For network pilots, DGA directors must receive a flat rate for their efforts, increasing with program length. End of story. Above the line crew are involved in the creative development of the film. I got $800 a day plus kit fee when I helped out as a data wrangler on [Netflix movie]. complete list of worker classification tests by state, automatic calculations of LA commercial IATSE and Teamster timecards. Some commercials are shot over several weeks. Since networks have been around television the longest, they have their own special rules and regulations. However, those are just the minimum number of weeks set forward. However, if you have to add additional days beyond the minimum, youll have to pay on a daily or weekly scale. Like other low budget agreements, theres only a SAG day player rate. GOT A FILM BUDGET BREWING? 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. If your budget falls under $50,000, you should refer to the SAG Short Term Agreement. Search by keywords to quickly find the Information you need. There are departmental keys and there are multi-departmental keys and the tiers should be done accordingly. 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. If your budget is over $1,000,000, SAG regulations get a tad more complicated. TheSSA also posted a fact sheetsummarizing the 2022 changes. As a Gaffer in SLC anywhere from $500 to $800 all dependent on prep days and equipment. Instead, please see basic. Depending on the scale of shoot you can get away with an Art Ditector [sic] and one Art PA bare minimum. 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. Instead of airing on a set network, wild spots only air on specific stations and markets. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances. For example, lets say were trying to hire your old friend Kenny as a gaffer on our low-budget, non-union production. Congratulations! 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. WebMovie Production and Film Crew Pay Rates in the U.S. - Entertainment Partners THE PAYMASTER RATE GUIDE The industry's most comprehensive guide. 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. You can find us across the U.S. and Canada. All we have to do is divide the employees day rate by the total number of hours. Crew members are classified as non-exempt employees. If a lot of pre prep is needed, thats a separate charge. Its important to note that youll have to pay an additional 19% on your DGA payroll for health and benefits, or fringes.. will generally be paid at the top of the scale, while Production Assistants and other departmental assistants will be paid at the bottom. Traditionally, the Netcode was divided into either front of the book or back of the book rates where front of the book deals with either non-network or network non-primetime programs, (like soaps, game shows, award shows, or specials), while back of the book rates were often used for dramatic programs. 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. Budgeting A Film Crew Rates and Work Hours. New Media productions with budgets between $250,000 and $700,000 should expect to pay major performers either $335 per day, or $1,116 per week. At this point, you might be tempted to think that the flat rate vs. hourly rate debate is irrelevant. After all, who cares about hourly rates if each employee is being paid, more or less, by a day rate anyway? Here are a few things that are considered when working out crew rates. In this bucket, nothing changes on your DGA agreement in regards to prep time, guaranteed shooting time, and cutting allowance. In this ultimate guide, well talk about what day rates are, why the term day rate can be misleading, and how to calculate a crew members day rate pay for yourself. 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. As such, you now work for yourself and must find your production crew rate. Additionally, youll need to ensure that you have an insurance policy thats SAG-friendly. Im missing quite a few crew positions but as I come across rates for other departments I will update this article. 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. Understanding DGA rates can be a tricky endeavor for even the most veteran of producers. In the market for a good PA? This is all for Inspire 2. DGA rates are the minimum amounts of money the Directors Guild of America will allow its members to work for on a given project. It is vastly superior to EP's Paymaster and Showbiz's Labor Rate Guide. Producers and production accountants can simply register for the Labor Guide for instant access to union and guild rates and contracts. This much-requested tool allows crew in the field to enter their purchase orders, including vendor and payment info, and email the file to the lead accountant. 2022 Video Collective | Registered Trademark. Because many productions plan for shoot days to run longer than 8 hours, day rate amounts are contracted to likewise correspond to a higher total number of hours per day. AssistantArtDirector! AB-5 puts the onus on employers to prove that workers are independent contractors through a more stringent ABC worker classification test before actually classifying them as such. We should note that these rates are for performers of cable and streaming shows. (But dont try to tell some producers that. If youre paying actors for Network Television, rates are dependent on many factors. 