If they get less money, one more regular could prove to be way too much.
Regular actors (and producers! and writers!) contracts aren't included in the per-episode budget, only guest stars and extras are. It's one of the (delightfully sneaky!) advantages of hiring regulars! :D Cassidy is a recurring regular - if they took away her regular status, not only would they run into the problem of not having her whenever they want her, they'd have to include her in the episode budget.
Apart from that, actors are very cheap. Numerous times, I've seen producers talk about how hiring people is always easier, 'cause they're the cheapest part of an episode (one CW producer was even quoted as saying ALL the guest stars in any given episode of his totaled a mere $25,000 - in an episode budget of nearly $2 million, that's hardly a thing ...).
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
momijizukamori
no subject
Date: 2008-04-22 06:02 pm (UTC)Regular actors (and producers! and writers!) contracts aren't included in the per-episode budget, only guest stars and extras are. It's one of the (delightfully sneaky!) advantages of hiring regulars! :D Cassidy is a recurring regular - if they took away her regular status, not only would they run into the problem of not having her whenever they want her, they'd have to include her in the episode budget.
Apart from that, actors are very cheap. Numerous times, I've seen producers talk about how hiring people is always easier, 'cause they're the cheapest part of an episode (one CW producer was even quoted as saying ALL the guest stars in any given episode of his totaled a mere $25,000 - in an episode budget of nearly $2 million, that's hardly a thing ...).