For example, they will offer higher rates if you work in a union city like New York. 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. It is possible that flat day rates may be applicable to contractors in certain situations because, by definition, contractors have greater flexibility in determining their method of payment. Lets take a look. In short: the more times a commercial is aired, the more a SAG actor makes. Some cookies are essential to the functioning of our site, but you can accept or decline non-essential cookies using the toggle below. Wrapbook document.write(new Date().getFullYear()). 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. Whats the difference, right? Different productions may shift tier positions based off the responsibilities for the positions, but my primary point is that the mere term assistant in film does not immediately note the value of that position. Such valuable information. I charge $1000 a day + per diem. 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. Loader/Data gets $250-$500/10 and $250-$500 gear. Its not only vital to the success and morale of the film, its the professional thing to do. Really depends on what kind of makeup is needed also. The linked agreement above reads that if it isnt updated then 35% of the Theatrical Basic is used to determine these rates. Rate is usually $2k/day. Day rates are the most critical factor in determining how crew members receive their financial compensation on any film, TV, or commercial production. For unit production managers and assistant directors, rates are: Once you drop a dollar before 11 million dollars, your project falls into a low budget DGA production (I know). Making a feature film with SAG talent? Unlike other SAG day rates, actor salaries are completely negotiable. In the US, your union and state will affect your day rate. WebThe film ratecard applies to films with budgets 30m and above, under 30m and less than 10m. In general, these DGA rates are cheaper across the board for projects lacking old broadcast money. Plus, before you can even roll the camera, youll have to submit both a budget and a copy of your screenplay to SAG. 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. For UK filmmakers see advice provided byBECTU. Per the DGA rate card, television rates only apply to directors directing an episode of an existing show. Below are the four basic steps of calculating day 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. For the specifics here, we recommend consulting the DGA directly. Oops! Sometimes day rate. Beginning January 1, 2022, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) is: Starting January 1, 2022, the maximum earnings subject to the Social Security payroll tax will increase by $4,200 to$147,000up from the $142,800 maximum for 2021,the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced Oct. 13. Unions offer different contracts according to the specific type of project that a production is making. Like other low budget agreements, theres only a SAG day player rate. Animator!3! Production accountants can use these rates for budgeting their 2021 deductible mileage expenses on film and TV productions. Youre seeing the word employee all over the place, and thats got you thinking Could there be a loophole here? Whether youre dealing with SAG rates or even crew jobs, the rates for working on a network show are often higher than cable. And wrapping your head around something called The Netcode can get complicated fast. In fact, for projects under this cost threshold, the minimum pay is totally negotiable between the producer and director per the DGA Rate Card. 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. However, for a production that includes 1 camera operator a lot of multitasking will be required to succeed. 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. 2022 Video Collective | Registered Trademark. $1500 is a good baseline for an experienced op with good gear. Film crew members might have their own daily working rates and guidelines can be found on union websites. Get the best resources for producers delivered to your mailbox. Their concept of a 10-hour day at say $500 per day is $50 per hour. 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. 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 These are all direct quotes from professionals in the industry. If you're producing a feature then you're in the right spot - SAG Rates 2023. It doesnt matter if he works one hour or eight hours or sixteen hours, if Kenny worked one day, hes getting paid $350 for that day. If youre making a short or documentary, this is also your contract, regardless of your budget. To learn more, check out our complete list of worker classification tests by state. When it comes to DGA commercials, the DGA Rate Card is simple and easy to understand. Be an industry insider with EP's newsletters and alerts. Actors Feature Film Collective Agreement (AFFCA) Summary, January 2023. Overtime laws vary state to state, but they usually kick in after eight hours in a given workday. However, you can negotiate based on your experience. Plus kit fee. In this bucket, nothing changes on your DGA agreement in regards to prep time, guaranteed shooting time, and cutting allowance. For crew positions that require equipment and resources (ACs, HMU, audio, etc), they will charge an extra kit/gear rate. WebAbove the line crew are involved in the creative development of the film. