bill totolo
Veteran
I wonder if these budgets reflect the purchase price of the film, seems REALLY high.
Most feature doc's I've worked on were below $100K.
C300: Brooklynphono: A Documentary Short & BTS Videos Filmed with the Canon C300 Mark II
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I wonder if these budgets reflect the purchase price of the film, seems REALLY high.
Most feature doc's I've worked on were below $100K.
Eric Coughlin
Veteran
http://www.pbs.org/pov/blog/news/2011/08/how_much_does_it_really_take_to_make_documentary/
I don't think saying, "I haven't worked on a doc with over a $100k budget so therefore they don't exist" makes any sense. That's like me saying, "Most of the commercials I've worked on are around $2000-$10,000 budgets, so therefore no commercials budgets significantly more than $10,000 exist." If you were to say, "I've looked at budgets for high end documentaries and rarely see any with budgets over $100,000," that would be a more reasonable statement if true.
I think DVXuser tends to attract lower-end to mid-range videographers who aren't as familiar with high end production, and assume it is ludicrous to spend X amount on a camera with the theory being that the budgets that you personally get offered could never support such an investment. On the other hand, head over to the Arri Amira forum or Reduser, start talking about documentary budgets, and perhaps begin to realize that many docs are filmed with much more expensive cameras than a C300 Mark II.
Kevin Knoblock said:
I don't think saying, "I haven't worked on a doc with over a $100k budget so therefore they don't exist" makes any sense. That's like me saying, "Most of the commercials I've worked on are around $2000-$10,000 budgets, so therefore no commercials budgets significantly more than $10,000 exist." If you were to say, "I've looked at budgets for high end documentaries and rarely see any with budgets over $100,000," that would be a more reasonable statement if true.
I think DVXuser tends to attract lower-end to mid-range videographers who aren't as familiar with high end production, and assume it is ludicrous to spend X amount on a camera with the theory being that the budgets that you personally get offered could never support such an investment. On the other hand, head over to the Arri Amira forum or Reduser, start talking about documentary budgets, and perhaps begin to realize that many docs are filmed with much more expensive cameras than a C300 Mark II.
nedcam
Well-known member
Damn, just wrote a long response but seems to have gone into the ether when I hit post. Oh well.
So Eric, the budget of the doc has NOTHING to do with the money offered to the DP, absolutely nothing. Often when a doc starts the DP has to make a sizzle reel/trailer to get investors interested, and that's often as a freebie if it's a buddy. Ever notice how people are your friend when they have a doc idea? The term documentary is another way of saying, "We have a very interesting, world changing project that we are sure you will find fulfilling but...we don't have much money." Most of the time they realize that the festival circuit is all they could hope for but sometimes there are break throughs like a Cartel Land. 90% of the time it is driven by activists, either social, liberal, conservative or the overly religious. Very driven people with no real money. They can't understand why you don't want to work cheap, that's how worthy their cause is. Care to share a room after a long day? Ass I look over my long career it was the doc producers who I didn't get my due from. There was never a malicious rip off, just, "We ran out of money." Also, many docs never get finished...And when I have been on what's termed feature length, jeeeze....after 10-15 days I'm tired of the subject no matter what it is. That's why I have always been freelance and not staff: I need variety and feature length actually means: Months On Call.
On real budget gigs they will fly the DP and his soundman all over but I field inquiries when they need pick up interviews and b-roll for the Chicago/Midwest/US segment of some doc or doc style TV show, although I have done feature length docs. As of lately the default rate offered for a good 2 man crew with a C300 or FS7 is around $1600-$1800 in the Chicago area, often depending on the pro level of the soundman and his gear. If you bring the kitchen sink, such as a new Sprinter tricked out with anything anyone could imagine, that's in the $2000-$2400, but everything's negotiable and few can command that, and people offering a quantity of days know how to get you down in price if they have been in the game a couple of decades. It is possible to own the higher end of everything but then you'd have to work on a very fast hamster wheel, always running yourself into the ground to pay for it all. I did that for 25 years and then you start to say..."Wait a minute here..." Unless, one comes from a wealthy family and there are an awful lot of rich kids in the biz the last few years...Trust me on that.
But I digress...On the true high end docs such as a Dateline, Frontline, etc., I see the Sony F55 still, with a top servo zoom like a Cabrio. No way I can compete in that sphere anymore. The C300 is still the default ask on gigs one tier down and the FS7 is being asked for now more than the C300. Though that's an excellent camera, the Sony jugernaut has pulled ahead in terms of their marketing prowess and if I felt I would be shooting longer I'd get a FS7 in a NY minute. (FS5 has too many drawbacks). Notice Erik Naso is long gone on this forum?
