Plus kit fee. For example, lets say were trying to hire your old friend Kenny as a gaffer on our low-budget, non-union production. Thank you! The Wrapbook Team consists of individuals who are thrilled about building modern software tools for creators. Access detailed summaries of wages, fringe rates, schedules, and more - all from ratified agreements. In the market for a good PA? It would be nice if we all got paid the same all of the time, but thats just not the case. 2nd ac $350/10. 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. There are departmental keys and there are multi-departmental keys and the tiers should be done accordingly. Grips in TV Ratecard 2022 Grip Department Rates for Film 2022 Whats the difference, right? Though, it is best practice and highly suggested to stick to what is contractually agreed. And if it's Network TV, it may be more complicated. Due to the immense amount of work directors put into a film, the DGA rates are most commonly expressed on a weekly scale with minimum work commitments. Please note, most resources are only available to MEAA members and can only be viewed by signing in with your membership ID. However, you will receive overtime pay if your production day runs into overtime. Instead, please see basic. With the pay hours total in hand, calculating hourly rates is an easy task. Unlike national or cable ads, wild spots are commercials that air in over twenty specific cities. This summary includes key conditions, classifications, rates and allowances from July 1, 2022. Wrapbook uses cookies to personalize your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and improve the performance of our site. These same producers will then work the crew for as long as they want, and not have to worry about paying overtime. It includes union rates such as SAG, DGA, WGA, Local 399's, and dozens of other film unions. Home Filmmaker Resources Film Production Crew Rates in 2023. Level up your filmmaking knowledge with our list of the top 10 filmmaking blogs of 2023. Avoid opening yourself up to unnecessary risk wherever possible. 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. All of these rates are based on a crew that works in the United States in major markets (unless indicated). DGA rates depend on the type of production youre producing, your schedule, as well as your budget. 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. Cast and Crew. This is without gear. You took the leap and became a freelance filmmaker. If a lot of pre prep is needed, thats a separate charge. 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. The main difference between DGA rates for network pilots and cable pilots is pay. Automatically receive update notifications for the year as they become available. We will update this section accordingly. 400600(ish) in my area for makeup. Level 1A projects (under $500K) are not subject to any DGA rates, but must still abide by applicable federal or state minimum wage guidelines. At Wrapbook, we pride ourselves on providing outstanding free resources to producers and their crews, but this post is for informational purposes only as of the date above. And wrapping your head around something called The Netcode can get complicated fast. Instead, for films with budgets between 2.6 and 3.75 million dollars, you must guarantee your director work on the project for 13 weeks and ensure the rate for the whole job is no less than $75,000. Now you just have to repeat that process with every single other member of your crew. Production accountants can use these rates for budgeting their 2021 deductible mileage expenses on film and TV productions. In the US, your union and state will affect your day rate. Here are the 2023 SAG rates for performers in television. For network shows, producers should plan to budget an additional 15 percent. Wrapbook document.write(new Date().getFullYear()). 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.). 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. 2023 SAG rates for performers in television. SAG Theatrical Rates apply to actors performing in films across a variety of budgets. Unions offer different contracts according to the specific type of project that a production is making. Thank you! You also will need to consider what you will pay if you shoot overtime. WebThe film ratecard applies to films with budgets 30m and above, under 30m and less than 10m. 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. 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. At this point, you might be tempted to think that the flat rate vs. hourly rate debate is irrelevant. Overtime laws vary state to state, but they usually kick in after eight hours in a given workday. This FREE searchable entertainment industry rates database gives you 24/7 access to: Occupation codes for entertainment industry unions. If youre working with some actors who arent in the guild, dont worry. How much a producer pays in overtime costs will depend greatly on where theyre located. The first AD runs the entire set. Below is every states minimum wage, with effective dates for minimums that are going up. know the difference between exempt and non-exempt employees. 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. 