How Payments work
How Payments Work at DJ’s & Naledis
We often get asked: “Why does it take so long to get paid after a job?”
The truth is — this is normal in the casting and advertising world in South Africa, and here’s why.
Step-by-step process
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You do the job
This could be a TV commercial, stills shoot, or online advert. -
We wait for the client’s paperwork
After the shoot, the advertising agency or production company sends us an order confirming the details of your work and your day fee (payment for the day you worked). -
We send our first invoice — for the day fee
Once we get the order, we invoice the client for your day fee. -
Usage is confirmed later
Usage means how and where your image, face, or performance will be shown or used.
For example, if your face appears on TV, online ads, social media, or in print — that counts as usage.
The client confirms how long the advert will run and where it will appear (this is called the usage period).
We then send another invoice for the usage fee — payment for the rights to use your image or work during that time. -
Sometimes there are extra usage fees
If the advert is used in extra ways — for example, in print media, on different social media platforms, or in another country — those are separate fees.
Each will be sent as separate invoices and are often paid in different months from your day fee. -
We wait for the client to pay us
Most agencies and production companies in South Africa work on long payment cycles.
It can take weeks or months for them to process payments — which is why payments sometimes take time.
Our payment policy
At DJ’s and Naledis, we follow a 90-day from first statement system.
That means:
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We can only pay you once the client has paid us.
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Different fees (day fee, usage fee, extra usage fees) are invoiced separately and usually paid in different months.
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Our accounts lady does all artiste payments on the first Friday of each month.
Why the wait?
Advertising payments have several steps before the money reaches you:
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The brand pays the ad agency.
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The ad agency pays the production company.
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The production company pays us.
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Then we pay you.
We understand waiting isn’t fun, but this is standard industry practice worldwide.
You will always receive every cent you’ve earned once the payment reaches us.