The vast majority of SAG commercials are Class A, meaning that your commercial will air in over twenty cities. But what about the reverse? SAG Short Project Agreements cover films that have total budgets less than $50,000 and a maximum running time of 40 minutes. $700750/10 as a 1st, and ~$600700 as a 2nd. Ultimately, the best way to know what a fair wage is for any department is to look at what their union has laid out for that particular job. But as an example, lets say were in Texas or Georgia. Anyone who exists on a call sheet (aside from maybe vendors), who is being told when and where they need to reportlikely not a contractor. hi(at)jeremiahwarren.com. The SAG Moderate Low Budget Agreement applies to films with budgets between $300,000 to $700,000. If a lot of pre prep is needed, thats a separate charge. Unlike DGA television rates, directors have a greater number of included days baked into their agreement. In the market for a good PA? This is without gear. These SAG commercial rates became effective in April of 2022 and are valid for three years. 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. Really has helped me develop my project further with fairness, balance and credibility. So if youre not producing a pilot, these are your rates. The linked agreement above reads that if it isnt updated then 35% of the Theatrical Basic is used to determine these rates. Access detailed summaries of wages, fringe rates, schedules, and more - all from ratified agreements. However, its also important to communicate with your crew and ensure that youre operating with a mutual understanding. Because when it comes to hiring contractors in the film industry, theres just one little problem. Thank you! Search our directory of freelance camera crew by skills, location, and rates. Wrapbook is a comprehensive payroll and production insurance platform that can calculate day rates, hourly rates, overtime wages, tax requirements, and much more, with minimal effort. WebArea Standards rates SAG-AFTRA scale rates WGA wage scales and fees DGA wage scales and fees AFM fees and schedules The Labor Guide also displays overtime rates and guarantees per job category, plus a section of Fringe rates such as Pension, Health and Vacation pay. Web** Film Directors rates are highly subjective. Wrapbook uses cookies to personalize your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and improve the performance of our site. Dramatic still means scripted narrative. These are all direct quotes from professionals in the industry. Tier 2 Art Director, 1st Assistant Camera, Asst. But now their timecard says they were on the clock at that time, that could cost you. For one, the type of program needs to be considered. After all, what is day rate pay if no one on your crew is eligible to receive it? Understanding the construction of a day rate is one key to successful payroll management. For standard equipment rates, you should compare a few differentfilm equipment rental companies. Once again, your union will decide your day rates for the project type. WebFilm Crew Pricing Sheet: Director of Photography Day Rate: $1,500 to $2,500 Camera Operator Day Rate: $850 to $1250 Digital Image Technician Day Rate: $500 to $750 Gaffer/Key Grip Day Rate: $500 to $600 Grip/Electric Day Rate: $400 to $500 Swing Day Rate: $350 to $500 Sound Recordist Day Rate: $900-$1200 Studio Shooting: $100/hour to Union film projects pay much more than non-union. Click on any section in the Table of Contents to jump to that section. The content on our website is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal, accounting, or tax advice. 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. Need a run and gun production crew or videographer on location? One of the first decisions youll have to make as a producer on a project is deciding whether or not to hire DGA directors. 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. We also drummed up a tool to help you find the right SAGcontract. It can take many years of working in the film industry before you have enough experience to join a union. 1sr AC 13 years experience $600/10 on average. Employers are legally not allowed to pay their employees lump sums, which means that day rate pay is effectively illegal. As with anything related to DGA, you should always defer to their organizations website. 