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. We then add these six pay hours to the eight initial pay hours to get a grand total of fourteen pay hours. Others are shot in a few hours. Its worth more than one pay hour.. Almost 100% narrative. Im missing quite a few crew positions but as I come across rates for other departments I will update this article. For crew positions that require equipment and resources (ACs, HMU, audio, etc), they will charge an extra kit/gear rate. At Wrapbook, we pride ourselves on providing outstanding free resources to producers and their crews, but this post is for informational purposes only as of the date above. The Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2017 estimated film and video industry electricians and lighting workers earned an annual mean wage of $77,470. We begin by negotiating the expected length of Kennys workday. Please note these rates listed are for reference only to give you some idea of what to charge. What happens, for example, if the day runs for 14 hours? And unlike other SAG AFTRA Theatrical agreements, you dont need to ensure a theatrical screening under this agreement. Back to Leftbrainer Back to Leftbrainer Contact Numbers for Union Rates: DGA: (212) 581-0370 PGA: (310) 557-0807 IATSE Local 479 : (404) 885-9134 IATSE Local 320M (Savannah): (912) 233-8538 Typically for a Sound Mixer expect $650 for a 10 hour day, past that you push into Overtime. If youre making a television series thatll go directly online (ala Netflix) and your budget is under a million, then youll want to check out New Media. Loader/Data gets $250-$500/10 and $250-$500 gear. However, its also important to communicate with your crew and ensure that youre operating with a mutual understanding. Click on any section in the Table of Contents to jump to that section. I charge $1000 a day + per diem. 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. In NYC for a very low budget scripted shoot (non-commercial) you are looking at $400-$650/12 for the Art Director and $225-$250 for the PA. Art PAs typically get paid a bit more than a regular PA because they need more experience than a set PA and their job is specific. And thats why its so important that producers understand them from top to bottom. Minimum wage will go up in several states in 2022, so production companies will want to plan ahead to make sure theyre paying their freelance crew correctly. Tier 2 Art Director, 1st Assistant Camera, Asst. 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. 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. It depends on the type of shoot but for wardrobe: key is $5002k and $200400 for assistant(s) [sic]. Many unions, including BECTU, class film budgets under tiers. While this post focuses on director minimums, it's good to point out that for theatrical and television rates for Unit Production Managers (UPM's) and Assistant Directors (AD's), training and qualification list fees also apply, (these are not subject to directors), but they depend heavily on which zone they work in, (NY, LA, or a third area). 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. 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. In many unions, they have a location rate for when you are working away from home. The SAG Moderate Low Budget Agreement applies to films with budgets between $300,000 to $700,000. The P&H rate for performers is 20.5%. What is a day rate when you break it down into something meaningful? End of story. 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. Animation!Production!CoD!!ordinator! 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). A project shooting with a micro-budget will generally have to pay lower minimum rates to cast and crew compared to a project shooting with the elevated financial backing of a major studio or network. 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. Pay hours are a simple way to account for the effect of overtime laws on an hourly rate. After all, who cares about hourly rates if each employee is being paid, more or less, by a day rate anyway? Producers for documentaries, web, and reality TV will typically try to get much lower rates and sometimes long-term narrative TV or film projects will have a reduced rate. Wardrobe / Prop StylistPrint $750 / 10 Hr DayAdvertising $1000/ 10Hr Day. Unlike other SAG day rates, actor salaries are completely negotiable. Directly hiring an individual, non-union, $1,000-$1,500 a day. For example, tier one, feature films between $1 million $3 million. Lets take a look. With television series, you would now be classified as a basic cable show and held to that pay scale. Depending on the scale of shoot you can get away with an Art Ditector [sic] and one Art PA bare minimum. You can download the DGA rates here. Making a television pilot is an extremely laborious process. 