As a freelancer I always had to get what is the most requested, rather than what I liked best or thought was technically superior. I sometimes made the mistake of buying what I felt was better, rather than what the majority of clients were requesting and I lost money big time. So if I had money burning in my pocket and knew I would be shooting more than two years I'd have to go with the FS7 rather than the C300, even though I like the look, menus and ergonomics of the C300 better.
In sum, I have no idea how a guy that age could own that much gear. Oh wait! No wife or kids? Perhaps a Wolfgang Held can afford that. He is the uber example of a super successful doc DP but if you read between the lines, his main income is from features. Maybe the BTS DP works all the time on spots? I haven't the time to research him. I am in the twilight of my long career and don't want to put a penny into new gear, I'm two years from retiring, I have a strong web-only client base that just loves the C100, although I recently got an Osmo based on Puredrifting's post and have a lot of fun with it. I hope all these young guns max out their IRAs instead of do-dads or they will be sorry! Someday they'll need all the money they inadvertently misplaced into hardware...
Remember this: Nowadays any chimp that is somewhat technical and creative can make a good video but very, very few can make a long term, profitably sustainable business out of it, consistently putting food on the table and yet have so much money left over there's some to max out the IRA. And if you're not maxing out your retirement funds, are you really a successful business? Gear zaps that. The guy in the BTS video is very, very good but buying all that gear? Don't know what kind of businessman he is, and first and foremost this IS a business. Unless one is a rich kid. But all in all I'd rather be doing a doc than anything else in terms of creativity as a DP. That's the most freedom. The clients take the leash off my collar and let me go free. But as for money? I'd rather be doing a corporate gig.
Good night
So Eric, the budget of the doc has NOTHING to do with the money offered to the DP, absolutely nothing. Often when a doc starts the DP has to make a sizzle reel/trailer to get investors interested, and that's often as a freebie if it's a buddy. Ever notice how people are your friend when they have a doc idea? The term documentary is another way of saying, "We have a very interesting, world changing project that we are sure you will find fulfilling but...we don't have much money." Most of the time they realize that the festival circuit is all they could hope for but sometimes there are break throughs like a Cartel Land. 90% of the time it is driven by activists, either social, liberal, conservative or the overly religious. Very driven people with no real money. They can't understand why you don't want to work cheap, that's how worthy their cause is. Care to share a room after a long day? Ass I look over my long career it was the doc producers who I didn't get my due from. There was never a malicious rip off, just, "We ran out of money." Also, many docs never get finished...And when I have been on what's termed feature length, jeeeze....after 10-15 days I'm tired of the subject no matter what it is. That's why I have always been freelance and not staff: I need variety and feature length actually means: Months On Call.
On real budget gigs they will fly the DP and his soundman all over but I field inquiries when they need pick up interviews and b-roll for the Chicago/Midwest/US segment of some doc or doc style TV show, although I have done feature length docs. As of lately the default rate offered for a good 2 man crew with a C300 or FS7 is around $1600-$1800 in the Chicago area, often depending on the pro level of the soundman and his gear. If you bring the kitchen sink, such as a new Sprinter tricked out with anything anyone could imagine, that's in the $2000-$2400, but everything's negotiable and few can command that, and people offering a quantity of days know how to get you down in price if they have been in the game a couple of decades. It is possible to own the higher end of everything but then you'd have to work on a very fast hamster wheel, always running yourself into the ground to pay for it all. I did that for 25 years and then you start to say..."Wait a minute here..." Unless, one comes from a wealthy family and there are an awful lot of rich kids in the biz the last few years...Trust me on that.
But I digress...On the true high end docs such as a Dateline, Frontline, etc., I see the Sony F55 still, with a top servo zoom like a Cabrio. No way I can compete in that sphere anymore. The C300 is still the default ask on gigs one tier down and the FS7 is being asked for now more than the C300. Though that's an excellent camera, the Sony jugernaut has pulled ahead in terms of their marketing prowess and if I felt I would be shooting longer I'd get a FS7 in a NY minute. (FS5 has too many drawbacks). Notice Erik Naso is long gone on this forum?
As a freelancer I always had to get what is the most requested, rather than what I liked best or thought was technically superior. I sometimes made the mistake of buying what I felt was better, rather than what the majority of clients were requesting and I lost money big time. So if I had money burning in my pocket and knew I would be shooting more than two years I'd have to go with the FS7 rather than the C300, even though I like the look, menus and ergonomics of the C300 better.