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances. 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. As a Gaffer in SLC anywhere from $500 to $800 all dependent on prep days and equipment. To learn more about how Wrapbook processes personal data, please see our privacy policy. With television series, you would now be classified as a basic cable show and held to that pay scale. Discover how to find the best production assistants in Los Angeles with this guide. 2023 SAG rates for performers in television. With rate sheets spread across a dozen websites and conflicting information abound, calculating your productions SAG rates can be harder than casting. As with all SAG commercial rates, the more times you air a spot, the more youll have to pay. WebHire Film Crew - On Location or In Studio. Loring is a Los Angeles-based writer, director, and creative producer. 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. WebVideography Full Day Rate $700.00 Up to 8 hours of setup and/or prod. Wrapbook uses cookies to personalize your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and improve the performance of our site. If youre curious about other union rates, be sure to check out our updated SAG Rates for 2022. Perhaps I should look into film production services to see if I can get a serviceable crew. 1500/10 excluding OT. 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. 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. You should also have all your expenses covered, and travel days pay half of the total working day rate. Directly hiring an individual, non-union, $1,000-$1,500 a day. 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. 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 Every negotiation will be different. 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. Add and save notes within the PDF for future use. The most versatile film budgeting software on the market, Showbiz Budgeting allows you to actualize your film budget at the detail level, and display your actuals in column format alongside the original. Web** Film Directors rates are highly subjective. If its complicated enough to require a separate a cam op, then I charge $2500. With the pay hours total in hand, calculating hourly rates is an easy task. Unless, of course, youd prefer to handle payroll the easy way. Professional Sound Mixer $600 $1000 day rate, and $350 bag rate 12hr day. Union-mandated rate scales likewise shift in accordance with these different project types. Kenny lives and works in Los Angeles, where standard shoot days last twelve hours. If their contract stipulates a 12-hour day and the day runs for 10 hours; theyll likely still be paid for a 12-hour day. A good rule of thumb is to budget your shooting days to go at least 12 hours, no matter what, especially on independent films. 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. It can take many years of working in the film industry before you have enough experience to join a union. Understanding SAG rates can be a tricky endeavor for even the most veteran of producers. SAGs Basic Theatrical Agreement applies to films with budgets greater than $2,000,000. Professional filmmakers definitely arent paid like Kenny. On a non-union film, rates are fully negotiable. As such, you now work for yourself and must find your production crew rate. 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. 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. Your productions only legal obligation for non-union rates is to achieve payroll compliance with all federal and local labor laws. As is the case with most SAG agreements, the more time you book actors, the less youll have to pay them per day. 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. Your production may have to pay attention to multiple sets of guidelines to remain in good standing overall. The key distinguisher here is that they report directly to the director on creative decisions. Cookies that are essential to the functionality of Wrapbook. $700750/10 as a 1st, and ~$600700 as a 2nd. For standard equipment rates, you should compare a few differentfilm equipment rental companies. This is all for Inspire 2. Inspire2 fully loaded with two crew starts at $3k/day. determining whether or not someone is exempt. We then add these six pay hours to the eight initial pay hours to get a grand total of fourteen pay hours. For series, SAG Television Rates. IATSE Local 873 supports all film makers, at every budget level, with highly skilled professional crews. 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations the rate is set by statute and remains unchanged from 2021. These same producers will then work the crew for as long as they want, and not have to worry about paying overtime. Discover how to find the best production assistants in Los Angeles with this guide. So all the Keys got paid X, the Subkeys got paid Y, and the Assistants got paid Z. 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. What the inexperienced crew member might not realize is that labor laws dictate that for the first 8 hours of a shoot, shes supposed to be paid straight time, or for the first 40 hours she works in a week. Instead, please see basic. Avoid opening yourself up to unnecessary risk wherever possible. 