how much should a cameraman get paid?

J

J5 squared

Well-known member
so awhile back i got a job helping with a big production company in town. It was my first job with a production company and i was super inexperienced. I basically was the camera guys PA, i did all the work pro bono. Well i went in and talked with the owner of the company again the other day and he wants me to start helpin out with some more stuff. Theres a jazz event outside this weekend that he wanted me to get b-roll for, crowd and whatnot. Like any good business man he wants to keep costs as low as possible, so he just said i should think of a rate i wanted to be paid. I'm guessing he figured if i worked pro bono last time i'd be willing to work cheap this time. Whats a good hrly rate for a camera job like this?
 
I would say it really depends on the terms of the job
the biggest factor would be if you're supplying any equipment and how long it is .
I would charge $300 at the very least for labor but like I said it really depends on how much you charge normally.
 
well i'll be using his camera, but i was gonna bring my spiderbrace and varizoom and libec controllers. He only shoots in high def now so my dvx is pretty much usless to him. I'm just tryin to figure out what range i should be asking. I'm still a student at this its true, but at the same time i don't suck and i've shot and produced some things that i feel are better than i've seen done from other production houses in the area. So i don't want to sell myself out much just because i'm newish. but yet i understand i'm probably not worth a super high rate as i'm still establishing myself.
 
J5 I've only been doing this about a year or so but i've realized that certain rates are just basic for what we do. At first I used to think how can I charge somebody $500 a day when I was making $16 an hour before I started doing this but I didn't pay for Full Health Insurance , Production Insurance , Meeting with clients , Gas , equipment , Downtime , ETC..

Don't sell yourself short. If you have a dvx then that puts you out of the amatuer category IMO
 
I like people who put money where their mouth is...and actually quote figures. Way to go, SilverWolf. I agree with your estimate. No equipment/B roll = $300. If you bring equipment, you are at $500+. If you do more than one job (like become the gaffer, as well), then you are up to $750. If you D.P. in the film world, then you are in the $1,000+/day range. Assisting in film is $500 to $700. Another thing I agree with: "Don't sell yourself short." Your work is your Client's insurance policy. Good work is money in their pocket; you deserve some of it.
 
$300 is a very reasonable amount to ask for. When I first started out while in school I was paid $180 a day to do PA work. If I could get that amount several years ago then you should be able to get $300 doing b-roll camera if they're a big production company.

Is he having you do b-roll because he's seen your work and liked it?
If he hasn't seen your work and he balks at paying you $300, show him your reel. Established or not, if he doesn't want to pay you that amount after seeing that you do quality work then it's time to take a walk. In that case let him find someone else to take advantage of.
 
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i think it all depends on your expirence. i wouldn't hire anyone for $300 if they had little too no expirence. would it be your first paying gig? if so $300 is prob too much.
 
I wouldn't do 100 dollars unless it was only for a couple of hours and you needed the money. Are you working with him for the experience while looking to get some money or are you trying to get paid. There isn't anything wrong with either one but just know what you want. If it's for the experience charging 100 dollars isn't a problem. I do think however that you will run into problem when you want to charge more because you've already got him used to that lower rate and he's not going to want to go more unless he's a really cool person.

Also how long is the event for ?
 
I worked for him before on a documentary stricktly pro bono. I went in the other day with a dvd of some of my own work to get his opinions on and after watchin that is when he brought up this next deal and said to think of a rate i'd want for it. He mentioned some other work in the future but this one is just a live jazz festival one night, i'd just run around from probably 6 till about midnight or 1 getting whatever i could.
 
J5 squared said:
I worked for him before on a documentary stricktly pro bono. I went in the other day with a dvd of some of my own work to get his opinions on and after watchin that is when he brought up this next deal and said to think of a rate i'd want for it. He mentioned some other work in the future but this one is just a live jazz festival one night, i'd just run around from probably 6 till about midnight or 1 getting whatever i could.
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That's a full day then. I would go for $300 if I was in your position. the worst he can say is no. He's seen your work and obviously thinks you are qualified enough not to screw it up. I think he will give you a fair wage otherwise he would have told you right out what he would give you instead of asking you.
 
KOVAROVA said:
how much do you think you are worth?
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I think i'm worth $300 and thats what i'll be asking. Just because i'm starting out doesn't mean i can't do good work. I've seen alot of terrible stuff from other companies that they were paid good money to do. For just running around with a camera that i know how to handle i think i'll be as good as anyone else.
 
J5 squared said:
I think i'm worth $300 and thats what i'll be asking. Just because i'm starting out doesn't mean i can't do good work. I've seen alot of terrible stuff from other companies that they were paid good money to do. For just running around with a camera that i know how to handle i think i'll be as good as anyone else.
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Sounds fair. Let us know what he says. I am sure we would like to hear how he reacts.
 
Aim high, if he says no, go lower.

Always try to get a sense of the project's budget before quoting them a rate. What I charge varies alot depending on the project.
 
You have to get paid what you think your time is worth, but camera guys with a small camera can get anywhere from 20 bucks (or gas money and some food) for the shoot to $35.00 an hour (the last union scale someone told me five years ago) around Hollywood. I've been paid as much as $350.00 for a day, but then they never called me back again, I was not very experienced then.

Sometimes you have to make it cheap until you can see they really need you, and can't do with anyone else, (they like you, you're predictable to them now), then you know you can raise your price!
 
You've gotta ask yourself, "WHY" has this guy got no budget? Is he doing a freebee or has he undercut some other production company to get the gig. If he's doing the later he's creating a false economy for your area and that effects everyone in the business.

If he's doing it as a freebee then heck why should you take a hit on wages to help him out. There will be 100 other mugs who will probably step up to the mark and work for next to nothing.

Regardless, charge what you think you are worth.

Rich
 
J5 squared said:
Like any good business man he wants to keep costs as low as possible, so he just said i should think of a rate i wanted to be paid. I'm guessing he figured if i worked pro bono last time i'd be willing to work cheap this time. Whats a good hrly rate for a camera job like this?
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That's why, "Any Good Businessman" is always rich. Give him your rate and stick to it.

and just for the records my daily rate is £250+VAT+EXPENSES+TRAVEL For operating only and £350+VAT+EXPENSES+TRAVEL for me and my Camera Kit.
 
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