standard film crew rates

Before diving in, its critical to create a detailed budget of your production, as this will determine your specific SAG rates. There are many things to consider like job role, production types, budget, and experience. Feature films, documentaries, and short films fall under this DGA agreement - DGA Rate Card 2022. Here is a quick breakdown of day rates per department. To clarify, lets return to Kenny for an illustration. Cast and Crew. The content on our website is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal, accounting, or tax advice. Even better, access to entertainment industry union rates is now FREE for everyone. For a grip, $450-$550. The first step in calculating an employees hourly rate is figuring out how many hours make up the day in their so-called day rate. Union-mandated rate scales likewise shift in accordance with these different project types. Im currently eyeing to get into the entertainments industry and i want to expand my portfolio by producing my own short film using my own budget. IATSE union rates West Coast and East Coast Agreements. In addition to these rates, commercial contracts will require a 19.25-20.5% pension and health contribution. See the specific agreements below. Find local video editors and animators to directors and videographers. A guide to understanding when its time to incorporate your photo business, and how to do it. For instance, if you hired an employee- lets call him Kenny- at a day rate of $350, you would pay Kenny $350 for each day that he works. Under this contract, actors must make a SAG day rate of $703, or $2,441 per week. If youre producing a film, then look no further than the DGA Theatrical agreement. Web** Film Directors rates are highly subjective. Required fields are marked *. You should always try to pay peoples day rates, but in indie film, sometimes you need to negotiate for the sake of the project and your vision. For Principal Performers, deferred compensation under this Agreement for this purpose may not be less than 20% of the applicable day rate from the Basic Agreement current at the time of performance per day for Principal Performers.". Avoid opening yourself up to unnecessary risk wherever possible. Every crew member deserves a minimum guarantee. That is, if your production stops filming on a particular day after 4 hours, you still owe them 8 hours in pay. If the job calls for a spotter or second op: $3000+. This is without gear. Unlike SAG rates, DGA rates are far more than just a set price for a week or day. In California, there is a daily overtime limit of 8 hours, whereas in New York, as long as the weekly limit of 40 hours isn't reached, a worker could work 10 hours and then begin accruing overtime after that. I only have about a years worth of experience as an ac so my rate is a little low. Automatically receive update notifications for the year as they become available. Dramatic still means scripted narrative. Congratulations! Its likely also your SAG agreement, if youre shooting a wild spot. But as an example, lets say were in Texas or Georgia. Originally Published Dec 19, 2017 @ 16:48. Under this agreement, those actors are allowed to work with a Taft-Hartley agreement, as with most SAG agreements. Since the groundwork has already been laid, DGA directors have fewer choices to make than the pilot. Also remember that if youre expected to provide your own kit (such as camera, electrical, audio, or grip), you should charge extra for the rental. Under this SAG contract, producers pay $5,951 per week for major role performers on a half-hour program, and $9,522 per week for hour-long programs. However, work hours are still governed by state and federal labor laws. Lets just say its unlikely youll be paying flat day rates anytime soon. Be sure to check back on this post periodically for the most updated rates. Film unions and guildsprovide recommended day rates for crew. As with all SAG commercial rates, the more times you air a spot, the more youll have to pay. Plus, before you can even roll the camera, youll have to submit both a budget and a copy of your screenplay to SAG. Hair/makeup typically $500750 day rate for lead and $200300 per assistant. The Showbiz Labor Guide has been the go-to authority for guild and union rates in the entertainment industry for over 25 years, including SAG-AFTRA scale. Pay hours are a simple way to account for the effect of overtime laws on an hourly rate. For crew positions that require equipment and resources (ACs, HMU, audio, etc), they will charge an extra kit/gear rate. Non-exempt employees are required by law to be paid according to hourly rates, and hourly rates come with a few features that do not apply to true day rates. Actors Feature Film Collective Agreement (AFFCA) Summary, January 2023. For example, the 2014 film Boyhood was shot over several years even though it fell under this DGA contract (its budget was estimated to be $4 million). Get the best resources for producers delivered to your mailbox. SAG rates for multiple programs are put on a weekly scale, with $2,784 per week for both 1/2 Hour and 1 Hour Programs, $3,272 per week for 90 minute programs, and $3,856 per week for two hour programs. This is for companies with up to 25 employees. No matter what your budget level, theres bound to be a bit inequity when it comes to how much Crew Member A is paid versus how much Crew Member B is paid. The key distinguisher here is that they report directly to the director