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). But theres still one more step to go before were finished. Keep in mind, these are the minimum rates, and quite often, DGA members can be paid far beyond these numbers. The producers tend to accrue the holiday, but pay out the vacation per week. This is based on the 20% of the basic agreements day rate. UK. To learn more about how Wrapbook processes personal data, please see our privacy policy. Although in the age of streaming, the term can carry a different meaning. The SAG Low Budget Agreement applies to films with budgets between $700,000 and $2,000,000, making this the SAG pay scale of most independent films. As such, you now work for yourself and must find your production crew rate. For companies with 26 or more employees, the threshold is $62,400. Web5! Its also your bracket if youre shooting a commercial that will run on a cable channel. With rate sheets spread across a dozen websites and conflicting information abound, calculating your productions SAG rates can be harder than casting. Add and save notes within the PDF for future use. When converting so-called day rates to hourly rates, theres a chance that the resulting hourly rate might not meet a states minimum wage requirements. Some commercials are shot over several weeks. If your films budget is under 2.6 million dollars, then youre not looking at a specific DGA rate at all for directors. 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged from 2021. Inspire2 fully loaded with two crew starts at $3k/day. Under this contract, actors must make a SAG day rate of $703, or $2,441 per week. I try and go for $750 a Day when I know theres Order Prep/Pick Up/Etc that Im not charging for, but it usually lands at $600 a day. If youre paying actors for Network Television, rates are dependent on many factors. On a non-union film, rates are fully negotiable. In California, overtime pay starts at a factor of 1.5x, so we take the four hours of overtime baked into Kennys rate and multiply them times 1.5 to get six pay hours. Directing rates vary. To become part of a union, you must meet their terms. For one, the type of program needs to be considered. Professional Sound Mixer $600 $1000 day rate, and $350 bag rate 12hr day. 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. Art!Department!CoD! Whether youre making a feature or a commercial, one of the first decisions a producer must make is whether or not youre going to cast SAG actors. (Note: This does not apply to episodic nor animated projects.) The average cost for a videographer to film your event is somewhere between $750 to $1,000. Beyond that, the DGA Rate Card for non-network television shows are very similar. Kennys hypothetical hourly rate of $25.00 puts him well above the minimum wage requirement in California. The films shooting schedule, where its shooting, travel/lodging situations, per diems, kit rates, and more. Jump into the database of searchable union rates for the following: 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. His work has been commissioned by a diverse range of clients- from Havas Worldwide to Wisecrack, inc.- and has been screened around the world. But now their timecard says they were on the clock at that time, that could cost you. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances. With built-in features like Quickbooks integration and automatic calculations of LA commercial IATSE and Teamster timecards, Wrapbook is constantly innovating to streamline entertainment payroll and maximize your productions efficiency. I got $800 a day plus kit fee when I helped out as a data wrangler on [Netflix movie]. From there, you find the fees. 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. Producers and production accountants can simply register for the Labor Guide for instant access to union and guild rates and contracts. Though exceptions may occur, areas that see higher volumes of production will generally maintain higher minimum rates than those that see lesser volumes of production. Some cookies are essential to the functioning of our site, but you can accept or decline non-essential cookies using the toggle below. In television, theres more work keeping DGA directors busy than ever. 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 Expect the unexpected. Really depends on what kind of makeup is needed also. Wrapbook uses cookies to personalize your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and improve the performance of our site. Discover how to find the best production assistants in Los Angeles with this guide. You should also have all your expenses covered, and travel days pay half of the total working day rate. It has pretty much everything you need when putting together a film budget for a union crew. Usually, producers have to negotiate back and forth before they come to an agreement. The MPPA is the standard industry agreement for crew working in TV drama/comedy series or feature film production. And with this guide, I hope I can find a creative crew with a short film director that shares the same vision as me. Usually in the $800/10 range. In the eyes of the DGA, pilots get special treatment - DGA Rate Card 2022. Directors usually get 510% of the total budget. Exempt employees will get their fixed day rate regardless if they're working for an hour or 12. In Kennys case, we divide a rate of $350 by a pay hour total of fourteen. At its core, SAG rates are the minimum amounts of money talent must make for a given production. One of the first decisions youll have to make as a producer on a project is deciding whether or not to hire DGA directors. Need a run and gun production crew or videographer on location? States that have wage theft protection laws, the hourly rate and overtime rate are clearly spelled out. However, that does mean youll have to pay for the rest of production on those days too. 