Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 18 hours ago
What Are Residuals? How Do They Work? Who Gets Them? In this episode of Take 5, SAG-AFTRA Secretary-Treasurer Joely Fisher sits down with Executive Director of Contract Enforcement & Strategy Jen Gaudry to break down the fundamentals of TV and Theatrical residuals.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- What residuals are and why they exist
- The difference between initial compensation and residuals
- How TV reruns and theatrical re-airings trigger residual payments
Learn more at: sagaftra.org/residuals
0:00 – Introduction: Understanding Residuals
0:06 – Meet Joely Fisher & Jen Gaudry
0:18 – What Are Residuals? Basic Definition
0:33 – “Initial Compensation” Explained
0:50 – How Residuals Originated (’50s–’60s History)
1:15 – How New Markets Create New Residuals
1:33 – Streaming, Home Video & Pay TV Residuals
2:00 – Who Qualifies as a Principal Performer
2:24 – Who Does Not Receive Residuals
2:42 – When Residuals Apply to Your Work
3:00 – How Performers Track Residuals
3:18 – Why Residuals Are Critical for Long-Term Income
3:35 – Clearing Up Common Myths About Residuals
3:54 – Closing: Where to Learn More About Residuals
Any information provided in this video is provided for informational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of legal and/or financial counsel. You should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided in this video. SAG-AFTRA, its affiliates and contributors, shall not be responsible for any errors, omissions or damages arising from anyone’s use of the information described and/or contained herein.
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Watch our NEWEST videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCFx0MPpBfI2p358aDL6g6N&playnext=1&index=2
Follow SAG-AFTRA:
Website: sagaftra.org/home
Facebook: facebook.com/sagaftra
Instagram: instagram.com/sagaftra
Twitter: twitter.com/sagaftra
Watch more SAG-AFTRA:
Actor to Actor Interviews: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCH2A9ciqhchJRvXgFbhT0R&playnext=1
Events: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCY7OnjbhQXFMZespg2gUYd&playnext=1
Industry Panel Discussions: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaDDRF2OQQJWAYmB47v0j_06&playnext=1
Latest Videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCFx0MPpBfI2p358aDL6g6N&playnext=1
Popular Videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaDXBxaZ40JAOrS4hyf97nUy&playnext=1
About SAG-AFTRA:
Welcome to the official SAG-AFTRA YouTube channel. On this channel, you’ll find a variety of informational, entertaining, and educational content, including interviews, industry panel discussions, celebrity events, actor to actor interviews, SAG Awards red carpet footage, award show bts, and more. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. With national offices in Los Angeles and New York, and local offices nationwide, SAG-AFTRA members work together to secure the strongest protections for media artists into the 21st century and beyond.
#SAGAFTRA
What Are Residuals? How Do They Work? Who Gets Them? In this episode of Take 5, SAG-AFTRA Secretary-Treasurer Joely Fisher sits down with Executive Director of Contract Enforcement & Strategy Jen Gaudry to break down the fundamentals of TV and Theatrical residuals.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- What residuals are and why they exist
- The difference between initial compensation and residuals
- How TV reruns and theatrical re-airings trigger residual payments
Learn more at: sagaftra.org/residuals
0:00 – Introduction: Understanding Residuals
0:06 – Meet Joely Fisher & Jen Gaudry
0:18 – What Are Residuals? Basic Definition
0:33 – “Initial Compensation” Explained
0:50 – How Residuals Originated (’50s–’60s History)
1:15 – How New Markets Create New Residuals
1:33 – Streaming, Home Video & Pay TV Residuals
2:00 – Who Qualifies as a Principal Performer
2:24 – Who Does Not Receive Residuals
2:42 – When Residuals Apply to Your Work
3:00 – How Performers Track Residuals
3:18 – Why Residuals Are Critical for Long-Term Income
3:35 – Clearing Up Common Myths About Residuals
3:54 – Closing: Where to Learn More About Residuals
Any information provided in this video is provided for informational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of legal and/or financial counsel. You should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided in this video. SAG-AFTRA, its affiliates and contributors, shall not be responsible for any errors, omissions or damages arising from anyone’s use of the information described and/or contained herein.
Subscribe: bit.ly/subSAGAFTRA | Make sure to enable ALL push notifications!
Watch our NEWEST videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCFx0MPpBfI2p358aDL6g6N&playnext=1&index=2
Follow SAG-AFTRA:
Website: sagaftra.org/home
Facebook: facebook.com/sagaftra
Instagram: instagram.com/sagaftra
Twitter: twitter.com/sagaftra
Watch more SAG-AFTRA:
Actor to Actor Interviews: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCH2A9ciqhchJRvXgFbhT0R&playnext=1
Events: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCY7OnjbhQXFMZespg2gUYd&playnext=1
Industry Panel Discussions: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaDDRF2OQQJWAYmB47v0j_06&playnext=1
Latest Videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCFx0MPpBfI2p358aDL6g6N&playnext=1
Popular Videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaDXBxaZ40JAOrS4hyf97nUy&playnext=1
About SAG-AFTRA:
Welcome to the official SAG-AFTRA YouTube channel. On this channel, you’ll find a variety of informational, entertaining, and educational content, including interviews, industry panel discussions, celebrity events, actor to actor interviews, SAG Awards red carpet footage, award show bts, and more. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. With national offices in Los Angeles and New York, and local offices nationwide, SAG-AFTRA members work together to secure the strongest protections for media artists into the 21st century and beyond.
#SAGAFTRA