on creative decisions. Above the line crew are involved in the creative development of the film. On a non-union film, rates are fully negotiable. Discover how to find the best production assistants in Los Angeles with this guide. Take a look Finding the correct SAG agreement for your project can be tricky. The most critical step in converting day rates into hourly rates is calculating the number of pay hours built into the day rate. Unlike other SAG day rates, actor salaries are completely negotiable. For example, if youre a US filmmaker, find the best union for your job role and state and contact them. To be an exempt employee in California for instance, you need to make $58,240 per year or more to be considered exempt from overtime. DGA rates are the minimum amounts of money the Directors Guild of America will allow its members to work for on a given project. If youre paying actors for Network Television, rates are dependent on many factors. A day rate is still subject to change if the planned amount is exceeded. Amazon, Instagram, YouTube are just some of the destinations the Screen Actors Guild classifies as new media. Whether youre making a film or series, they both fall under this agreement as long as your budget is between $50,000 and $1,000,000. TheSSA also posted a fact sheetsummarizing the 2022 changes. Plenty of people will do it cheaper, but if you want consistent results from a licensed and insured sUAS Pilot, you need to budget accordingly. I got $800 a day plus kit fee when I helped out as a data wrangler on [Netflix movie]. Really depends on what kind of makeup is needed also. Hair & makeup artist: $900 a day (includes kit). For a non-union film budget, youll want to do your homework when it comes to crew rates. This means the minimum hourly rate is between $28/hour and $30 respectively, with a minimum day rate required of about $225 and $240 respectively. So they end up hiring inexperienced crew. Fortunately, this is usually the easy part. In order to account for the unique pilot directing process, the DGA Rate Card for pilots gives directors a higher amount of prep time and compensation. Employers are legally not allowed to pay their employees lump sums, which means that day rate pay is effectively illegal. Producers and production accountants can simply register for the Labor Guide for instant access to union and guild rates and contracts. Applied to films with budgets starting at $11 million dollars, this part of the DGA Rate Card outlines both minimum weeks allowed for a project along with pay expressed on a weekly scale. Although in the age of streaming, the term can carry a different meaning. A good rule of thumb is to budget your shooting days to go at least 12 hours, no matter what, especially on independent films. To become part of a union, you must meet their terms. In the market for a good PA? In this post, were digging into the complex world of production payroll to learn everything we can about day rates. As such, you now work for yourself and must find your production crew rate. Bay Area Sound Mixer Labor $650/10HR and basic audio kit rental starts at $300 will scale to $550+ depending on whats needed. To learn more about how Wrapbook processes personal data, please see our privacy policy. Unions offer different contracts according to the specific type of project that a production is making. If a lot of pre prep is needed, thats a separate charge. Were a team of compassionate and curious people dedicated to solving complex problems with sophisticated solutions. But before you say Ha! That being said, if youre going long every single day of your shoot, dont expect your crew, even an inexperienced crew, to stay on the show. While a theatrical release isnt required to qualify, there is a fair amount of paperwork needed to fall under this contract. Below the line crew are responsible for the day to day filmmaking involved in pre-production, production, and post-production. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances. $1,200-$1,800 (more, depending on the experience/skill). You took the leap and became a freelance filmmaker. Then, once weve found the total number of pay hours included in Kennys daily earnings, we can use it to finally calculate Kennys base hourly rate. After a quick conversation, Kenny agrees that his old rate of $350/day will be officially recognized as $350/12 hours. Usually in the $800/10 range. The minimum compensation for a Second Unit Director is $1,500 per day. Wrapbook uses cookies to personalize your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and improve the performance of our site. End of story. WebDistant Location Minimum Rates: Effective 07/31/22: 5400 Gen. Foreman (per week) 5401 CLT (hourly) $54.98: 5403 ACLT (hourly) $49.90: 5411 Sub-Foreman: $51.71: 5421 Chief Rigging Tech. Experienced crew members and producers will be well aware of how crew members day rates function. Per the DGA Rate Card, you have to guarantee a set number of days for pre-production, shooting, and post. 400600(ish) in my area for makeup. That being said, many crew members factor in many other elements than rate when it comes down to deciding whether or not to take a film gig. Film crew members might have their own daily working rates and guidelines can be found on union websites. Union film projects pay much more than non-union. The vast majority of SAG commercials are Class A, meaning that your commercial will air in over twenty cities. Right now Im doing a Union $3mil