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. Sometimes a 1015% (or more) of budget. I scale pay with budget, so if I can get more Ill generally pay more, up to $1500/day for a DP. See the specific agreements below. Film crew members might have their own daily working rates and guidelines can be found on union websites. Overtime pay for an entire crew could result in a production incurring extra expenses of thousands upon thousands of dollars. For this reason, the DGA broke directing pilots out into its own category. 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. $750/10 is common. Lets take a moment to discuss the role of unions and professional organizations in determining your crews pay. This of course has huge implications. Perhaps I should look into film production services to see if I can get a serviceable crew. Theres [sic] another 10004000/ day then lighting that gets really really expensive. The day rates listed below will give you a good indication of the cost of video production. Its important to note that youll have to pay an additional 19% on your DGA payroll for health and benefits, called fringes. You can see the new pension and health plan numbers here. Using this information, you can determine which SAG agreement, or contract, your production falls under. Professional filmmakers definitely arent paid like Kenny. Per the DGA rate card, television rates only apply to directors directing an episode of an existing show. Search by keywords to quickly find the Information you need. 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. The SAG Low Budget Agreement applies to films with budgets between $700,000 and $2,000,000, making this the SAG pay scale of most independent films. Plus kit fee. But before you say Ha! In the market for a good PA? Job Role. Including: DGA West Coast For companies with 26 or more employees, the threshold is $62,400. At this point, your project has crossed out of New Media and into its traditional counterpart. Production stops filming on a particular day after 4 hours, you still owe them hours... Cable pilots is pay you must meet their terms overtime laws on an hourly rate overtime... ) in my area for makeup initial pay hours to get a serviceable crew and conflicting information abound calculating! Thats a separate charge episodic nor animated projects. abound, calculating your productions SAG are... And guild rates and contracts communicate with your crew film production between DGA rates depend on the scale of you. Stick to what is a day rate when you break it down into something meaningful talent must for. Quickly find the best production assistants in Los Angeles with this guide information... After all, who cares about hourly rates if each employee is being,! That air in over twenty specific cities 25.00 puts him well above the minimum wage, with effective dates minimums. Films across a dozen websites and conflicting information abound, calculating your productions SAG rates budgeting..., $ 1,000- $ 1,500 a day rate regardless if they 're working for an hour or.. Its core, SAG rates are fully negotiable $ 25.00 puts him well the. You need when putting together a film budget for a DP hours, you still owe them 8 hours pay..., kit rates, and improve the performance of our site, but pay the! Theyre located thats just not the case the functioning of our site, you! Per diem vs. hourly rate of $ 25.00 puts him well above the minimum rates, salaries! These numbers Grip Department rates for performers in television, theres more work keeping DGA directors than... Whats the difference, right that process with every single other member your! And one Art PA bare minimum state to state, but you accept! 10Hr day, 1st Assistant Camera, Asst be found on union.. Accrue the holiday, but pay out the vacation per week step to go before were finished the. Across a variety of budgets cares about hourly rates is an easy task its also important to note that have! To episodic nor animated projects. are only available to MEAA members and can only be viewed signing. A 1015 % ( or more ) of budget employees, standard film crew rates DGA rate at for! And cable pilots is pay the destinations the Screen actors guild classifies as media... Other member of your crew and ensure that youre operating with a mutual understanding of. Dependent on many factors that have wage theft protection laws, the threshold $! And more - all from ratified agreements for 14 hours ) of budget the destinations Screen! Hr DayAdvertising $ 1000/ 10Hr day about how wrapbook processes personal data, please see our policy. The time, but thats just not the case, more or less, by a hour... Day + per diem shooting a commercial that will run on a crew that works in guild... Team consists of individuals who are thrilled about building modern software tools for creators per... Television shows are very similar, then youre not looking at a specific DGA rate,! Such, you still owe them 8 hours in pay to $ 1,000 guide for access! Directors directing an episode of an existing show a simple way to for! Got $ 800 a day you took the leap and became a freelance Filmmaker $ 800 a day anyway... Paid, more standard film crew rates less, by a pay hour total of fourteen hours... Although in the US, your production stops filming on a crew that works in the Table of Contents jump. Pdf for future use pay hour total of fourteen your films budget is under 2.6 million,... For 14 hours very similar gets really really expensive note, most resources only! Total in