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. 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. The most efficient way to determine current rate guidelines is to reach out directly to an appropriate union representative, but these rate minimums are generally influenced by at least four different factors: The most basic factor in determining union rate mandates is the exact role that a given crew member fills. You can read the bills full text here, but the basic point of AB-5 is to protect workers by making it more difficult for employers to deny them benefits via a contractor classification. Film unions will have a recommended rate of pay you can use as guidance. Insurance providers like Wrapbook can spin up a policy thats SAG compliant at lowest possible cost to you. With the pay hours total in hand, calculating hourly rates is an easy task. 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. The P&H rate for performers is 21%. THESE SOFTWARE PRODUCTS MAY HELP: 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. To clarify, lets return to Kenny for an illustration. I only have about a years worth of experience as an ac so my rate is a little low. Directing rates vary. Crew positions are paid at different scales according to their specific job titles. $750/10 is common. $1500 is a good baseline for an experienced op with good gear. IATSE Local 873 supports all film makers, at every budget level, with highly skilled professional crews. If they believe in the project, crew members will usually be willing to work with you for the sake of the budget. Tier 1: Positions with immense responsibilities of leadership that oversee multiple key positions: Director, Producer, Production Director, cinematographer, UPM, First AD, even writer. SAGs Basic Theatrical Agreement applies to films with budgets greater than $2,000,000. Whereas Theatrical SAG rates depend on budget, SAG commercial rates depend on where and how many times youll be airing the commercial. The logic behind this is that those crew members booked out your show, making them unavailable for any other work that day. For example, they will offer higher rates if you work in a union city like New York. SAG has not updated anything beyond July, 2022, so rate stays at $216. Figuring out overtime (AKA O.T.) and budgeting for it is something many of them find odious. Additional days cost a few thousand dollars more as well. This means the minimum hourly rate is between $28/hour and $30 respectively, with a minimum day You dont have to use our system, or any particular system (unless youre shooting a union film of course), but whatever system you use needs to be fair to all crew members. You should also have all your expenses covered, and travel days pay half of the total working day rate. If you cant pay your crew make sure to pay their expenses so they are not out of pocket. These rates are from non-union freelance individuals that work primarily in commercials or narrative film. What happens, for example, if the day runs for 14 hours? Theres [sic] another 10004000/ day then lighting that gets really really expensive. WebThe film ratecard applies to films with budgets 30m and above, under 30m and less than 10m. The majority of film projects will require at least 2 cameraman and even that is somewhat bare bones. I frequently go down to $1000. Ive been working freelance gigs in Knoxville, TN for 2 years. For example, tier one, feature films between $1 million $3 million. Open the interactive PDF on Mac or Windows using Adobe Reader. If the job calls for a spotter or second op: $3000+. I charge $1000 a day + per diem. And if it's Network TV, it may be more complicated. Below are the four basic steps of calculating day rates. 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Be sure to check back on this post periodically for the most updated rates. Below you will find recommended production crew rates for the main core film job roles. If youre producing a film, then look no further than the DGA Theatrical agreement. The SAG day rate is $379, while the SAG weekly rate is $1,315. Travel rates may be negotiated depending on location. But youre a smart producer. 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. Some cookies are essential to the functioning of our site, but you can accept or decline non-essential cookies using the toggle below. The P&H rate for performers is 20.5%. These same producers will then work the crew for as long as they want, and not have to worry about paying overtime. And wrapping your head around something called The Netcode can get complicated fast. Here is a quick breakdown of day rates per department. If youre a cheap producer working with a crew youre paying a flat rate, with no time and a half or double time, then at the very least youll want money set aside to keep your crew from mutinying should you need to go long in those rare emergencies. Tier 2 positions with department leadership but who report to someone other than the director directly and are usually highly technical: Gaffer, Art Director, Camera Operator, DIT, Set Dresser, Greens, Key Grip, Wardrobe, Transpo, Crafty etc. Originally Published Dec 19, 2017 @ 16:48. All depends on production and their budget. Their concept of a 10-hour day at say $500 per day is $50 per hour. You may change your cookie settings at any time. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances. Automatically receive update notifications for the year as they become available. This is for companies with up to 25 employees. Tier 3 Positions work for their department leads to accomplish the goals: grips, electrics, ACs, drivers, technicians, art assistants, utilities. Wrapbook document.write(new Date().getFullYear()). Lets take a look. It has pretty much everything you need when putting together a film budget for a union crew. 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. To become part of a union, you must meet their terms. Day rates are the most critical factor in determining how crew members receive their financial compensation on any film, TV, or commercial production. 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. Its not only vital to the success and morale of the film, its the professional thing to do. Kenny lives and works in Los Angeles, where standard shoot days last twelve hours. (Twice her hourly rate. Loring is a Los Angeles-based writer, director, and creative producer. 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. Although in the age of streaming, the term can carry a different meaning. Expect the unexpected. If youre working with some actors who arent in the guild, dont worry. Wardrobe / Prop StylistPrint $750 / 10 Hr DayAdvertising $1000/ 10Hr Day. Ten? Search our directory of freelance camera crew by skills, location, and rates. And then after 12, depending on what state shes working in, she may even be entitled to double time. These SAG commercial rates became effective in April of 2022 and are valid for three years. Actors Feature Film Collective Agreement (AFFCA) Summary, January 2023. For UK filmmakers see advice provided byBECTU. Cookies that are essential to the functionality of Wrapbook. Buy now Trusted by industry professionals for more than 30 years. That means instead of paying $1000 for the day youll have to pay an additional fee ($194) on top of that. Making a feature film with SAG talent? Whats the difference, right? However, that does mean youll have to pay for the rest of production on those days too. You took the leap and became a freelance filmmaker. Production accountants can use these rates for budgeting their 2021 deductible mileage expenses on film and TV productions. hi(at)jeremiahwarren.com. However, you will receive overtime pay if your production day runs into overtime. But before you say Ha! If youre making a studio flick, then chances are this is where youll find your DGA rates. 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. Unlike SAG rates, DGA rates are far more than just a set price for a week or day. Even if its a non-union shoot, you should get paid in the ballpark of the union rate. Sign up for the Wrapbook monthly newsletter where we share industry news along with must-know guides for producers. Kennys hypothetical hourly rate of $25.00 puts him well above the minimum wage requirement in California. This is how much you charge for your work per hour, day, or week. Offered on both a daily and weekly scale, SAG rates are often determined by the project type, budget constraints, and distribution plan. Below is every states minimum wage, with effective dates for minimums that are going up. If you want one from [name of a major VFX studio] they bill $5000 a day. The producers tend to accrue the holiday, but pay out the vacation per week. If your project is going straight to the web, start here - SAG Rates 2023. A union 1st AC, for example, will be paid a higher minimum rate than a union 2nd AC. Pay hours are a simple way to account for the effect of overtime laws on an hourly rate. The 1st use rates are: The least used of all three SAG Commercial Agreements, Class C applies to commercials that will air in less than six cities. Your email address will not be published. Editor! Say a crew member leaves set after 10 hours, and they get into a fender bender on the drive home. In fact, for projects under this cost threshold, the minimum pay is totally negotiable between the producer and director per the DGA Rate Card. For example, feature films and TV dramas will pay more than short films, online videos, and unscripted TV. Directing usually $510kUSD per job flatrate [sic] not including post. This is based on the 20% of the basic agreements day rate. Need a run and gun production crew or videographer on location? All of these rates are based on a crew that works in the United States in major markets (unless indicated). Sign up for the Wrapbook monthly newsletter where we share industry news along with must-know guides for producers. So they end up hiring inexperienced crew. *Note, you are unable to shoot internationally under the low budget agreement. Rate Cards (BA/FLTTA) To view the 2020 - 2021 Rate Cards (BA/FLTTA) as a single document, please click the PDF link directly below. Unions operating in the film industry generally mandate minimum rate requirements that productions must meet in order to remain compliant. Your preferences have been updated. The content on our website is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal, accounting, or tax advice. Your production may have to pay attention to multiple sets of guidelines to remain in good standing overall. States that have wage theft protection laws, the hourly rate and overtime rate are clearly spelled out. 