How to Calculate Commercial Buyouts in Germany (2026 Guide)

Note: This guide covers advertising, corporate, and commercial productions. For fiction productions (TV movies, scripted series, cinema features) involving professional actors under BFFS representation, buyouts are governed by separate collective agreements and residual rules. The VELMA list does not apply there.

The Two Fees: What Each One Covers

Every talent contract in German advertising contains two distinct payments. Confusing them is the most common budgeting error producers make.

Tagesgage (Day Rate): Covers the physical work. This is what you pay for the hours on set, typically calculated on a 10-hour day. Travel time and fittings are also covered here.

Nutzungshonorar (Buyout): Covers the usage rights. This is what you pay for permission to broadcast, print, or distribute the footage. It is calculated separately, based on where the material runs (Territory), how it runs (Media), and for how long (Term).

Both fees appear on the talent invoice as separate line items. The Day Rate does not include usage rights. A talent who signs a contract without an explicit Nutzungshonorar retains the right to negotiate usage fees later, which creates legal exposure.

The Formula

The standard calculation for a commercial buyout in Germany is:

Nutzungshonorar = Day Rate x Media Percentage x Territory Factor

The percentages are expressed per year. A two-year usage period means you either double the percentage or negotiate a multi-year rate (typically a 10-20% discount off the straight multiple).

Step 1: Look Up the Correct Percentage

The VELMA list organises percentages by territory (rows) and media channel (columns). You need both coordinates to get to the right number.

The VELMA Rate Table

All rates are per year. A second year is not free.

Digital and Online Channels (Germany)

As of May 2026, the VELMA list handles digital separately from the territory table above. These percentages apply specifically to Germany and are added on top of any other channels booked.

• Client homepage / online shop: 100%

• Viral marketing (social media, YouTube, email campaigns): 100%

• Aggressive web advertising (pre-rolls, banners, pop-ups, app ads, skyscraper, rectangle): 150%

• Instagram / Facebook: 10% per 10,000 followers

Bundles and Special Conditions

• Below the Line Germany (POS, VKF, PR): 200%

• Above the Line Germany (Print, flyers, catalogues, brochures, TV, posters, online banner advertising, search engine advertising, PR, VKF): 700%

• Product Exclusivity Germany: 300% surcharge (the talent cannot appear in any competing category campaign for the duration)

• Trade Fairs (Messen): 50%

A Countries vs. B Countries: The Full Lists

A Countries (major markets): France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, Spain, China, Japan, Turkey, Australia, Canada

B Countries (secondary markets): Argentina, Austria, Belgium, China*, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Thailand, Hungary

Critical Distinction: China appears in both lists. Whether a campaign in China qualifies as an A or B country rate depends on the scope (national vs. regional) and the specific agency agreement. Clarify this during casting, not post-production.

Step 2: Add Every Channel the Client Is Buying

You pay a separate percentage for each media channel. There is no flat "all media" rate that covers everything cheaply. If the client wants TV and a client homepage and posters, you add the three percentages and calculate against the Day Rate.

Step 3: Worked Example

Scenario: A car manufacturer is running a campaign with one lead actor.

• Day Rate: 1,500 EUR

• Term: 1 year

• Territory: DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)

• Media: TV spots and client homepage

Step-by-step:

1. TV in DACH: Look up the TV column for the DACH row. The rate is 450%.

2. Client homepage (Germany-specific digital): 100%.

3. Total percentage: 450% + 100% = 550%.

4. Calculation: 1,500 EUR x 5.50 = 8,250 EUR Nutzungshonorar.

Full talent invoice:

The Day Rate is just 15% of the total payout. This is the ratio that catches junior producers off guard when they only budget for set fees.

In Splinde's Budget Templates, the Markup AddOn handles this calculation automatically. You enter the Day Rate, select the territory and media channels from a dropdown, and the Nutzungshonorar calculates without a formula. Mixed-media scenarios with different territories for different channels are also supported.

Where Producers Lose Money

1. The per-year trap. The VELMA percentages are for one year of usage. If the client wants to run the campaign for two years, you either double the percentage or negotiate a multi-year rate (usually 10-20% below the straight double). Budgeting for one year and then discovering the campaign runs for 18 months is an expensive conversation.

2. Booking Germany and forgetting DACH. Germany alone is an A Country (100% for Print Ads). The moment you add Austria and Switzerland as part of a DACH rollout, the rate becomes 150% for Print Ads and 450% for TV — a 50% jump. Austria and Switzerland are individually B Countries, but together with Germany they trigger the DACH tier.

3. Treating digital as free. A campaign with a TV spot in DACH at 450% plus a client homepage at 100% plus viral social media at 100% totals 650% before any exclusivity surcharge. Producers who only price the TV usage and add digital "for free" at the client's request are absorbing real cost.

4. The "Above the Line" bundle misread. The 700% Above the Line bundle for Germany covers Print, flyers, catalogues, TV, posters, online banner advertising, search engine advertising, PR, and VKF. It is not a cheaper route to "everything." If the campaign needs TV in DACH (450%) plus online in Germany (150%), adding the Germany-specific 700% Above the Line bundle on top does not make sense. Read what each bundle actually covers before using it.

5. Missing product exclusivity. A 300% product exclusivity surcharge is common in automotive, FMCG, and finance campaigns. It is sometimes forgotten in the initial budget draft and surfaced only when the talent's agency sends the final contract. Build it into the first draft if there is any chance the client will require it.