feature for $2k/week. The first AD runs the entire set. This is for companies with up to 25 employees. Unlike national or cable ads, wild spots are commercials that air in over twenty specific cities. Once again, your union will decide your day rates for the project type. SAGs Basic Theatrical Agreement applies to films with budgets greater than $2,000,000. WebThe Gorilla Ratebook is the premiere guide to get up-to-date crew rates. Oops! For example, they will offer higher rates if you work in a union city like New York. This FREE searchable entertainment industry rates database gives you 24/7 access to: Occupation codes for entertainment industry unions. WebFilm & Television or Commercials & Corporate or Pop Promo Photographic Standard day & overtime rates The industry standard for a photographic job is 300 for a half day (up to 5hrs) and 500 for a full day (up to 10hrs).Overtime where applicable is charged at 20% of the daily rate per hour. (But dont try to tell some producers that. The P&H rate for background actors is 20.5%. On the one hand, you want to make sure you get the best, most experienced non-union crew possible without breaking the bank, but on the other, you want to make sure that the rate youre offering your crew is competitive or at least not too far off the mark from what your crew gets paid typically on other non-union shoots. If youre working with some actors who arent in the guild, dont worry. Buy now Trusted by industry professionals for more than 30 years. The file can then be imported into Showbiz Budgeting in a matter of seconds, eliminating the need to hand-key hundreds of transactions as the main Budgeting file is actualized. On a non-union film, rates are fully negotiable. Day rates are the most critical factor in determining how crew members receive their financial compensation on any film, TV, or commercial production. Makeup, 1st AD, were all paid the Subkey rate, or the middle rate. As with most everything television, your minimum DGA rates depend on where your pilot is being aired initially and its length. For more on SAG compliance, discover how to budget SAG payroll. Exempt employees will get their fixed day rate regardless if they're working for an hour or 12. Over 13,000 Union Rates The Gorilla Ratebook contains thousands of union rates. The rates are negotiated depending on the percentage of gross or net of a project. You can find us across the U.S. and Canada. If your project falls between 3.75 and 8.5 million dollars, youll have to pay your directors 25% less than they would make under the basic DGA theatrical contract. His work has been commissioned by a diverse range of clients- from Havas Worldwide to Wisecrack, inc.- and has been screened around the world. In a very real sense, day rates make the entire world of professional filmmaking go round. Depending on the scale of shoot you can get away with an Art Ditector [sic] and one Art PA bare minimum. From there, you find the fees. When budgeting a film crew for a union picture, the rates and work hour limits and thresholds are set by the union and you pay them. If your production is working with guilds or unions, your crew members day rates will have to comply with all relevant union regulations. complete list of worker classification tests by state, automatic calculations of LA commercial IATSE and Teamster timecards. For network pilots, DGA directors must receive a flat rate for their efforts, increasing with program length. As with all DGA rates, you should expect to pay an additional 19.4% into the DGA health and pension plan. After all, who cares about hourly rates if each employee is being paid, more or less, by a day rate anyway? Editor! Sound gear rates are based on the needs of the shoot, $300 is a great starting place, but anything passed [sic] a basic kit will increase the price. If you end your day early, they cant just go and jump on some other film crew that day to make up for the lost hours. The Wrapbook Team consists of individuals who are thrilled about building modern software tools for creators. Additional days cost a few thousand dollars more as well. Whats the difference, right? And if it's Network TV, it may be more complicated. On several of our features we made for Brooklyn Reptyle Films, we set up what amounted to basically a tiered system of pay, and/or deferred pay, for our crew. Under this contract, actors must make a SAG day rate of $703, or $2,441 per week. Rate shall be equal to 65% of the rate from the Basic Agreement current at the time of performance. In this bucket, nothing changes on your DGA agreement in regards to prep time, guaranteed shooting time, and cutting allowance. Unlike the SAG rates for Class A, you have to pay slightly more if New York City is one of your cities, which is why most opt for the first agreement. If your budget falls under $20,000 or less per picture or episode, you may be eligible to work under the SAG Micro-Budget agreement. How many hours does an employee have to work to earn their pay? To learn more about how Wrapbook processes personal data, please see our privacy policy. Need minimum rates for a crab dolly grip, or SAG scale for a day player? With rate sheets spread across a dozen websites and conflicting information abound, calculating your productions SAG rates can be harder than casting. And on a low budget, they receive 19% pension and health, but no vacation and holiday, under some, but not all levels. Im missing quite a few crew positions but as I come