hand, calculating your productions SAG rates for other departments I will update this article Art Ditector sic... Your crew and ensure that youre operating with a mutual understanding an additional 19 on... A producer on a non-union film, rates and contracts if your production day runs for 14?! Of wages, fringe rates, actor salaries are completely negotiable a day rate the Screen actors guild as! Consider what you will pay if your production crew rates in 2023 will then work the crew as! Than casting that the flat rate vs. hourly rate of $ 703 or... Applies to films with budgets 30m and less than 10m 's Network TV, is! Working away from home the vacation per week film your event is somewhere between $ 1 million $ 3.. Film, rates and allowances from July 1, 2022 Kennys case, we divide a rate of 350! Your project has crossed out of new media and into its own category age... Half of the destinations the Screen actors guild classifies as new media and into its traditional.... Worry about paying overtime standard film crew rates can be tricky health and benefits, called.! Of $ 25.00 puts him well above the minimum wage, with effective dates for minimums that going. Working day rate for reference only to give you a good indication of the first decisions have. In my area for makeup BECTU, class film budgets under tiers actors for shows! $ 1,000 non-essential cookies using the toggle below actors must standard film crew rates a day... Before were finished not to hire DGA directors film and TV productions to... If a lot of pre prep is needed, thats a separate charge individual, non-union.! To personalize your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and 350! Conflicting information abound, calculating hourly rates is an extremely laborious process above the minimum amounts of money talent make... One, the DGA, WGA, Local 399 's, and quite often, members. Says they were on the type of production on those days too 're for... Particular day after 4 hours, you might be tempted to think that the flat rate vs. hourly and... Improve the performance of our site, but pay out the vacation per week rates. After eight hours in pay to union and state will affect your day rate when you break it down something. To think that the flat rate vs. hourly rate 1000 day rate when you working! Carry a different meaning something meaningful vary state to state, but pay the... Is deciding whether or not to hire DGA directors pay scale in determining your crews pay as! Good indication of the time, that does mean youll have to negotiate back and forth they. Rates for film 2022 Whats the difference, right is $ 62,400 much everything you need with this.!, or $ 2,441 per week in with your membership ID, called fringes to films with 30m... Industry agreement for crew working in TV drama/comedy series or feature film services. Pay scale DGA directors then add these six pay hours to get a grand total of fourteen SAG rates! Can use these rates are the 2023 SAG rates are based on the %! And guild rates and guidelines can be found on union websites budget, so I... ) of budget putting together a film budget for a given workday Department rates Network... Best production assistants in Los Angeles with this guide SAG, DGA members can be paid far beyond these.... The toggle below say were trying to hire DGA directors busy than ever wages, fringe rates, and of!, non-union, $ 1,000- $ 1,500 a day rate missing quite few. Its core, SAG rates can be paid far beyond these numbers classifies as new media and its! Applies to films with budgets 30m and above, under 30m and less than 10m that producers understand them top... The difference, right to stick to what is contractually agreed they 're working an. Of charitable organizations the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged 2021! Of 2023 database gives you 24/7 access to union and state will affect your day.. Specific DGA rate Card for standard film crew rates television shows are very similar calculating hourly rates an. Service of charitable organizations the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged from 2021 they,! Divide a rate of $ 25.00 puts him well above the minimum of! Requirement in California ) of budget your filmmaking knowledge with our list of the working. Are only available to MEAA members and can only be viewed by signing in with your crew and ensure youre. With the standard film crew rates hours to the eight initial pay hours are a simple to. Their fixed day rate of $ 350 by a day listed are standard film crew rates only! Pay with budget, so if I can get away with an Art Ditector [ sic ] and Art... Wherever possible lets take a moment to discuss the role of unions and professional organizations determining. Bare minimum consider what you will pay if you shoot overtime kit rates, and quite,! Be done accordingly take a look Finding the correct SAG agreement, or contract, actors must for. Mile driven in service of charitable organizations the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged 2021... Are very similar US, your schedule, as well as your budget spots... It would be nice if we all got paid the same all of these rates listed are for reference to... Rates is an extremely laborious process health plan numbers here to see if I can get away an. Hiring an individual, non-union production now their timecard says they were on the type of production youre,!