View Full Version : Salary range for an AE pro
Just wondering what the salary range is for an After Effects pro in Los Angeles? Hourly? Daily? Trying to get a feel for the market I'm about to enter.
Thanks for any input . . .
Debe
flyerland
07-13-2005, 10:01 PM
Just wondering what the salary range is for an After Effects pro in Los Angeles? Hourly? Daily? Trying to get a feel for the market I'm about to enter.
Thanks for any input . . .
Debe
Don't know about LA -
But from friends I've known - 35, 000 for a skilled pro (even if out of college) has been the range for Philadelphia and North Carolina.
Honestly, I'm not sure how to interpret that for LA. You might think LA will make more because there's more work, however, there is no shortage of supply of workers either. Then again, I'm sure the cleintel is wealthier, which may equate to more cash.
Do they even use After Effects in LA, or is it more Shake/Discreet products for motion pictures? I know it was hard finding a place in Philadelphia because, as popular as After Effects and FCP are, a large majority of the bigger post-production houses here in Philly are PC based discreet suites - which I have no experience with = pita finding a job. There are a few home video business that use AE and FCP in the region though - see how LAs demographic is programs, PC/Mac, Adobe vs. Discreet, etc. Here in Philly, the film office prints a production guide listing all the post-houses and what programs and services they have - check that out if LA has anything like that - big help shaping your reelsume.
Scottdvx100
07-14-2005, 12:28 AM
There are lots of AE jobs in LA
lucidz
07-14-2005, 07:32 AM
my god thats peanuts :(
That is peanuts. Salary is based on how good you are, and who knows it. After Effects is used in LA, it's used everywhere (as is Flame, Flint, Smoke, Shake, etc). 35k is pretty low though. I'm in Tulsa, and making a WHOLE lot more than that.
Scottdvx100
07-14-2005, 09:06 AM
I suspect the real range is 35k-80k+ depending on where you work and your level of expertise.
Also a question if they pay overtime, health care, etc.
35K for what time length? Sorry, just can't tell from the above posts.
Scottdvx100
07-14-2005, 12:35 PM
I'm assuming yearly salary.
Thanks, this is all very helpful information. I've just begun After Effects 7 Pro (from 6.5 Pro). Please keep it coming! :)
Debe
oneinfiniteloop
03-08-2006, 12:02 PM
I think someone is who is very good and in a decent market can start out at around 50-80k.
lucidz
03-08-2006, 01:45 PM
Lol, i for one am not quittin my dayjob :P
I dunno, but I estimate a 70k
Shaun Patrick
03-08-2006, 02:15 PM
yeah, for an After Effects ninja, the base should be at least in the 60-70K range--based what I've seen in the NYC area.
lucidz
03-09-2006, 07:44 AM
zomg 70K in nyc, you would have to rent a 1 bedroom flat above a manure plant :(
Angrius
03-09-2006, 11:44 AM
Kai I was just watching your clip for the ESPN snowmobiling tour. Amazing job.
I just wanted to pick your brain for a second. Do they leave pretty much all of the creative work up to you or are you working with an art director and producer closely on the piece? Also, did they give you stock footage and images for it or did you have to go out and get some yourself? The whole thing is exciting to watch..I love it.
Did you get training for AE or are you self taught? Thanks.
Also wondering..how much time was allocated to you to complete that project from start to finish?
SilverWolf
03-09-2006, 12:09 PM
I second those questions
oneinfiniteloop
03-09-2006, 12:29 PM
I, too, would like to know!
Cool thanks for the compliments! That project was about 2 weeks start to finish, factoring in wait time for client approvals, etc. On opens and packages like this, they pretty much leave it up to me, so i'll serve as the art director/producer/designer on the package. They still have to approve everything, so you can't get TOO wild and off the wall, but they're pretty cool and open to new ideas. The footage, assets, etc were all shot and created just for this package.
As far as AE, I learned the basics in college, but then just jammed on it for years learning and experimenting with new things all along the way. It's a deep program, once you get the basics down you've only just begun :)
oneinfiniteloop
03-09-2006, 03:17 PM
It's a deep program, once you get the basics down you've only just begun :)
Very true! A whole lot of power under that hood.
skatetpcdotcom
03-15-2006, 03:17 PM
visual effects artists make a good chunk of cash a year. get with a good studio/production company and work with Adobe and discreet software programs and youll be make bank.
PopcornFlix
03-16-2006, 12:20 AM
Roto and dustbusting is the bottom of the food chain for AE at a VFX facility.
