What is an OCP?

Understanding OCPS in Commercial Film Production

If you are involved in commercial film production, you will frequently hear the term "OCP." OCP stands for "On-Camera Principal" and is essentially another word for an actor in a commercial context. It is important to understand the distinctions between an OCP and a background actor, especially concerning payment and on-set roles

There are two primary differences between an OCP and a background actor: direction and recognition.

Direction: Typically, the director provides direction to the OCP, while the assistant director guides the background actors on where to go and what to do.
Recognition: An OCP's face is intended to be recognizable in the final product. In contrast, a background actor cannot be recognizable; this may mean they are blurry in the background or facing away from the camera. If a background actor accidentally becomes recognizable in the final cut, you generally must pay them a usage fee.

OCP Compensation: Session and Usage

OCPs are generally paid a higher session fee and are also paid usage. A background actor is usually only paid a session fee, which is often lower than the OCP's session fee.

Session Fee: A session fee covers the time the talent spends on set. For instance, a single-day shoot typically means one session fee, which usually covers a set number of hours. If a shoot lasts two days, you would generally pay two session fees. An additional day of work requires an additional session fee.
Usage Fee: Usage covers how long the final product is being used and where it is being displayed. There is usually a time limit on how long the commercial can be broadcast. For example, a six-month broadcast commercial means the ad can be used for six months. If the advertisement is used for a longer period, an additional usage fee must be paid.

Negotiating Rates

For both union (SAG) and non-union shoots, the session and usage fees are negotiable.

SAG Minimums: The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) sets minimum requirements for rates. SAG rates change constantly and depend on the type of usage (e.g., broadcast or social). You can refer to a SAG rate sheet to look up the session and usage rates.
Getting Submissions: Offering a higher session and usage rate can be beneficial because more people will respond to your casting call, giving you more options.
Casting Director as a Resource: Your casting director is a great resource, as they can advise you on whether your proposed rate is too low to receive submissions and needs to be increased.
There is no minimum rate for non-union casting, however, if you offer a low rate, then both the quality and quantity of submissions will decrease as well.

Types of Usage

There are three main categories of usage we see most often in commercial film production:

Broadcast: This refers to commercials seen on TV between shows and encompasses many different types of usage and rates. Wrapbook breaks this down here.
Digital: This is a broad category encompassing various mediums, including social media (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest) and pre-roll ads on platforms like YouTube or Hulu. The terms for digital usage, especially on non-union shoots, are highly negotiable and often changing.
Out of Home (OOH): This includes advertisements displayed in public places that are not in homes, such as airports or on TVs in stores like Costco.

Talent Contracts

It is essential to know where your commercial will be played and shown so that you can negotiate those usage terms with the talent ahead of time and include them in the talent contract.

You should also include terms in the contract regarding what happens if the usage is upgraded. For example, if you initially plan for one year of online use but might want to move to broadcast later, you should specify the extra payment required for that upgrade. Similarly, if you want the option to extend the terms—for instance, from one year to two years—those terms should be put in the contract and negotiated with the agents, ideally when the casting call is issued. This ensures that everyone is on the same page, and there are no surprises about session or usage.

Happy casting!