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. You'll need to know many cities your commercial will air in - SAG Rates 2023. Please note, most resources are only available to MEAA members and can only be viewed by signing in with your membership ID. Plus kit fee. But as an example, lets say were in Texas or Georgia. It is vastly superior to EP's Paymaster and Showbiz's Labor Rate Guide. Well go over all that in our next installment. The majority of film projects will require at least 2 cameraman and even that is somewhat bare bones. Lets just say its unlikely youll be paying flat day rates anytime soon. Of course, unions will have their own stipulations based on collective bargaining agreements. The first eight hours are counted normally, coming out to eight pay hours, but the other four must be multiplied. Bay Area Sound Mixer Labor $650/10HR and basic audio kit rental starts at $300 will scale to $550+ depending on whats needed. The rates are negotiated depending on the percentage of gross or net of a project. 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. director Alfred Hitchcock. In this guide, we break down the most current DGA rates according to the 2022 DGA Rate Card, so you can determine what you might owe your director on your next project. Wrapbook document.write(new Date().getFullYear()). the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced Oct. 13, California Small Employers (25 or fewer employees), California Large Employers (26 or more employees), Minnesota Small Employers (100 or fewer employees), Minnesota Large Employers (101 or more employees), Nevada employers who do provide employee benefits, Nevada employers who do not provide employee benefits, New Jersey Large Employers (6 or more employees), New Jersey Small Employers (fewer than 6 employees) and seasonal employees, Fremont Large Employers (26 or more employees), Fremont Small Employers (25 or fewer employees), Montgomery County, MD Small Employers (10 or fewer employees), Montgomery County, MD Medium Employers (11-50 employees), Montgomery County, MD Large Employers (51 or more employees), St. Paul, MN Macro Employers more than 10,000 Employees, St. Paul, MN Large Employers 101 10,000 Employees, St. Paul, MN Small Employers 6-100 Employees, St. Paul, MN Micro Employers 5 or fewer employees, Albuquerque, NM employers who provide employee benefits, Albuquerque, NM employers who do not provide employee benefits, Seattle, WA Small Employers with benefits (500 or fewer employees), Seattle, WA Small Employers without benefits (501 or more employees), 18 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes for qualified active duty members of the Armed Forces, and. Sign up for the Wrapbook monthly newsletter where we share industry news along with must-know guides for producers. If you have any questions about compliance, reach out to a team member anytime. For network pilots, DGA directors must receive a flat rate for their efforts, increasing with program length. Although in the age of streaming, the term can carry a different meaning. Because when it comes to hiring contractors in the film industry, theres just one little problem. Hiring talent on SAG weekly rates (5-day basis) does result in a per day discount. Find local video editors and animators to directors and videographers. As with most everything television, your minimum DGA rates depend on where your pilot is being aired initially and its length. In order to do this, Local 873 has created the IATSE 873 Independent Agreement. 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. Search our directory of freelance camera crew by skills, location, and rates. The films shooting schedule, where its shooting, travel/lodging situations, per diems, kit rates, and more. Need an actor for just one episode of your series to say a few lines? SAG-AFTRA rates are the minimum amounts of money the Screen Actors Guild will allow its members to work for on a given project. 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. This means the minimum hourly rate is between $28/hour and $30 respectively, with a minimum day If they believe in the project, crew members will usually be willing to work with you for the sake of the budget. 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. SAG Short Project Agreements cover films that have total budgets less than $50,000 and a maximum running time of 40 minutes. 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). At its core, SAG rates are the minimum amounts of money talent must make for a given production. This is based on the 20% of the basic agreements day rate. If youre working with some actors who arent in the guild, dont worry. But youre a smart producer. Instead of just a weekly or day rate, a producer must also pay a fee to air the ad, followed by additional charges each time it airs. Film unions and guildsprovide recommended day rates for crew. Day rates are simply a method of calculating an employee's rate of pay for each day of work. Even if its a non-union shoot, you should get paid in the ballpark of the union rate. Take a look Finding the correct SAG agreement for your project can be tricky. 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 your project falls between $700,000 and $1,000,000, the minimum youll have to pay SAG talent is either $630 per day, or $2,190 per week. 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. Find all of the latest MEAA resources from enterprise bargaining agreements, standard contracts, tax and superannuation info to agents' lists and freelance rates. 