Under the deal, production companies will give actors short-term work allowance payments for shoots canceled or postponed due to the pandemic.
Germany's main actors and production associations have reached a deal that will see film and TV talent continue to be paid for productions shut down because of the coronavirus.
The BFFS, which represents more than 3,300 actors across Germany, has signed a collective agreement with the Produzentenallianz, a group representing some 270 companies and associations in the German film, television and advertising production industries.
The deal, a first for the industry, provides short-time work allowance for actors with contracts for productions that have been delayed or canceled due to the current crisis. Under the agreement, negotiated together with services union Ver.di, actors can receive short-term payments capped at around $4,200 monthly for previously contracted work.
The deal was hailed by both sides as an effective compromise, with the BFFS saying in a statement that it gives "all partners the required planning security."
Christoph Palmer, a negotiator for the Produzentenallianz, said the deal, done under "extreme time pressure" showed how “socially responsible” the German production industry can be and said the agreement would help save jobs while making it easier for companies to plan for a post-coronavirus future.
Germany's national producers association and one of the country's largest regional bodies on Wednesday called for a country-wide ban on drama production during the new coronavirus pandemic, saying Germany's federal and regional governments should issue legally binding orders forbidding any form of fictional film or television production until the current crisis is over.