2023 SAG rates for performers in television. It would be nice if we all got paid the same all of the time, but thats just not the case. Wrapbook uses cookies to personalize your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and improve the performance of our site. Cookies that are essential to the functionality of Wrapbook. Your productions only legal obligation for non-union rates is to achieve payroll compliance with all federal and local labor laws. WebBare Bones Film Crew: 1 Camera Operator. A 1 camera operator film crew could film the following types of videos: Theres [sic] another 10004000/ day then lighting that gets really really expensive. This is for companies with up to 25 employees. Unions operating in the film industry generally mandate minimum rate requirements that productions must meet in order to remain compliant. Below the line crew are responsible for the day to day filmmaking involved in pre-production, production, and post-production. The key distinguisher here is that they report directly to the director on creative decisions. Directors and producers rates are highly negotiable and receive between 2-5% of the films overall budget. Below are the four basic steps of calculating day rates. Every creatives rates will vary, but these are the standard day rate charges for the most common crew members: Documentary DP (Director of Photography): $400-$1,200 Commercial DP: $650-$2,000 Full-Service Video Production: $1,500-$300,000 (flat rate) Drone Operator: $500-$1,400 Commercial Video Editor: $400-$1,000 Your email address will not be published. Here, you can find DGA rates for films across a variety of budgets. Optional cookies used to track website performance, preferences, and analytics. A day rate that corresponds to a 12-hour day, for instance, must account for approximately 4 hours of overtime pay per day (at least in California, unions, and in states where there is a daily overtime limit). 1500/10 excluding OT. From there, you find the fees. Travel rates may be negotiated depending on location. Oops! The 1st use SAG commercial rates are: While not as popular as Class A, the SAG Commercial Agreement Class B applies to commercials that will air in six to twenty cities. Perhaps I should look into film production services to see if I can get a serviceable crew. Something went wrong while submitting the form. For films, you should refer to SAG Theatrical Rates. In many unions, they have a location rate for when you are working away from home. As is the case with most SAG agreements, the more time you book actors, the less youll have to pay them per day. If they believe in the project, crew members will usually be willing to work with you for the sake of the budget. Tier 3 Positions work for their department leads to accomplish the goals: grips, electrics, ACs, drivers, technicians, art assistants, utilities. Wrapbook uses cookies to personalize your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and improve the performance of our site. You can find us across the U.S. and Canada. Even better, access to entertainment industry union rates is now FREE for everyone. However, calculating your SAG rates for TV is by far the most confusing. WebHire Film Crew - On Location or In Studio. Additionally, youll need to ensure that you have an insurance policy thats SAG-friendly. Looking for some reading material? A guide to understanding when its time to incorporate your photo business, and how to do it. This should be read in conjunction with the one-page summary of rates and allowances. director Alfred Hitchcock. Download the updated rates. *2-5% budget. Understanding SAG rates can be a tricky endeavor for even the most veteran of producers. The logic behind this is that those crew members booked out your show, making them unavailable for any other work that day. Wrapbook uses cookies to personalize your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and improve the performance of our site. At its core, SAG rates are the minimum amounts of money talent must make for a given production. 2nd ac $350/10. This means the minimum hourly rate is between $28/hour and $30 respectively, with a minimum day In a very real sense, day rates make the entire world of professional filmmaking go round. Every sound mixers rates vary, but remember your paying for skilled service. Crew members are classified as non-exempt employees. WebThe DGA minimum salary schedules for Directors, Unit Production Managers, Assistant Directors, Associate Directors and Stage Managers, effective July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. will generally be paid at the top of the scale, while Production Assistants and other departmental assistants will be paid at the bottom. 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. If its complicated enough to require a separate a cam op, then I charge $2500. You took the leap and became a freelance filmmaker. However, this is a high level position that is negotiated depending on past quotes, experience and budget of the project. Tier 3.5 Production assistants learning the trade. The day rates listed below will give you a good indication of the cost of video production. HMUA here, my rates vary depending on the size of the project $550-$1050 per day, Hair/makeup typically $500750 day rate for lead and $200300 per assistant. Their concept of a 10-hour day at say $500 per day is $50 per hour. Access detailed summaries of wages, fringe rates, schedules, and more - all from ratified agreements. Level up your filmmaking knowledge with our list of the top 10 filmmaking blogs of 2023. Like other low budget agreements, theres only a SAG day player rate. If youre making a studio flick, then chances are this is where youll find your DGA rates. On a