How headcount works in the Background Manager

Background performers often work in several scenes on the same day, so adding up every scene usually overcounts. In the Background Manager, each group's daily headcount (the number of people you actually hire) is set with Total headcount:

• Max quantity (default): the largest quantity of that group's background in any one of its scenes. If Diners appear as 10 in each of 5 scenes, the headcount is 10.
• Sum: adds the quantities across all of the group's scenes. Use it when every scene needs different people.
• Custom: type in your own number, for example when you're recycling some background and moving others. Click the pencil next to the headcount to switch to Custom.

Stand-ins and photo doubles offer only Sum (the default, which counts each distinct performer once) and Custom.

Union and non-union

Each group splits its headcount into Union and Non-union. Change one and the other updates to match the total. New groups start as all union, unless your production's rate type is non-union only. If your rates are set to union only or non-union only, you'll only see that field.

When the schedule changes

Max quantity and Sum headcounts update automatically when scene quantities change or scenes move. A Custom headcount stays exactly as you set it. If background moves to another day or is removed, it leaves the group and the day is flagged with an alert. See Understanding Background Manager alerts

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