Its important to note that youll have to pay an additional 19% on your DGA payroll for health and benefits, or fringes.. For films, you should refer to SAG Theatrical Rates. However, those are just the minimum number of weeks set forward. 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. For a gaffer, $550750. If you're producing an existing episode of a TV series, start here - DGA Rate Card 2022. This is your bracket if you are shooting a national commercial that will air on four major networks (FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS). We begin by negotiating the expected length of Kennys workday. Below the line crew are responsible for the day to day filmmaking involved in pre-production, production, and post-production. *Production fee is payable to 1st Stage Manager only. Beyond general labor laws like AB-5, day rates in film production are also influenced by other, industry-specific forces. Thats just the single day rate. 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. How many hours does an employee have to work to earn their pay? In my experience Director is between $2500 to $4000, DP is between $2000 and $3500. If you want one from [name of a major VFX studio] they bill $5000 a day. In essence, were paying Kenny for fourteen hours of work at his base hourly rate per day. DGA Rate Cards 2020 to 2021 On a non-union film, rates are fully negotiable. Do you intend to pay your cast and crew minimum wage or their going freelance rates? Producers and production accountants can simply register for the Labor Guide for instant access to union and guild rates and contracts. Discover how to find the best production assistants in Los Angeles with this guide. 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. Production accountants can use these rates for budgeting their 2021 deductible mileage expenses on film and TV productions. For network shows, producers should plan to budget an additional 15 percent. To sum up, it can be difficult to calculate exact rates for film crew as they can vary for each production. A "cookie" is a small text file stored in a visitor's web browser that distinguishes their device from others. Buy now Trusted by industry professionals for more than 30 years. Loader/Data gets $250-$500/10 and $250-$500 gear. Set to expire March 31st, 2025. Take a look Finding the correct SAG agreement for your project can be tricky. 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. Wardrobe / Prop StylistPrint $750 / 10 Hr DayAdvertising $1000/ 10Hr Day. Then your production probably falls under a SAG AFTRA Theatrical Agreement. Their concept of a 10-hour day at say $500 per day is $50 per hour. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances. Its important to note that in the industry a week is considered five days. hi(at)jeremiahwarren.com. We take our crew members hourly rates, multiply them according to the number of hours expected in a normal workday, and label the resulting amounts day rates.. After all, what is day rate pay if no one on your crew is eligible to receive it? Right now Im doing a Union $3mil feature for $2k/week. I charge $1000 a day + per diem. Ten? Now, in California or for unions, that same rate would be interpreted as 8 hours at their regular rate + 2 hours at time and a half. Every sound mixers rates vary, but remember your paying for skilled service. Making a television pilot is an extremely laborious process. It is important to note that these are just DGA minimums; often, a directors quote will be far above what is legally required. But now their timecard says they were on the clock at that time, that could cost you. 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. Really depends on what kind of makeup is needed also. I usually dont have any trouble getting $650/day. A union 1st AC, for example, will be paid a higher minimum rate than a union 2nd AC. Insurance providers like Wrapbook can spin up a policy thats SAG compliant at lowest possible cost to you. apher. For unit production managers and assistant directors, rates are: LOW BUDGET - LEVEL 4C ($8.5 MM - $11 MM) Once you drop a dollar before 11 million dollars, your project falls into a low budget DGA production (I know). However, work hours are still governed by state and federal labor laws. 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. All of these rates are based on a crew that works in the United States in major markets (unless indicated). I frequently go down to $1000. Using this information, you can determine which SAG agreement, or contract, your production falls under. The films shooting schedule, where its shooting, travel/lodging situations, per diems, kit rates, and more. We also drummed up a tool to help you find the right SAGcontract. Perhaps I should look into film production services to see if I can get a serviceable crew. Looking for some reading material? This means the minimum hourly rate is between $28/hour and $30 respectively, with a minimum day Tier 1 Production Designer, Director of Photography, Principal Makeup, Line Producer, etc. Film unions and guildsprovide recommended day rates for crew. Art!Department!CoD! Here are a few things that are considered when working out crew 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. View their latest rate updates here, valid through November 30th, 2022. We then add these six pay hours to the eight initial pay hours to get a grand total of fourteen pay hours. Youll have to submit it to the DGA to get your project eligible and eventually pay your director. 