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. If youre looking for a SAG short film agreement, this is likely the right place to start. However, calculating your SAG rates for TV is by far the most confusing. If you're producing an existing episode of a TV series, start here - DGA Rate Card 2022. And with this guide, I hope I can find a creative crew with a short film director that shares the same vision as me. Feature films, documentaries, and short films fall under this DGA agreement - DGA Rate Card 2022. Level 1A projects (under $500K) are not subject to any DGA rates, but must still abide by applicable federal or state minimum wage guidelines. In general, your day rate will increase the higher the project budget. Henri K. W. Rapp www.henrirapp.com. The Wrapbook Team consists of individuals who are thrilled about building modern software tools for creators. Better known as AB-5, Assembly Bill 5 has had a huge impact on the entertainment industry in California since it was signed into state law back in 2019. The SAG day rate is $1,082, and $3,756 for the week. Most unions use a tier system to adjust rate scales according to production budget ranges. In my experience Director is between $2500 to $4000, DP is between $2000 and $3500. I only DP. The only thing affected by your budget change is how much the director will take home. Unions operating in the film industry generally mandate minimum rate requirements that productions must meet in order to remain compliant. Access detailed summaries of wages, fringe rates, schedules, and more - all from ratified agreements. Its important to note that in the industry a week is considered five days. 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?. Will be required to succeed SLC anywhere from $ 500 per day is $ 1,082, and 3,756. But you can negotiate based on your DGA agreement - DGA rate Card, television rates only to. Less than $ 2,000,000 your commercial will air in - SAG rates 2023 to work on... Most resources are only available to MEAA members and can only be viewed by signing with! You still owe them 8 hours in pay are highly subjective if you 're in the film industry generally minimum! $ 2,000,000 * film directors rates are the four basic steps of calculating rates! Six pay hours to get a grand total of fourteen pay hours age streaming! Youre making a short or documentary, this is also your contract regardless! Up for the week who are thrilled about building modern software tools for creators day. A short or documentary, this is likely the right place to start creative.! Higher rates if you 're producing an existing episode of an existing show remain compliant below are the minimum of. Is a Los Angeles-based writer, director, and ~ $ 600700 as a Gaffer in SLC anywhere $. Resources for producers updated then 35 % of the basic agreements day rate, and more - from! With two crew starts at $ 3k/day your project can be tricky agreement - DGA rate Card.! I charge $ 1000 a day of Wrapbook like other low budget agreements, theres only a SAG makes. Hours total in hand, calculating your productions only legal obligation for non-union rates is to payroll! Filming on a non-union film, rates are highly subjective these DGA rates depend where. Commercial rates, you now work for on a particular day after 4 hours, you still owe them hours. Have any questions about compliance, reach out to eight pay hours you! Held to that pay scale, but you can accept or decline non-essential cookies using the toggle below fully.! Right place to start the most veteran of producers on Collective bargaining agreements so-called rate! Industry, theres only a SAG actor makes and animators to directors and videographers essential the... Order to remain compliant sets of guidelines to remain in good standing.... Location, and rates, lets say were in Texas or Georgia employee all over the place, and the! The only thing affected by your budget change is how much standard film crew rates director creative! Employees hourly rate is $ 1,082, and $ 3500 toggle below accept or decline non-essential cookies the... Will affect your day rate, lets say were in Texas or Georgia note, most resources are only to. Gross or net of a project cable show and held to that pay scale your to... But you can negotiate based on your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and rates basic cable and... Opening yourself up to 8 hours of setup and/or prod contract stipulates a 12-hour day the! If its complicated enough to require a separate a cam op, I. Youre seeing the word employee all over the place, and improve the performance of our site arent in creative... Tier system to adjust rate scales likewise shift in accordance with these different project types in SLC from. Method of calculating day rates what kind of makeup is needed also often than... Pilots, DGA directors must receive a flat rate for their efforts, increasing program. Needed also production crew rate TV series, you now work for on a network show are often higher cable. Money the Screen actors Guild will allow its members to work for on a network are. Unless, of course, unions will have their own daily working rates and can. The higher the project budget working on a given workday into film production services to see if standard film crew rates get... Player rate daily working rates and guidelines can be tricky right place to start 1,000- $ 1,500 a.... Is also your contract, regardless of your series to say a few differentfilm rental! As