It's tough to find a dustbuster who works for less than $30/hr = $62k/year.
I'm just saying.
rightfrog
03-16-2006, 07:43 AM
I've been doing AE for about 10 years and get anywhere from $60 to &70 per hour in LA and about $15-$20/hour above that in NYC. This is more for motion graphics than VFX work though...not sure if that's what you're doing.
If you're any good at AE, you should be getting at least $35 to $45/hour or around $400/day in LA...even the smaller to mid-size post houses pay that much.
What it all boils down to is your reel...that's really what sets your price.
What it all boils down to is your reel...that's really what sets your price.
Agreed.. in this biz its really only how good you are that matters. I normally bid my jobs at a flat fee however.
rightfrog
03-16-2006, 08:25 AM
Agreed.. in this biz its really only how good you are that matters. I normally bid my jobs at a flat fee however.
Yeah, I've been finding that more and more clients want a flat fee rather than an hourly/daily thing...many of them have told me that they've been screwed over by freelancers who pad out their hours/days and sometimes the client ends up loosing money on the job because the artist overcharges them...
That sux...
And, on the creative side, it saves those who may be really fast at their work from not getting paid anything just for being good & fast.
SilverWolf
03-16-2006, 09:04 AM
Now when you say a flat rate do you mean a flat rate for the job ?
Greggl
03-16-2006, 09:05 AM
I flat fee my freelance compositing, day rate my 'in-house' work and was
making just shy of 100K in LA staff for 40hr week plus overtime.
This was for compositing, tracking and a touch of TD work for camera issues
in 3D.
rightfrog
03-16-2006, 09:05 AM
Another thing is, if you are going to bid by job, be sure to allow for additional time. I've had clients come back 5-6 times with new changes because it has to be seen by so many people who all want to put their own stamp on it...you make the changes and then 3 days later here are more changes, and then 2 days later more changes and then a week later another round...and then it goes through everyone again...
Bid out for the job and tell the client that the bid includes 1-2 rounds of changes. Any more and you'll have to raise the price of the job...this will usually make the client filter through all the opinions themselves and give you a more complete set of changes at once rather than spread out over a lot of time...this will allow you to finish faster and submit your invoice faster.
oneinfiniteloop
03-16-2006, 10:11 AM
Bid out for the job and tell the client that the bid includes 1-2 rounds of changes. Any more and you'll have to raise the price of the job...this will usually make the client filter through all the opinions themselves and give you a more complete set of changes at once rather than spread out over a lot of time...this will allow you to finish faster and submit your invoice faster.
Definately great advice to follow! Clients will change their mind endlessly if you allow them too, and I've found that some of them don't even know what's good for them.
Angrius
03-16-2006, 12:37 PM
I flat fee my freelance compositing, day rate my 'in-house' work and was
making just shy of 100K in LA staff for 40hr week plus overtime.
This was for compositing, tracking and a touch of TD work for camera issues
in 3D.
you were making 100 thousand dollars a week? Am I seeing that right??
Where do people look for jobs in after effects..is there a listing online? Thanks.
oneinfiniteloop
03-16-2006, 01:12 PM
I think he meant per year. You'd have to get paid $2k/hr to make $100k in a 50 hour work week.
It'd be nice though.
jackal2513
03-17-2006, 08:24 AM
around 200-250 ukp a day in the UK if you are half decent
thats around $440 a day
$440/day sounds too much
That's less than half in my world.
SilverWolf
03-17-2006, 02:41 PM
Damn I want to live in Kai's world. Please take me with you !
gumonstro
03-20-2006, 06:26 PM
Damn I want to live in Kai's world. Please take me with you !
LOL!!!!!!!!
BEENYWEENIES
03-20-2006, 07:18 PM
I suppose this all depends on whether you are a contractor or full-time employee. As a contractor I make about $135k/yr. In San Francisco and LA isn't much different if you're good. This of course includes the fact that I pay self-employment taxes, my own health, etc.
As a salaried AE artist you're probably looking at closer to 80K, but with a guaranteed paycheck and possibly benefits.