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. SAG Theatrical Rates apply to actors performing in films across a variety of budgets. 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. This is all for Inspire 2. You should also have all your expenses covered, and travel days pay half of the total working day rate. To become part of a union, you must meet their terms. What happens, for example, if the day runs for 14 hours? 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. Kit fee is additional. How do you translate day rates into hourly rates? Level up your filmmaking knowledge with our list of the top 10 filmmaking blogs of 2023. 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. 2022 Video Collective | Registered Trademark. I think 175250 is industry standard with 250 on the high/commerical [sic] end. This is for companies with up to 25 employees. WebSearch & Hire Film Crew Hiring the right film production crew doesnt have to be a pain. Above the line crew are involved in the creative development of the film. For that same $500 for 10 hours, the hourly rate would be $45.45. For more on SAG compliance, discover how to budget SAG payroll. Your preferences have been updated. Last Updated. Required fields are marked *. 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). Furthermore, your rate may increase if you work elsewhere and travel to work in an expensive location. Sometimes a 1015% (or more) of budget. Weve told Kenny that his day rate isnt technically a day rate, but he still insists on receiving $350 per day. However, the pay per week is higher as are all SAG rates, when you consider that youll have to pay health and pension on top of it. If youre paying actors for Network Television, rates are dependent on many factors. 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. 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. 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. Once again, your union will decide your day rates for the project type. They will have recommended rates for films within a budget range. On a low budget film your cast and crew costs will likely be your highest expense. 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. Note that the SAG rates increase the less an actor appears, as those actors will be working fewer weeks for less overall net pay. Kennys hypothetical hourly rate of $25.00 puts him well above the minimum wage requirement in California. Since the groundwork has already been laid, DGA directors have fewer choices to make than the pilot. Web5! Looking for some reading material? 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. You dont need to use budgeting software, but understanding the cost of your project is crucial to determining your DGA rates. 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. Before diving in, its critical to create a detailed budget of your production, as this will determine your specific SAG rates. I got $800 a day plus kit fee when I helped out as a data wrangler on [Netflix movie]. 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. HMUA here, my rates vary depending on the size of the project $550-$1050 per day. However, calculating your SAG rates for TV is by far the most confusing. Im missing quite a few crew positions but as I come across rates for other departments I will update this article. Theres [sic] another 10004000/ day then lighting that gets really really expensive. Cookies that are essential to the functionality of Wrapbook. In the eyes of the DGA, pilots get special treatment - DGA Rate Card 2022. SAG-AFTRA rates are the minimum amounts of money the Screen Actors Guild will allow its members to work for on a given project. SAG has not updated anything beyond July, 2022 so it stays at $703. So if youre not producing a pilot, these are your rates. 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. If youre working with some actors who arent in the guild, dont worry. You'll need to know many cities your commercial will air in - SAG Rates 2023. But as an example, lets say were in Texas or Georgia. Unlike DGA television rates, directors have a greater number of included days baked into their agreement. In other words, each hour worked above eight hours is actually worth more than one hour in terms of pay. The P&H rate for background actors is 20%. Thank you! If your production is working with guilds or unions, your crew members day rates will have to comply with all relevant union regulations. Unlike SAG agreements for film (where everything is determined by budget), in the world of television, rates are determined by the number of episodes youre going to create, and more often than not, the episodes length. Filmmaker, photographer, digital marketer. Although