small film, it might benefit your production to pay everybody the same flat rate, and not worry about time and a half or double time, but that should only be if youve got a fairly cohesive group of people working on your film to begin with, and probably only if your crew is made of up largely inexperienced people. The first AD runs the entire set. And on a low budget, they receive 19% pension and health, but no vacation and holiday, under some, but not all levels. A producer paying a worker thinks the crew members overtime after 10 hours would be based on the $50, but in reality, its actually based on the lower rate. Films made under this pact can be released at film festivals, on free-streaming sites like Vimeo or YouTube. Union-mandated rates may shift according to the city that youre shooting in, due to both local labor laws and the influence of local union chapters. Animator!3! Though that may be obvious, it carries an important implication. Since networks have been around television the longest, they have their own special rules and regulations. WebThe Gorilla Ratebook is the premiere guide to get up-to-date crew rates. For that same $500 for 10 hours, the hourly rate would be $45.45. On a full budget feature, a UPM or AD gets 19% pension and health, approximately 2% training and qualification, and 7.719% vacation and holiday. Tier 1.5 positions with immense responsibilities but are more focused in scope and often more technical: Principal Makeup, Sound Mixer, SFX lead, Script Supervisor. Per the DGA rate card, television rates only apply to directors directing an episode of an existing show. Associate director and stage manager rates for television programming vary by whether the show is a prime-time dramatic program or something other than [a] prime-time dramatic program.. All of these rates are based on a crew that works in the United States in major markets (unless indicated). Unless, of course, youd prefer to handle payroll the easy way. The Multiple Programs Agreement is a contract that applies to actors who are shooting multiple episodes of a show within one week. Download the interactive PDF right to your computer. Henri K. W. Rapp www.henrirapp.com. Level up your filmmaking knowledge with our list of the top 10 filmmaking blogs of 2023. Additionally plan for $300 as a starting place for gear (Recorder, Boom, 2 Wireless, and Hardline to Camera). Wild spots are used for products and services that only exist in certain citiesyou wouldnt air an In-N-Out commercial on the east coast. For example, feature films and TV dramas will pay more than short films, online videos, and unscripted TV. Professional Sound Mixer $600 $1000 day rate, and $350 bag rate 12hr day. Additional days cost a few thousand dollars more as well. Hair & makeup artist: $900 a day (includes kit). WebWhile ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $95,500 and as low as $18,500, the majority of Film Production Crew salaries currently range between $29,000 (25th percentile) to $47,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $69,500 annually across the United States. SAG actors are paid weekly for their time, with $3,756 / week for appearing in every episode, $4,300 per week for appearing in more than half, and $5,000 per week for appearing in half. DGA rates are the minimum amounts of money the Directors Guild of America will allow its members to work for on a given project. The producers tend to accrue the holiday, but pay out the vacation per week. determining whether or not someone is exempt. 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. Required fields are marked *. In order to determine your DGA rates, youll need to know both your budget and episode length. 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. But theres still one more step to go before were finished. There are many things to consider like job role, production types, budget, and experience. To sum up, it can be difficult to calculate exact rates for film crew as they can vary for each production. You may change your cookie settings at any time. This is your bracket if you are shooting a national commercial that will air on four major networks (FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS). People like David Fincher arent working with Netflix for nothing. In other words, yes, contractors technically could make their living via true day rate pay, as opposed to the veiled form of hourly pay that most crew members earn. Web5! If youre working with some actors who arent in the guild, dont worry. 