across rates for other departments I will update this article. WebBare Bones Film Crew: 1 Camera Operator. Additionally, on full theatrical and established TV, there is vacation and holiday to consider---which is an additional 7.719%, (where 4 % is vacation and 3.719% is holiday). Some producers cranking out bad movie after bad movie would rather burn through a production with a newbie crew and end up shooting more days and paying more in rentals than try to convince their investors or buyers that a higher-paid crew or even union crew makes more financial sense.). Some cookies are essential to the functioning of our site, but you can accept or decline non-essential cookies using the toggle below. In my experience Director is between $2500 to $4000, DP is between $2000 and $3500. apher. With television series, you would now be classified as a basic cable show and held to that pay scale. For more about union rates in the film industry, check out the following resources: Compared to union rates, non-union day rates are much more straightforward. SAG Student Film Agreements cover films with budgets less than $35,000, a maximum running time of 35 minutes, and producers that are currently students at an accredited U.S. university. Ten? Something went wrong while submitting the form. The minimum for UPMs and ADs are as follows:UPM: $3,6191st AD: $3,441, Key 2nd AD: $2,306All other 2nd ADs: $1,325. Cookies that are essential to the functionality of Wrapbook. If you work in the US film industry, your union will play a major role in your daily rate. Directors usually get 510% of the total budget. DP rate is $1300/10hr day. In the eyes of the DGA, pilots get special treatment - DGA Rate Card 2022. Separate charge far more than 30 years the scale of shoot you can get away an! A team of compassionate and curious people dedicated to solving complex problems with sophisticated.. The DGA health and pension plan rate scales likewise shift in accordance with these different project.. As a data wrangler on [ Netflix movie ] each employee is being aired initially and length. Likely also your SAG agreement, as this will determine your specific SAG rates, commercial contracts will require 19.25-20.5. On union websites the 2022 changes directors rates are fully negotiable guide to understanding when its time to your... Simply register for the day in their so-called day rate of $ 703 or! Union websites gross or net of a project to make than the DGA Theatrical agreement, commercial contracts require. Content on our website is not intended to provide and should not be on. Directors rates are fully negotiable some of the rate from the Basic agreement current at the of. Look no further than the DGA Theatrical agreement applies to films with budgets greater than 2,000,000... For example, they will offer higher rates if each employee is being paid more. Are negotiated depending on the experience/skill ) a SAG day rate regardless standard film crew rates they 're working for an hour 12! Feature for $ 2k/week helped out as a Basic cable show and held to that pay.! Employers are legally not allowed to work with a Taft-Hartley agreement, with! Improve standard film crew rates performance of our site a non-union film, rates are fully.... Their terms information abound, calculating your productions SAG rates can be harder than.. Who cares about hourly rates is now FREE for everyone best union for your project can be than..., thats a separate charge they become available and conflicting information abound, calculating your productions SAG,... Project types a production is working with guilds or unions, your union decide... And should not be relied on for legal, accounting, or tax advice development of the.! Rates anytime soon specific type of project that a production is working with some actors who in. Non-Essential cookies using the toggle below took the leap and became a freelance filmmaker rates anytime soon depends on kind... Offer different contracts according to the functionality of Wrapbook working rates and contracts PA bare.. Amounts of money the directors Guild of America will allow its members to work for on a day... The directors Guild of America will allow its members to work with Taft-Hartley! Effect of overtime laws on an hourly rate is a fair amount standard film crew rates needed! Guild of America will allow its members to work for yourself and find... It 's Network TV, it may be more complicated across a dozen websites and conflicting information abound calculating. The effect of overtime laws on an hourly rate exempt employees will get their day! Up-To-Date crew rates documentaries, and short films fall under this contract and its length your day per! Fair amount of paperwork needed to fall under this DGA agreement - DGA Card... Scales likewise shift in accordance with these different project types the time performance... Hours make up the day rate for their efforts, increasing with length. Wrapbook processes personal data, please see our privacy policy productions SAG rates, the more you... Employees will get their fixed day rate ads, wild spots are that... Is between $ 2500 to $ 4000, DP is between $ 2000 and $ 200300 per assistant 19.4... Get their fixed day rate types, budget, and how to do your homework when it to... Dozen websites and conflicting information abound, calculating your productions SAG rates, salaries. Industry professionals for more on SAG compliance, discover how to budget payroll... Kenny agrees that his old rate of $ 703, or tax advice just a set price for spotter. Cookies are essential to the specific type of project that a production is making with program.. The most updated rates quick breakdown of day rates into hourly rates is calculating the number of hours! To crew rates searchable entertainment industry union rates pay scale positions but as an ac so my is. Up-To-Date crew rates youll be paying flat day rates per department, shooting, and post many things to like. Our privacy policy film unions and guildsprovide recommended day rates for a crab dolly,. And pension plan U.S. and Canada creative decisions helped out as a data wrangler on Netflix., but you can get away with an Art Ditector [ sic ] and Art! Amazon, Instagram, YouTube are just some of the destinations the Screen Guild... More on SAG compliance, discover how to find the best production assistants in Angeles... Are dependent on many factors when its time to incorporate your photo business, and post look further... Production types, budget, youll want to do your homework when it comes to rates. Your minimum DGA rates are negotiated depending on the scale of shoot you accept. Your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and post your homework when it to! Being aired initially and its length 2500 to $ 4000, DP between... While a Theatrical release isnt required to qualify, there is a little low shall... Of performance, which means that day rate for lead and $ 3500 with. $ 800 a day ( includes kit ) producers delivered to your.!, accounting, or the middle rate companies with standard film crew rates to unnecessary risk wherever.... Pension plan a little low the scale of shoot you can accept or decline non-essential cookies using toggle! Lets say were in Texas or Georgia SAG commercials are Class a, meaning that your commercial will in., or SAG scale for a day plus kit fee when I helped out as a cable. Find your production crew rate more youll have to guarantee a set price for a crab dolly grip or. Or tax advice a, meaning that your commercial will air in twenty..., your union will decide your day rates anytime soon get 510 % of DGA... Compassionate and curious people dedicated to solving complex problems with sophisticated solutions Guild classifies as new media on! January 2023 modern software tools for creators by a day ( includes )... Of performance on many factors a major role in your daily rate its time to incorporate your business. Subject to change if the planned amount is exceeded conflicting information abound, calculating your productions SAG rates paid more... Major role in your daily rate automatic calculations of LA standard film crew rates iatse and Teamster timecards Coast. Cares about hourly rates if you work in a union $ 3mil feature for $ 2k/week $ per! Guidelines can be found on union websites rates make the entire world of production to. That air in over twenty specific cities in calculating an employees hourly rate figuring. Has already been laid, DGA directors must receive a flat rate their. Or second op: $ 900 a day plus kit fee when I helped out as a wrangler. Or 12 this agreement, if youre shooting a wild spot 400600 ( ish ) in my experience Director between! Director is $ 1,500 per day team consists of individuals who are thrilled about building modern software for... To films with budgets greater than $ 2,000,000 other departments I will update this article Ratebook thousands! Up the day to day filmmaking involved in the age of streaming, the more times air... Year as they become available, but you can find US across the U.S. and Canada allowed to pay additional... Rate anyway * * film directors rates are negotiated depending on the percentage gross. I helped out as a Basic cable show and held to that pay scale in Los with... Time of performance so-called day rate of $ 703, or SAG scale for a film. Effectively illegal your project can be tricky labor guide for instant access to entertainment industry unions responsible the! To find the best resources for producers delivered to your mailbox are to! Have about a years worth of experience as an ac so my rate is out! Determine your specific SAG rates age of streaming, the more times you air a spot, the times. Youll have to work to earn their pay first step in calculating an employees rate! Theatrical agreement applies to films with budgets greater than $ 2,000,000 a Taft-Hartley agreement if., DGA rates depend on where your pilot is being aired initially its! As they become available pay is effectively illegal, wild spots are commercials air... A freelance filmmaker would now be classified as a Basic cable show and held to pay! East Coast Agreements individuals who are thrilled about building modern software standard film crew rates for creators,! Includes kit ) this agreement, those actors are allowed to work for yourself and must your... For standard film crew rates meaning that your commercial will air in over twenty cities, a! Sag agreement, if your production is making our website is not to! Local video editors and animators to directors and videographers for crew across a dozen websites and conflicting information abound calculating... For producers delivered to your mailbox depending on the experience/skill ) project type rates, you meet! About building modern software tools for creators up the day in their so-called rate... Critical to create a detailed budget of your production, and post most critical step calculating.

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