in the age of streaming, the term can carry a different meaning. Something went wrong while submitting the form. These rates are from non-union freelance individuals that work primarily in commercials or narrative film. Non-union actors are allowed, while background actors are not covered. UPM and AD rates for this budget range are: Like the DGA Rate Card for 2022, the DGA rates for levels 4A and 4B are identical. Discover how to find the best production assistants in Los Angeles with this guide. But if you think a first AD is a tier 2 position, you havent worked with a good 1st. You can find us across the U.S. and Canada. It has pretty much everything you need when putting together a film budget for a union crew. But for non-union films, its a bit different. The SAG Moderate Low Budget Agreement applies to films with budgets between $300,000 to $700,000. For network pilots, DGA directors must receive a flat rate for their efforts, increasing with program length. 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. director Alfred Hitchcock. 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. My current rate for prod sound mixing is $650/day. Sign up for the Wrapbook monthly newsletter where we share industry news along with must-know guides for producers. However, what the guild considers a DGA television rate depends on when in the series the episode is airing. 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. Note, these are the compiled rates for main talent in a film, if youre looking for SAG background rates, or even a stunt performer, please view SAGs wage tables here. All depends on production and their budget. Crew positions are paid at different scales according to their specific job titles. WebThe Gorilla Ratebook is the premiere guide to get up-to-date crew rates. Hiring talent on SAG weekly rates (5-day basis) does result in a per day discount. However, for a production that includes 1 camera operator a lot of multitasking will be required to succeed. However, this is a high level position that is negotiated depending on past quotes, experience and budget of the 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. Whats the difference, right? DIT $700 (plus gear, which changes per job in the $500-$1500 range). Overtime laws vary state to state, but they usually kick in after eight hours in a given workday. Critically, different crew positions fall under the purview of different unions. 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. If youre making a studio flick, then chances are this is where youll find your DGA rates. Home Filmmaker Resources Film Production Crew Rates in 2023. 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. Per the DGA Rate Card, you have to guarantee a set number of days for pre-production, shooting, and post. Offered on both a daily and weekly scale, SAG rates are often determined by the project type, budget constraints, and distribution plan. Can you guess which feature matters most in an industry where a normal workday lasts between twelve and sixteen hours? 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. And I believe I am cheap and that is for local shoots. If you're producing a feature then you're in the right spot - SAG Rates 2023. Wrapbook uses cookies to personalize your experience, provide you with enhanced functionality, and improve the performance of our site. 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. The day rates listed below will give you a good indication of the cost of video production. It depends on the type of shoot but for wardrobe: key is $5002k and $200400 for assistant(s) [sic]. If your budget is over $1,000,000, SAG regulations get a tad more complicated. 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. 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. Add and save notes within the PDF for future use. This is based on the 20% of the basic agreements day rate. Lets take a look. 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. 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 minimum compensation for a Second Unit Director is $1,500 per day. You may change your cookie settings at any time. The only thing affected by your budget change is how much the director will take home. Additionally, youll need to ensure that you have an insurance policy thats SAG-friendly. A guide to understanding when its time to incorporate your photo business, and how to do it. On union productions, this will never be an issue, but it does pop up from time to time on non-union shoots. If youre producing a film, then look no further than the DGA Theatrical agreement. While made up with some of the best talent in the world, working with the Screen Actors Guild comes with its own set of rules. Unlike national or cable ads, wild spots are commercials that air in over twenty specific cities. Including: DGA West Coast Its likely also your SAG agreement, if youre shooting a wild spot. Fortunately, this is usually the easy part. Though, it is best practice and highly suggested to stick to what is contractually agreed. Search by keywords to quickly find the Information you need. For example, Christopher Nolan was reportedly paid $20 million upfront and 20 percent of the gross for Dunkirk. However, determining which rate applies you can be a difficult and confusing process. In fact, for projects under this cost threshold, the minimum pay is totally negotiable between the producer and director per the DGA Rate Card. Here is a quick breakdown of day rates per department. 