BEENYWEENIES
03-20-2006, 07:20 PM
$440/day sounds too much
No way, I make $560 a day. And I mean GET that rate, not just charge that and never work as a result.
rightfrog
03-20-2006, 07:23 PM
$440/day is only $55/hour for an 8 hour day...that's a pretty standard rate for an AE artist doing broadcast motion graphics work...not national commercials, but regional stuff...or DVD menus for larger houses...
jackal2513
03-23-2006, 07:49 AM
$440/day is only $55/hour for an 8 hour day...that's a pretty standard rate for an AE artist doing broadcast motion graphics work...not national commercials, but regional stuff...or DVD menus for larger houses...
you will of course note that I am talking in uk pounds, i.e. I am speaking in terms of UK salaries. I am also talking about decent length projects of several months or more. For broadcast, short jobs rates would obviously be higher.
TheJackyl
04-06-2006, 03:15 PM
Is there certification or classes to take for after effects? Or is it all about buying the software and training yourself over time? Im 20 yrs old and my brain is in gear so Ive been considering looking into AE as a way to make a living.
Matt Grunau
04-06-2006, 03:21 PM
Friggin West Virignia. Sheesh. I couldn't make that even if I threw in all the extra stuff I can do to boot.
WV sucks for pay.
rightfrog
04-06-2006, 04:43 PM
Is there certification or classes to take for after effects? Or is it all about buying the software and training yourself over time? Im 20 yrs old and my brain is in gear so Ive been considering looking into AE as a way to make a living.
I sat down about 10 years ago with the software and the manual and figured it out. I had a strong Photoshop background which helped...I'm sure there are classes that you can take to get introduced to the software, but I don't think I've ever seen any kind of "master class" where you go into more intricate things like motion tracking, keying, digital matte paintings, etc...
TheJackyl
04-06-2006, 05:03 PM
Wow dude! Did you do the dvd menu for Kill Bill v1? It's wicked!
dougspice
04-06-2006, 05:06 PM
People fresh out of school or without a really good reel are generally making about $200-250 a day out here. A good friend of mine does strictly motion graphics at first rate houses, and he's making closer to $1000/day, sometimes more.
Greggl
04-06-2006, 06:40 PM
That 100K was per year :) My bad.
TheJackyl
04-06-2006, 09:56 PM
So when you get assigned a project, are you given a certain idea and told how they want it, such as the camera to zoom thru buildings like in a city or do you make all that up yourself?
Greggl
04-06-2006, 11:28 PM
In my case, I've been involved at a few different point. Previs, where you're
generally working from storyboards to mock up a moving animatic to illustrate
timing, tecnical issues, bid out the work and as a template for the live action
shot needs. There is a lot of 'upfront' creativity in those cases. I believe thats
Rich's fulltime area at this point.
The bulk of my time and what I prefer to do, is compositing and 2D/3D integration.
If you can 'see' my work, then my work wasnt totally done :) I like seamless camera
and object tracking, optical matching, and the technical aspects of compositing. In
those cases, I'm generally part of a team.
TheJackyl
04-07-2006, 12:46 AM
Hey, thanks for the answer, so you did work on the new star wars? it was in the 'showreel'
Greggl
04-07-2006, 08:46 AM
Hey, thanks for the answer, so you did work on the new star wars? it was in the 'showreel'
I spent a few months at the tail end of Ep2 at Skywalker Ranch. A group of 12 of
us created the deleted/extended scenes while the final work was happening at ILM.
It was a heck of an interesting time :)
rightfrog
04-07-2006, 09:16 AM
So when you get assigned a project, are you given a certain idea and told how they want it, such as the camera to zoom thru buildings like in a city or do you make all that up yourself?
The building animation was actually my idea...the client wanted something that said Seattle Minute so I made a bunch of buildings that looked like buildings in downtown Seattle along with the Space Needle and the monorail (icons of Seattle)...they were really happy with it.
The Kill Bill menu was actually something that three of us came up with at Technicolor and pitched it to Quentin. We came up with 3-4 looks and he picked that one.
Other times, clients will have a very clear idea of what they want and so you have to take their notes and do something very exact.
TheJackyl
04-07-2006, 02:05 PM
Damn thats cool guys!!! THANK YOU very much for taking the time to respond since you are obviously working professionals. And that is super crazy Gregg! Skywalker Ranch, does it get any cooler, I flew half the U.S. for SW Celebration II and III. So After Effects was the program of choice for Lucas? Just curious!
I think they have used a combination of several softwares
Greggl
04-08-2006, 06:17 PM
The Ranch is ususally 100% off-the-shelf software. Shake, AE, FCP, Maya and Photoshop. The work done there is generally previs, art direction and conceptual
work.
Once you get to ILM, you start seeing the exact opposite. The core tools are either 100% in-house or highly augmented off-the-shelf packages.
yes, that is the exact situation