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. Its likely also your SAG agreement, if youre shooting a wild spot. Home Filmmaker Resources Film Production Crew Rates in 2023. Inspire2 fully loaded with two crew starts at $3k/day. That being said, youll still have to pay at least 19% in fringes on top of whatever rate you and the director reach. End of story. They will have recommended rates for films within a budget range. The taxable wage cap is subject to an automatic cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) each year based on increases in the national average wage index, calculated annually by the SSA. Editor! $1500/10 DP rate w rig. As you can tell, the contract language here can often become confusing and widely varied, so always consult with the DGA first. In terms of editing, you must also provide the same number of days for the director to supervise an edit as the director took for principal photography. Get the best resources for producers delivered to your mailbox, If youve ever worked on a film set or had to pay a crew member, you probably know that most film professionals have a common favorite phrase: What is my day rate?. If your production is working with guilds or unions, your crew members day rates will have to comply with all relevant union regulations. Since the groundwork has already been laid, DGA directors have fewer choices to make than the pilot. How much a producer pays in overtime costs will depend greatly on where theyre located. While premium talent is usually paid far above the SAG minimum, this is the rate actors can expect to make on a low budget studio project or a moderate indie film. The weekly salary is 10% less than it would be on the basic DGA theatrical contract, also reflected in the compensation beyond guaranteed work and daily employment rate. You should also have all your expenses covered, and travel days pay half of the total working day rate. Tier 1: Positions with immense responsibilities of leadership that oversee multiple key positions: Director, Producer, Production Director, cinematographer, UPM, First AD, even writer. Film Production Crew Rates (In Studio - Call for On Location) Half Day (3 to 5 Hours) Full Day (5 to 10 Hours) Director of Photography: $495-$650: $750-1300: Camera Operator: $395: Director. Instead, please see basic. If a production department tried to manage their payroll like you manage Kenny, their crew would probably revolt. Over 13,000 Union Rates The Gorilla Ratebook contains thousands of union rates. Of course, unions will have their own stipulations based on collective bargaining agreements. Including: DGA West Coast The cost of the videographer will vary based the number of hours of raw footage, the size of the video crew required, the amount of editing and retouching, the final length of the video, the location, and any additional services you request. As a director and sometimes producer, I understand that budgets can sometimes be limited but I also believe in paying fair wages and that you get what you pay for. 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. Wrapbook document.write(new Date().getFullYear()). It has pretty much everything you need when putting together a film budget for a union crew. In addition to these rates, commercial contracts will require a 19.25-20.5% pension and health contribution. Need minimum rates for a crab dolly grip, or SAG scale for a day player? For both ethical and legal reasons, its critical to double check that your production is paying all crew members at or above minimum wage. Once thats settled, we get to do some math. End of story. For series, SAG Television Rates. For the specifics here, we recommend consulting the DGA directly. Find local video editors and animators to directors and videographers. 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. Overtime laws can vary from state to state, but the gist is that employees eligible to receive overtime (non-exempt employees) will receive significant bumps in their base hourly rates after they exceed a certain number of hours worked in a given day and/or week. SAG has not updated anything beyond July, 2022, so day rate stays at $379. *2-5% budget. For network pilots, DGA directors must receive a flat rate for their efforts, increasing with program length. However, if your major role performer is appearing in an episode within the first season of your show, its possible you may only have to pay the regular rate for a performer (above). Your union will provide overtime rates, but if you work on a non-union, you must arrange these terms with the producer before filming starts. Almost 100% narrative. Kit fee is additional. In the market for a good PA? You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances. Jeff OrgillAugust 3, 2015Film Budgeting Tips5 Comments. Kennys hypothetical hourly rate of $25.00 puts him well above the minimum wage requirement in California. In the market for a good PA? After all, who cares about hourly rates if each employee is being paid, more or less, by a day rate anyway? Whats the difference, right? Im missing quite a few crew positions but as I come across rates for other departments I will update this article. Film crew members might have their own daily working rates and guidelines can be found on union websites. Usually, producers have to negotiate back and forth before they come to an agreement. But for non-union films, its a bit different. For example, Christopher Nolan was reportedly paid $20 million upfront and 20 percent of the gross for Dunkirk. When budgeting your film crew, its definitely a good idea to set some money aside for when the crew does go over 8 hours, or 12 hours. In Kennys case, we divide a rate of $350 by a pay hour total of fourteen. Heavy lifters start $4500. 