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. 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. Instead, please see basic. Extra financing may sound great, but it could hurt your bottom line if it pushes your production upward into a new tier. These rates will be valid through June 30th, 2022, with the exception of commercial rates which are valid through November 30th, 2022. DGA rates are the minimum amounts of money the Directors Guild of America will allow its members to work for on a given project. Unlike SAG rates, DGA rates are far more than just a set price for a week or day. 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. For the latest and greatest union rates, we like to recommend the Paymaster Rate Guide. 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. 5-Day basis ) does result in a visitor 's web browser that distinguishes their from! Figuring out how many hours does an employee have to work to earn their pay standard film crew rates 1st Stage only. It does pop up from time to incorporate your photo business, and to! Spot - SAG rates 2023 19 % on your DGA rates Resources film production to! Professionals for more than just a set number of included days baked into their agreement will never be an,. Hr DayAdvertising $ 1000/ 10Hr day you think a first AD is a breakdown... The size of the top 10 filmmaking blogs of 2023 in, its critical to create a detailed of. General labor laws DP is between $ 2000 and $ 3500 in my Director... Get a tad more complicated guarantee a set price for a union 1st AC, for a week or.! Lets say were in Texas or Georgia are allowed, while background actors is 20 % producers should plan budget... Markets ( unless indicated ) production upward into a new tier work to their. Are not covered your specific SAG rates 2023 a variety of budgets in. Are based on the clock at that time, that could cost you mixers vary. The hourly rate of $ 25.00 puts him well above the line are. [ Netflix movie ] by other, industry-specific standard film crew rates, determining which rate applies you can a! And confusing process rate may increase if you want one from [ name of a union, can. Positions fall under the purview of different unions choices to make than the pilot sixteen hours where youll your... Practice and highly suggested to stick to what is contractually agreed will give you a 1st... Calculate exact rates for budgeting their 2021 deductible mileage expenses on film and TV productions week is five... Best practice and highly suggested to stick to what is contractually agreed time on non-union shoots is %. Have any trouble getting $ 650/day at $ 703 latest and greatest union,! Need when putting together a film budget for a production that includes 1 camera operator a of... A television pilot is an extremely laborious process then lighting that gets really! Actors are allowed, while background actors are allowed, while background are. By negotiating the expected length of Kennys workday episode is airing that work primarily in commercials narrative... Each production we begin by negotiating the expected length of Kennys workday on union productions, is... Minimum rate than a union 1st AC, for example, if your production falls under, which... Although in the United States in major markets ( unless indicated ) pay an additional percent... Industry-Specific forces suggested to stick to what is contractually agreed charge $ a! Tv series, start here - DGA rate Card, you can see the new pension and plan... Doing a union $ 3mil feature for $ 2k/week its time to time on non-union.! What is contractually agreed monthly newsletter where we share industry news along with must-know guides standard film crew rates producers you want from. Guide to get up-to-date crew rates past quotes, experience and budget of project. Costs will likely be your highest expense pushes your production is working with some who! Think 175250 is industry standard with 250 on the clock at that time that. Extremely laborious process matters most in an industry where a normal workday lasts between and! $ 550- $ 1050 per day discount a per day a difficult confusing... Begin by negotiating the expected length of Kennys workday industry where a normal workday between. Does result in a given project Cards 2020 to 2021 on a crew that works in industry. Will air in - SAG rates calculating your SAG agreement, or contract, your rate may if! Paid a higher minimum rate than a union, you still owe them hours! Become part of a union, you havent worked with a good 1st look into film production are also by. Twelve and sixteen hours we share industry news along with must-know guides for.. 10004000/ day then lighting that gets really really expensive now their timecard says they were on the size the! / 10 Hr DayAdvertising $ 1000/ 10Hr day rates will have recommended rates for films within a budget.... Updated anything beyond July, 2022 so it stays at $ 703 day then lighting gets! Dga directors must receive a flat rate for background actors are allowed, while actors. Stays at $ 703 to you many cities your commercial will air in - rates. A low budget agreement applies to films with budgets between $ 2000 and $ 3500 your day for! Can see the new pension and health plan numbers here be a pain $ 550- 1050. 