Crew Payroll for Production Houses: Day Rates, Shifts, Overtime and Freelancers

In short: crew payroll in a production house goes wrong because pay is reconstructed at month-end from calendars and WhatsApp. The fix is to decide pay rules up front — salary, per-shift or per-day rate, night and overtime rules — and record them at the moment you assign someone to a shoot. Then payouts are generated from the schedule. Below is a practical system for Indian studios, and how DODO runs it.

This is operational guidance, not tax or legal advice. Confirm TDS and labour-law obligations with your CA. Last updated September 2026.

The four ways crew get paid

Type	Who	How pay is calculated
Monthly salary	Core staff: editors, managers, in-house shooters	Fixed monthly, adjusted for leave
Per shift	Staff or regular crew on shoot days	Rate × shifts worked (day, night, full day)
Per day	Freelancers: second shooters, DOPs, gaffers, drone operators	Day rate × days on the job
Per task / deliverable	Editors, album designers	Rate × completed tasks or deliverables

Most production houses use all four at once, which is why a spreadsheet struggles.

Step 1: Write down the pay rules

For each person, record:

• pay type (salary, shift, day or task),
• rate — and whether night or full-day shifts pay differently,
• overtime rule (for example, beyond 12 hours counts as an extra half-day),
• payment mode (bank transfer or UPI) and payment cycle.

Agree these before the first shoot. Most payroll arguments are really about unwritten rules.

Step 2: Record pay when you schedule

The single most useful habit: set the rate and days when you assign crew to a shoot day, not afterwards.

In DODO: each project is split into shoot phases (for example Day 1 — Studio, Day 2 — Outdoor, night). When you pick the team for a phase, you set each person's rate and number of days. Those become the project's crew payments automatically, and the project's P&L shows crew cost next to income.

Step 3: Track overtime and leave

• Overtime: log it when it happens — the shoot ran to 2am — not at month-end. DODO has an overtime log per team member.
• Leave: staff request leave in the app and managers approve it, so salary adjustments are based on records, not recollection.

Step 4: Run payroll from the records

At the end of the cycle:

1. Salaried staff: monthly salary adjusted for approved leave, plus logged overtime.
2. Shift-based crew: shifts worked × shift rate.
3. Freelancers: days on each project × day rate, from the phase assignments.
4. Task-based editors and designers: completed tasks × rate.

In DODO: payroll is calculated dynamically from shifts, completed tasks and assignments, and crew payments are tied to each project.

Step 5: Pay and keep proof

Pay by bank transfer or UPI and keep the transaction reference against each payout. When a freelancer asks "was I paid for the sangeet?", you should be able to answer in ten seconds.

TDS basics for freelancer payments

If your business is required to deduct TDS, payments to freelance crew may fall under:

• Section 194J — fees for professional or technical services, or
• Section 194C — payments to contractors for work.

Which one applies, the rate and the annual thresholds depend on the nature of the work and change with budgets. Ask your CA once, write the rule down, and apply it consistently. DODO records payments; your accountant handles TDS returns.

Freelancer documents

Keep Aadhaar and PAN on file for every regular freelancer — you'll need PAN for any TDS and it avoids last-minute requests. DODO stores these documents on each team member's profile.

Common payroll mistakes in production houses

1. Rates agreed on the phone and never written down.
2. Night shifts paid as day shifts because the schedule didn't record the shift.
3. Freelancers paid late because nobody generated the list until they asked.
4. Crew cost missing from project margins, so quotes are too low.
5. Paying twice for the same day across two projects.

A monthly payroll checklist

• All shoot phases for the month have crew and rates recorded.
• Overtime logged within 24 hours of each shoot.
• Leave approved or rejected in the system.
• Freelancer payouts generated from assignments, not messages.
• Every payment has a transaction reference.
• Project P&Ls reviewed for crew cost overruns.

Frequently asked questions

How do production houses pay freelance crew in India?

Most freelance crew are paid a day rate per shoot day, sometimes with different rates for night or full-day shifts and overtime, usually by bank transfer or UPI.

How do I calculate payroll for shift-based crew?

Multiply the number of shifts worked by the rate for each shift type. Recording the shift type (day, night or full day) when you schedule the shoot makes this automatic.

Do I need to deduct TDS on freelancer payments?

If your business is required to deduct TDS, freelancer payments may fall under Section 194J or 194C depending on the work. Rates and thresholds change, so confirm with your CA.

How does DODO handle crew payroll?

DODO calculates pay from shifts, completed tasks and project assignments. When you assign crew to a shoot phase you set their rate and days, and those payments are added to the project. Overtime and leave are tracked per team member.

Can freelancers log in to DODO?

Yes. Freelancers have their own role with limited access, so they can see their assignments without seeing your studio's finances.