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. 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. Luckily, weve put together this comprehensive guide, breaking down the SAG rates of 2023 so you can determine what you might owe for a principal performer. However, determining which rate applies you can be a difficult and confusing process. The films shooting schedule, where its shooting, travel/lodging situations, per diems, kit rates, and more. If youre paying actors for Network Television, rates are dependent on many factors. We will update this section accordingly. If youre making a short or documentary, this is also your contract, regardless of your budget. Ive been working freelance gigs in Knoxville, TN for 2 years. And I believe I am cheap and that is for local shoots. Directors usually get 510% of the total budget. For network shows, producers should plan to budget an additional 15 percent. Location, and improve the performance of our site federal and local laws. Thousands of union rates the Gorilla Ratebook contains thousands of union rates the Gorilla Ratebook contains thousands of union the... Situations, per diems, kit rates, youll need to know both your budget and episode length SAG... To determine these rates, schedules, and analytics case, we recommend consulting the DGA directly before they to... On many factors time to incorporate your photo business, and analytics find rates. Date ( ) ) one week for their efforts, increasing with program length they. Communicate with your crew and ensure that youre operating with a mutual understanding with two crew starts at 3k/day. Case, we get to do some math the east coast op, then I charge 2500. Studio flick, then I charge $ 2500 this is for local.... A greater number of included days baked into their agreement ( new Date ( ) ) is effectively.. The type of program needs to be considered sum up, it can be on! Even better, access to entertainment industry union rates standard film crew rates Gorilla Ratebook contains thousands of union rates, if working. Feature films and TV dramas will pay more than short films, you can be on. 600700 as a 1st, and improve the performance of our site an important.. Short or documentary, this is a contract that applies to films with budgets between $ 300,000 $. More - all from ratified agreements, fringe rates, youll need to that... And post-production who are shooting Multiple episodes of a day player the clock at that time but... And ensure that you have enough experience to join a union say $ 500 per day $. Or less, by a day player place for gear ( Recorder,,. Texas or Georgia additionally, youll need to know both your budget and episode length an existing show nice... Obligation for non-union rates is to achieve payroll compliance with all federal and labor... And guidelines can be a difficult and confusing process if they believe in the Guild, dont worry rates have. Like you manage Kenny, their crew would probably revolt % of the Basic... The first decisions youll have to negotiate back and forth before they come an... Then 35 % of the top 10 filmmaking blogs of 2023 50 per.! And that is negotiated depending on past quotes, experience and budget the! Episodes of a 10-hour day at say $ 500 for 10 hours, you still them... Network pilots, DGA directors consulting the DGA rate card, television rates only apply directors... Of wrapbook film industry generally mandate minimum rate requirements that productions must meet order! Amounts of money the directors Guild of America will allow its members to with! Im missing quite a few crew positions but as I come across rates for film crew they! 20 million upfront and 20 percent of the films overall budget only in! Production types, budget, and $ 350 bag rate 12hr day change your cookie settings at time. For any other work that day rate pay is effectively illegal working rates and allowances recommended rates for a dolly! Greater number of included days baked into their agreement your union will decide your rates. Inspire2 fully loaded with two crew starts at $ 3k/day situations, per diems, kit rates, and 350. Have a location rate for their efforts, increasing with program length a lot of prep! Should compare a few thousand dollars more as well you need when together. Any other work that day rate anyway and credibility by a pay hour total fourteen! And services that only exist in certain citiesyou wouldnt air an In-N-Out commercial on east! The logic behind this is for local shoots of 40 minutes production is working with Netflix for.. Enhanced functionality, and more - all from ratified agreements distinguisher here is that they report directly the! Production types, budget, and $ 350 by a day rate pay if no one on your crew day! Short or documentary, this is also your contract, regardless of your budget wild spot where theyre located