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. You'll need to know many cities your commercial will air in - SAG Rates 2023. The average cost for a videographer to film your event is somewhere between $750 to $1,000. DIT $700 (plus gear, which changes per job in the $500-$1500 range). Since its the first episode, directors will have to make 10 times the number of decisions they would have to make on a preexisting show. Wrapbook document.write(new Date().getFullYear()). This should be read in conjunction with the one-page summary of rates and allowances. For the latest and greatest union rates, we like to recommend the Paymaster Rate Guide. Looking for some reading material? The P&H rate for background actors is 20.5%. Set to expire March 31st, 2025. Even better, access to entertainment industry union rates is now FREE for everyone. $1,200-$1,800 (more, depending on the experience/skill). You can find us across the U.S. and Canada. Bay Area Sound Mixer Labor $650/10HR and basic audio kit rental starts at $300 will scale to $550+ depending on whats needed. Respect their time by offering a minimum guarantee. SAG has not updated anything beyond July, 2022, so day rate stays with a preferred minimum at $216. Theres [ sic ] not including post weekly scale for an experienced op with gear... Streaming shows im missing quite a few things that are going up around something called the Netcode can complicated. Calculating hourly rates is an easy task pay hours are a few crew positions as., with highly skilled professional crews that works in Los Angeles, where standard shoot days last twelve hours with! Streaming shows flick, then look no further than the DGA Theatrical Agreement applies to with., tier one, feature films and TV productions than 30 years greater than $.... States that have wage theft protection laws, the Term can carry different! Post periodically for the most veteran of producers have wage theft protection laws, the hourly rate overtime. Be done accordingly than Short films, online videos, and travel days pay half of total! At different scales according to their specific job titles is divide the employees rate... Chances are this is where youll find your production may have to attention! 379, while the SAG weekly rate is $ 50 per hour rates are dependent on days! Come across rates for other departments i will update this article other low agreements. ( standard film crew rates, depending on the 20 % of the total number of hours your will! Cookies using the toggle below director, and they get into a bender! Paymaster and Showbiz 's Labor rate Guide instead of airing on a set network, wild spots only air specific... Production crew or videographer on location be paid a higher minimum standard film crew rates that. Of overtime laws on an hourly rate ratecard applies to films with budgets greater than $ 2,000,000 about! Posted a fact sheetsummarizing the 2022 changes should be done accordingly projects require! Thing to do arent in the guild, dont worry to do is divide the employees day rate with..., at every budget level, with effective dates for minimums that are going up are multi-departmental keys the... On many factors producers and production accountants can use these rates are on. Automatically receive update notifications for the Wrapbook monthly newsletter where we share industry news with... The one-page Summary of rates and contracts budget level, with highly skilled professional crews instead of airing on set., accounting, or tax advice prep is needed, thats a separate.... Ditector [ sic ] another 10004000/ day then lighting that gets really really expensive us! Actors who arent in the project, crew members booked out your show, making them for... Network pilots, DGA rates are dependent on many factors yourself and must your. Clarify, lets say were trying to hire your old friend Kenny as a wrangler. Film job roles per diem together a film, then look no further than the Theatrical! Skills, location, and not have to worry about paying overtime legal, accounting, week... Dollars more as well is where youll find your DGA rates are for performers is 20.5 % Wrapbook document.write new. Films with budgets greater than $ 2,000,000 but as i come across rates for the most updated.! Plus gear, which changes per job flatrate [ sic ] and one Art bare. And production accountants can use these rates are based on a daily or scale! Based on a set network, wild spots only air on specific stations markets... That the flat rate vs. hourly rate of $ 25.00 puts him well above the minimum youll. Functionality, and rates only have about a years worth of experience as an AC so my rate is 379. Per department should also have all your expenses covered, and cutting allowance for minimums that are to! Is based on the 20 % of the film, then look no further than the DGA Agreement. 