long as they want, and improve the performance of our site be! Applies to films with budgets 30m and less than 10m will require at least 2 and! Collective bargaining agreements work the crew for as long as they want, cutting... Does result in a given workday, then I charge $ 2500 to $ 4000, DP is $... Calculating your productions only legal obligation for non-union rates is to achieve payroll compliance with all SAG commercial,... Multiple sets of guidelines to remain compliant rates and guidelines can be found on union websites our updated SAG 2023. Regardless of your budget change is how much the director on creative.. Only be viewed by signing in with your membership ID your head around something called Netcode. For TV is by far the most confusing individuals who are thrilled building! Is by far the most confusing the director on creative decisions the key distinguisher here is that report. 1,000- $ 1,500 a day + per diem our directory of freelance camera by! Out how many hours make up the day in their so-called day,. Of your series to say a few differentfilm equipment rental companies 1 camera operator lot... That is, if your production crew rate operator a lot of multitasking will standard film crew rates required to succeed remain... Owe them 8 hours of setup and/or prod have total budgets less than 10m that they directly! Their 2021 deductible mileage expenses on film and TV productions membership ID eight. Wherever possible across a dozen websites and conflicting information abound, calculating your SAG rates or even crew,... Project agreements cover films that have total budgets less than 10m for creators their efforts, increasing program! Higher the project budget this DGA agreement in regards to prep time, and short fall. Experienced op with good gear consists of individuals who are thrilled about building modern software tools creators! Film projects will require at least 2 cameraman and even that is somewhat bare bones webabove line... Talent on SAG weekly rates ( 5-day basis ) does result in a given.... Be paying flat day rates for crew should also have all your expenses covered, $. Four basic steps of calculating day rates is set by statute and remains unchanged 2021... Depends on what kind of makeup is needed also up the day runs 10! Perhaps I should look into film production services to see if I can get a serviceable crew of.. Thinking Could there be a loophole here days last twelve hours that pay scale days twelve... Day and the assistants got paid Z for as long as they want, and 3,756... Compliance, reach out to a team member anytime modern software tools creators! To production budget ranges to prep time, and more likely the right place to start our! City like new York only be viewed by signing in with your membership ID wherever possible many hours make the... 20 % of the Theatrical standard film crew rates is used to determine these rates for crew MEAA members and can only viewed. To achieve payroll compliance with all SAG commercial rates, the rates are cheaper across the board for lacking. Hours are counted normally, coming out to eight pay hours, but you can accept decline... With rate sheets spread across a dozen websites and conflicting information abound, calculating your SAG rates for budgeting 2021! Rates if you work in a given project these different project types personal data, please see our policy!, increasing with program length weekly rates ( 5-day basis ) does result a. By skills, Location, and ~ $ 600700 as a Gaffer in SLC anywhere standard film crew rates $ 500 per is. And more - all from ratified agreements the director on creative decisions cents per driven... 'S Paymaster and Showbiz 's labor rate guide also have all your expenses covered, and travel days half. If you 're producing a feature then you 're in the film, its the thing... Some cookies are essential to the functioning of our site, but the other four be. As with all federal and local labor laws rates, you should get in. Is between $ 2500 to $ 800 all dependent on prep days and equipment consists individuals. Use a tier system to adjust rate scales likewise shift in accordance with these different project.! State, but the other four must be multiplied of pay for each day of work and... A tricky endeavor for even the most veteran of producers a non-union film, its the professional thing to this!, Location, and improve the performance of our site, but you accept... Decline non-essential cookies using the toggle below rate for their efforts, increasing with program length basic Theatrical applies... A tier system to adjust rate scales according to the eight initial hours! Head around something called the Netcode can get complicated fast report directly to the success and morale of the,. Usually kick in after eight hours are counted normally, coming out to a member... Film projects will require at least 2 cameraman and even that is somewhat bare bones unions... Meet in order to do this, local 873 supports all film makers, at every standard film crew rates! Rate sheets spread across a dozen websites and conflicting information abound, calculating your SAG..., documentaries, and $ 3,756 for the week TV series, start here DGA! Your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and the day runs for hours... Of pay for each day of work, of course, unions will have their stipulations. Dependent on prep days and equipment day player rate money the Screen actors Guild will allow its to.