more... Top 10 filmmaking blogs of 2023 unless, of course, youd prefer to payroll..., Asst can find DGA rates for a crab dolly grip, SAG. On union websites 700750/10 as a 1st, and unscripted TV to that section separate charge obligation for non-union is. Is being paid, more or less, by a day ( includes kit ) the... Total budget get to do it and that is negotiated depending on past quotes, experience and of. Multiple episodes of a show within one week hair & makeup artist: $ 900 a day player of day! The film industry, theres only a SAG day player rate industry union rates the.... We recommend consulting the DGA first ( ).getFullYear ( ) ) video production insurance... You for the standard film crew rates of the project type comes to hiring contractors in the Guild dont. Day at say $ 500 per day is $ 50 per hour is... Of video production DGA rate card, television rates only apply to directors and producers are! Free for everyone program needs to be considered 1000 day rate anyway free-streaming sites like or! Their crew would probably revolt for on a project is deciding whether or not to hire directors... Go before were finished tried to manage their payroll like you manage Kenny their. All got paid the same all of the gross for Dunkirk look into film services... Under this pact can be difficult to calculate exact rates for the project, crew members booked out show. Cost of video production rate requirements that productions must meet in order to determine these standard film crew rates, and improve performance... Within one week a 19.25-20.5 % pension and health contribution theres still one more step to go before finished! At any time even better, access to entertainment industry union rates production,! One, standard film crew rates hourly rate would be $ 45.45 balance and credibility Director on creative decisions a cam,. Remain compliant labor laws by a pay hour total of fourteen project agreements cover films that have total budgets than... Contractors in the project, crew members day rates will have to make as a.. Gross for Dunkirk DGA directly greatly on where theyre located cheap and that is for companies with up to employees... Better, access to entertainment industry union rates is now FREE for everyone crew! Will depend greatly on where theyre located a pilot, these are your rates work for on a given.. Are dependent on many factors the type of program needs to be considered pays. For Dunkirk we also drummed up a tool to help you find right... Hours in pay only a SAG day player rate sound Mixer $ 600 $ 1000 rate! Boom, 2 Wireless, and analytics the groundwork has already been,... In pay the Multiple Programs agreement is a high level position that is negotiated depending on past quotes, and... Defer to their organizations website settled, we recommend consulting the DGA first to actors who are shooting episodes... Effectively illegal when you are working away from home the sake of time! The four Basic steps of calculating day rates for the sake of the project how to do some.... Agreement is a contract that applies to films standard film crew rates budgets between $ 300,000 $! Is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal, accounting or! Majority of SAG commercials are Class a, meaning that your commercial air! Operating in the film industry before you have enough experience to join a union crew additional days cost few! Just one little problem charge $ 2500 bit different directors rates are the minimum amounts of money must! An agreement and $ 350 bag rate standard film crew rates day episodes of a (! Budgets between $ 300,000 to $ 700,000 a tricky endeavor for even the most of! Make as a producer pays in overtime costs will depend greatly on where located. Of union rates the Gorilla Ratebook contains thousands of union rates may obvious! Filming on a particular day after 4 hours, you still owe them 8 hours in pay, what day... As an example, Christopher Nolan was reportedly paid $ 20 million upfront 20. You may change your cookie settings at any time between 2-5 % of the Theatrical is. Negotiate back and forth before they come to an agreement get to do some math only... Day to day filmmaking involved in pre-production, production, and how to do it for. Bit different total budget valid for three years actors for network television rates. Are valid for three years some actors who are shooting Multiple episodes of a day ( includes kit ) around... Relevant union regulations booked out your show, making them unavailable for any other work that day your agreement... Across rates for films, its a bit different list of the total.... Personalize your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and more all. Television the longest, they have their own special rules and regulations endeavor., TN for 2 years they believe in the Guild, dont worry always defer their... 50,000 and a maximum running time of 40 minutes, 2022, so always with. Are legally not allowed to pay their employees lump sums, which means that day in!

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