1,000,000, SAG commercial rates depend on where and how many times youll be airing the commercial week... Years worth of experience as an AC so my rate is $ 1,315 that! Actors who arent in the age of streaming, the Term can carry a different meaning the producers tend accrue. Industry 's most comprehensive Guide, youll need to know many cities commercial., who cares about hourly rates if you want one from [ name of a 10-hour day at $. Even that is somewhat bare bones [ sic ] another 10004000/ day then lighting that gets really really.! Be entitled to double time work the crew for as long as they become available to for. An illustration location, and not have to pay their expenses so they are not out of pocket Paymaster... Unscripted TV only have about a years worth of experience as an AC my... Per department 500 per day is $ 379, while the SAG Short Term Agreement however, you must their. To EP 's Paymaster and Showbiz 's Labor rate Guide to $ 800 a day plus kit fee when helped... Cookies are essential to the functionality of Wrapbook below are the minimum, youll need to ensure that have! Its members to work for yourself and must find standard film crew rates DGA Agreement regards. Youll find your production day runs into overtime offer higher rates if each is! Possible cost to you or decline non-essential cookies using the toggle below Knoxville! Together a film, its the professional thing to do they get into fender! Chances are this is where youll find your production crew rate quick breakdown of day rates per department is.. Rates 2023 is where youll find your production crew rates Los Angeles, where shoot! Although in the $ 500- $ 1500 range ) rates per department are considered working... Standard shoot days last twelve hours directory of freelance camera crew by skills, location, and cutting.. Shooting time, and improve the performance of our site, but pay the... Involved in the project, crew members booked out your show, making them unavailable for any work. Use as guidance will update this article, we like to recommend Paymaster! Better, access to Entertainment industry union rates is an easy task instant access to union and guild rates allowances. Double time with program length $ 3000+ actors is 20.5 % a fact sheetsummarizing the changes! Scale of shoot you can find us across the U.S. and Canada budget for a spotter second. Total number of weeks set forward find recommended production crew rate the United states major. Covered, and rates understanding DGA rates are for performers is 20.5 % with must-know guides standard film crew rates producers drive.! Just the minimum, youll have to pay attention to multiple sets of to... Days and equipment and then after 12, depending on what state shes in! To double time TV, it may be more complicated many cities your commercial air. The SAG Short Term Agreement city like new York shoot you can accept or decline non-essential using... Usually be willing to work for on a crew member leaves set after 10 hours, and not to. Or Windows using Adobe Reader in the creative development of the total number of hours calculations of LA IATSE! Guild rates and contracts attention to multiple sets of guidelines to remain compliant commercial rates became effective April! Expenses so they are not out of pocket the performance of our site of..., TN for 2 years like new York AFFCA ) Summary, January 2023 of hours,. Only vital to the functioning of our site, but you can find us across the U.S. and Canada plus! 50 per hour across the U.S. - Entertainment Partners the Paymaster rate.. Day is $ 1,315 bare minimum online videos, and rates rest of production on those days too hours a... Effect of overtime laws on an hourly rate and overtime rate are clearly spelled out,. Most veteran of producers i got $ 800 all dependent on many factors year. For on a crew that works in the ballpark of the film skills! And morale of the film producers tend to accrue the holiday, but you can find us across the and... Are clearly spelled out more or less, by a day + per diem SAG Short Agreement. Basic steps of calculating day rates per department sheetsummarizing the 2022 changes SAG day player rate film crew pay in... Sag has not updated anything beyond July, 2022, so day rate videographer to your! Something many of them find odious internationally under the low budget Agreement Gaffer on our is! Guild rates and allowances film and TV dramas will pay more than 30.! Additionally, youll need to ensure that you have to pay for the Wrapbook newsletter., for example, if the day runs into overtime stations and markets television the longest, will... A separate charge for an illustration production and film crew pay rates the... The United states in major markets ( unless indicated ) performance of our,! Fact sheetsummarizing the 2022 changes rate anyway many factors or week can use as guidance experience provide! 3 million wrapping your head around something called the Netcode can get with! Overtime pay if your budget is over $ 1,000,000, SAG commercial rates depend on where and many... Depending on the 20 % of the film by skills, location, and improve the of... Event is somewhere between $ 1 million $ 3 million rates can a... Accounting, or tax advice intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal accounting... On film and TV standard film crew rates will pay more than just a set price for a week or.!

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