Additional pay of €25/hour when film crew works over 6 hours without a hot meal. Industry standard since 2019 to encourage regular meal breaks.
The calculation follows the 6+1 principle: after 6 hours of work without a hot meal, the first hour is compensated with 25 Euros. From the 8th hour without food, an additional 25 Euros are added, and then for every subsequent hour. For DoPs in Category I, the rate increases to 35 Euros per hour. Time is measured from the call or the first work performance, not from the first camera run. Catering breaks of at least 30 minutes with a hot meal reset the counter.
The meal penalty was introduced in 1975 with the first collective agreement for film professionals in Germany, then still at 5 DM per transgression. In 1989, it was adjusted to 15 DM, and in 2001, it was converted to 15 Euros. The current regulation of 25 Euros has been in effect since the 2019 tariff revision. The model was the American "Meal Penalties," which were already enforced in the 1930s by the IATSE to discipline producers.
For elaborate scenes like the 18-minute Steadicam sequence in "Victoria" (2015), considerable meal penalties were incurred because regular breaks were not possible between takes. The 2nd Assistant Director keeps detailed logs of call times and meals. Night shoots or location changes frequently lead to unplanned transgressions. Productions therefore budget 3-5% of the crew budget for meal penalties. The psychological effect: directors often end scenes precisely before the 6-hour mark.
The meal penalty differs from overtime pay because it is incurred independently of the total working hours. Unlike expenses, it is automatically due, not upon application. For television productions, different rates sometimes apply (ARD/ZDF: 20 Euros). Modern alternatives include craft service stations that are continuously available or flexible meal times with meal vouchers. American productions rely on "Walking Meals" – catering served on set without interrupting filming.
Ich plane meine Beleuchtungssetups so, dass komplexe Umbauten vor der 6-Stunden-Marke abgeschlossen sind – nichts ist teurer als eine halbfertige Lichteinrichtung während der Zwangspause. Bei Tageslichtszenen kalkuliere ich bewusst Pufferzeit ein, da sich das Licht während erzwungener Essenspausen dramatisch ändern kann.
Essensgeld zwingt mich zu strafferer Szenenplanung – ich schneide lieber eine Einstellung als dass der Dreh in die Kostenfalle läuft. Gleichzeitig nutze ich die Drohung strategisch: Wenn die Crew weiß, dass nach der sechsten Stunde jede Minute Geld kostet, arbeiten alle konzentrierter und die Takes werden präziser.
Bei einem 30-köpfigen Team können ungeplante Essensgelder schnell 750 Euro pro Stunde kosten – das entspricht einem halben Drehtag Budget. Ich lasse die Aufnahmeleitung Meal-Penalties in Echtzeit tracken und kommuniziere die Kosten sofort an die Regie, das diszipliniert den Zeitplan erheblich.
1. Zu welchem Department gehört „Essensgeld"?
2. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?
The Lexikon is part of the Filmfarm ecosystem — alongside budgeting (FilmBalance), an industry magazine (FilmCircus) and crew networking (FilmCall, CrewMesh). One shared vocabulary for the whole production.