ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXwhat are good rates to charge for low budget productions being hired as a operator / DOP?
11 years, 7 months ago - John David Clay
Just wondering what good rates would be as I'm yet to get any pay working for free or expenses. Work is picking up editorially but that takes more time than normal and wondered if there is any industry backup for this type of situation?
Many Thanks
John
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11 years, 7 months ago - Dan Selakovich
What Paddy said!
For editing, I always ask what the budget is. Not what they have budgeted for an editor, but the entire budget. Then I break it down from there. How many days is the shoot, the shooting ratio, how many weeks budgeted for locked reels, how many assistant editors they've budget for, etc. Then I can determine if I'm walking into a pig fuck or well oiled machine. I'll quote higher for a pig fuck. Or if a film has a solid budget, my bottom rate is union scale. Add to all of that, how desperate I am for work.
A couple of months ago, I interviewed for a low budget feature with a first time director. They budgeted a lousy 1200 bucks a week for an editor, and wanted locked reels in 3 weeks. A pig fuck. Can I edit a feature in 3 weeks? Yes. Can I edit a feature in 3 weeks with a first time director in the room? No. They got my low budget pig fuck rate of 3,000 a week. Last I heard, they got some just graduated USC student for 500 a week.
Now that said, I'd do a great script with a good director and producers that know what they're doing for living expenses. So, with me, anyway, my rate depends on a lot of factors. My day job is saving films in trouble. That's a really high rate because 1. it's in trouble. and 2. I won't get a screen credit.
But all of that takes years of experience to work out in your head when you're sitting across a desk from a producer. I'd just start out and ask "what do you have budgeted for a DP?" and go from there. If the script and director are good, maybe it's worth doing for what they have to spend.
Response from 11 years, 7 months ago - Dan Selakovich SHOW
11 years, 7 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
By negotiation. By all means ask for £300/day and if you're worth it and the producer thinks you're worth it, you'll get it. However though if you don't have the experience yet, they'll wish you well and pass you over. There are no fixed rates any more, so your best bet is to become worth real money, and that comes with having a brilliant showreel, decades of experience and a deep understanding of what you're doing. For instance, an experienced Op/Dop will know the jobs of the 2AC and 1AC backwards, plus have specific experience on a range of bodies and know about their different performance characteristics, plus understand the physics behind focal lengths, apertures, etc and be able to lead a department with confidence and respect.
Response from 11 years, 7 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin SHOW
11 years, 7 months ago - John David Clay
Thanks for the opinions, - just want a guide since the rates vary so much. last networking event on Friday. grateful for the insight and I'll see how things go.
John
Response from 11 years, 7 months ago - John David Clay SHOW