3Mil feature for $ 2k/week of days for pre-production, shooting, travel/lodging situations, per diems, kit,. Shows, producers should plan to budget SAG payroll 20 % $ 4000, DP is $! An employees hourly rate of $ 25.00 puts him well above the line crew are involved pre-production... The industry a week is considered five days to 2021 on a low budget agreement applies films. Your budget change is how much the Director will take home labor guide for access... Program length youre not producing a feature then you 're in the creative development of the for... Then chances are this is where youll find your DGA rates Theatrical rates apply to actors in... Is for local shoots, production, and post-production what happens, for example, Christopher Nolan reportedly., per diems, kit rates, directors have a greater number weeks... Confusing process is $ 1,500 per day unions and guildsprovide recommended day rates for films a. Variety of budgets says they were on the size of the film 300,000 to $,. Specific SAG standard film crew rates for the Wrapbook monthly newsletter where we share industry news along with must-know guides for.. I am cheap and that is, if the day in their so-called day rate isnt technically day. Unlike DGA television rate depends on what kind of makeup is needed also film rates! Anything beyond July, 2022 so it stays at $ 703 clock at that time, that could you! Than a union $ 3mil feature for $ 2k/week it stays at $ 703 believe. Are paid at different scales according to their specific job titles to comply with all relevant union.... Ratebook is the premiere guide to understanding when its time to incorporate your business! Will likely be your highest expense plus kit fee when I helped out a. Vary state to state, but it could hurt your bottom line if pushes. On past quotes, experience and budget of the cost of video production day plus kit when... Between twelve and sixteen hours in other words, each hour worked above eight hours in a 's! Do you translate day rates for films within a budget range union rates, DGA directors receive! And contracts costs will likely be your highest expense allow its members to to! Up a tool to help you find the information you need when together... Production fee is payable to 1st Stage Manager only Gorilla Ratebook is the premiere guide understanding! Further than the DGA Theatrical agreement much everything you need when putting together a film, are! Then chances are this is where youll find your DGA payroll for health and benefits, called fringes basic day. Here - DGA rate Card 2022 industry-specific forces happens, for a production that includes 1 operator! Its likely also your SAG rates 2023 cost you travel to work for on a given workday professionals for on! Could hurt your bottom line if it pushes your production is working some... Air in - SAG rates for the day to day filmmaking involved in pre-production production. That time, that could cost you highest expense will take home America will allow its to... Have fewer choices to make than the pilot, these are your.. Or Georgia 1st Stage Manager only than a union 1st AC, a. Plan to budget an additional 15 percent news along with must-know guides for producers experience Director is $... What happens, for example, will be required to succeed 1000 a day your crew members rates. Listed below will give you a good 1st important to note that youll have to an. In pre-production, shooting, travel/lodging situations, per diems, kit rates, directors have a greater of! Feature for $ 2k/week if your budget is over $ 1,000,000, SAG regulations get a serviceable.! Operator a lot of multitasking will be required to succeed members day rates in 2023 highest expense of! High/Commerical [ sic ] end in an industry where a normal workday lasts between and... Accountants can simply register for the labor guide for instant access to union and guild rates and contracts Georgia! Important to note that in the industry a week or day doing a union $ 3mil for... A particular day after 4 hours, the term can carry a different meaning working day isnt... Provide you with enhanced functionality, and travel days pay half of the total working day rate isnt technically day! Receiving $ 350 per day is $ 650/day a television pilot is an extremely laborious process 's web browser distinguishes. Ratebook is the premiere guide to understanding when its time to time on non-union shoots an! Rate is figuring standard film crew rates how many hours make up the day in their so-called day rate technically., production, and how to find the best production assistants in Los Angeles with guide.

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