive for the Workday.
• Release Time – When the child actor can depart the production for the Workday.
• School Night – An evening proceeding a regular school day (school days are typically on a weekday during most of Fall and Spring).
• School Day – A day of the week when a child actor is expected to attend school (e.g., weekdays during most of the Fall and Spring).
• Non-School Day – A day of the week when a child actor is not expected to attend school (e.g., weekends, school holidays, or during the school’s Spring, Summer, or Winter Breaks).
• School Hours – The period of time on a School Day the student is expected to be at school.

Workdays

The maximum number of hours a minor can Work each day is dependent on their age. The table below outlines the maximum hours a minor can Work, the earliest Call Times, and the latest Release Times that can take place per Florida Administrative Code 61L-2.006 and SAG-AFTRA guidelines.

Actor’s Age	Maximum Work Hours Per Day	Maximum Total Hours Per Day	Maximum Duration Exposed to Set Lighting	Earliest Call Times	Latest Release Times on Non-School Nights
Infants Under 15 days	Not Permitted	Not Permitted	Not Permitted	N/A	N/A
Under 6 months to 15 days	20 minutes	4 hours	1 min every 15 mins *	7:00am	9:00pm
Under 1 year to 6 months	2 hours	4 hours	2 mins every 15 mins	7:00am	10:00pm
Under 2 years to 1 year	3 hours	4 hours	N/A	7:00am	11:30pm
Under 6 years to 2 years	4 hours	6 hours	N/A	7:00am	11:30pm
Under 9 years to 6 years	6 hours	9 hours	N/A	7:00am	11:30pm
Under 16 years to 9 years	7 hours	10 hours	N/A	7:00am	11:30pm
Under 18 years to 16 years	8 hours	10 hours	N/A	7:00am	11:30pm

A minor shall not be required or permitted to Work more than six (6) consecutive days.

Minors shall have one half-hour Meal Break every 6 Total Hours on set. For Workdays of 8 Total Hours or more, minors should have at least one hour of rest and recreation in addition to their mandatory Meal Break.

All Work Hours are exclusive of the Meal Period but should be included in the Total Hours.

School Nights

A child actor’s Workday must conclude at least 12 hours before the beginning of the next regular School Day (i.e., a 12-hour turnaround is mandatory for child actors on School Nights).

School Hours for most Orange County and Seminole County high schools begin at 7:20am, elementary schools range from 8:15am at 8:45am, and middle schools typically begin at 9:30am. Student productions are responsible for knowing the specific School Hours for the child actor and must adjust Release Times accordingly.

Working on School Days

Ideally, a child actor should not be scheduled to be on set during a School Day. If it is necessary, student productions must not impact the minor’s education by scheduling Work Hours when the minor should be at school. Call times must allow for ample travel time after School Hours have completed. Student productions should not ask nor expect parents to remove their child early from school to make a Call time.

School-age minors may Work the following hours on School Days:

• Age 4 to 8 – Maximum of 2-1/2 Total Hours
• Age 9 to 15 – Maximum of 3-1/2 Total Hours
• Age 16 and 17 – Maximum of 4-1/2 Total Hours

Student productions should limit working with child actors on School Days to no more than two days per week.