In sum, I have no idea how a guy that age could own that much gear. Oh wait! No wife or kids? Perhaps a Wolfgang Held can afford that. He is the uber example of a super successful doc DP but if you read between the lines, his main income is from features. Maybe the BTS DP works all the time on spots? I haven't the time to research him. I am in the twilight of my long career and don't want to put a penny into new gear, I'm two years from retiring, I have a strong web-only client base that just loves the C100, although I recently got an Osmo based on Puredrifting's post and have a lot of fun with it. I hope all these young guns max out their IRAs instead of do-dads or they will be sorry! Someday they'll need all the money they inadvertently misplaced into hardware...
Remember this: Nowadays any chimp that is somewhat technical and creative can make a good video but very, very few can make a long term, profitably sustainable business out of it, consistently putting food on the table and yet have so much money left over there's some to max out the IRA. And if you're not maxing out your retirement funds, are you really a successful business? Gear zaps that. The guy in the BTS video is very, very good but buying all that gear? Don't know what kind of businessman he is, and first and foremost this IS a business. Unless one is a rich kid. But all in all I'd rather be doing a doc than anything else in terms of creativity as a DP. That's the most freedom. The clients take the leash off my collar and let me go free. But as for money? I'd rather be doing a corporate gig.
Good night
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Eric Coughlin
Veteran
I was under the impression that that guy owns one Canon C300 Mark II, and Canon lent him two extras along with the Canon 17-120s (which he mentioned he's not always fortunate enough to have access to) and some other gear to use on the videos he did for Canon.
Obviously the budget of a doc reflects how much the DP gets paid. On a $10,000 budget doc, the DP isn't making $20,000. On a million dollar doc, the DP may make $20,000 or so. I'd be rather surprised to hear the DP of a million dollar budget doc making say, $2500 for 25 days of work ($100 per day), while the DP of the $10,000 budget doc made the same amount, $2500, because, "the budget of the doc has NOTHING to do with the money offered to the DP."
Ned, what are you typically paying sound guys when you hire them as part of a crew?
Obviously the budget of a doc reflects how much the DP gets paid. On a $10,000 budget doc, the DP isn't making $20,000. On a million dollar doc, the DP may make $20,000 or so. I'd be rather surprised to hear the DP of a million dollar budget doc making say, $2500 for 25 days of work ($100 per day), while the DP of the $10,000 budget doc made the same amount, $2500, because, "the budget of the doc has NOTHING to do with the money offered to the DP."
Ned, what are you typically paying sound guys when you hire them as part of a crew?
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C300 Mark II Brooklynphono Episode 6 Color Grading Session w Technicolor Postworks
C300 Mark II Brooklynphono Episode 6 Color Grading Session w Technicolor Postworks
In this episode, Cinematographer Matt Porwoll sits down with Jack Lewars, Digital Intermediate Colorist at Technicolor Postworks to give us insight on the color grading process and the decisions that are made to achieve the desired look in the final product.
CANON C300 MARK II CINEMA CAMERA EF-MOUNT 8.85 MEGAPIXEL - 0635C002 $15,999
CANON C300 MARK II EF-MOUNT CAMERA W/ ZACUTO Z-FINDER RIG - 0635C020 $16,999
CANON C300 MARK II ZACUTO ENG PACKAGE W/ CINE-SERVO 17-120MM LENS 0635C019 $46,570
C300 Mark II Brooklynphono Episode 6 Color Grading Session w Technicolor Postworks
In this episode, Cinematographer Matt Porwoll sits down with Jack Lewars, Digital Intermediate Colorist at Technicolor Postworks to give us insight on the color grading process and the decisions that are made to achieve the desired look in the final product.
CANON C300 MARK II CINEMA CAMERA EF-MOUNT 8.85 MEGAPIXEL - 0635C002 $15,999
CANON C300 MARK II EF-MOUNT CAMERA W/ ZACUTO Z-FINDER RIG - 0635C020 $16,999
CANON C300 MARK II ZACUTO ENG PACKAGE W/ CINE-SERVO 17-120MM LENS 0635C019 $46,570
nedcam
Well-known member
Eric wrote:
"Ned, what are you typically paying sound guys when you hire them as part of a crew?"
That's a very interesting subject and each shoot is different, as someone is asking me my prices I have to calculate how complex the audio will be and what level (if any) of soundman or soundwoman to hire, but...
Much of what I do is Interview, B-Roll, Repeat. If the B-Roll is not having hidden radios and mixing with a boom, if it's "just" camera mic audio then I prefer to hire a very good grip and do my own audio. I want the muscle power and hustle of a real grip that knows my cases, helps with the lighting because after all, someone sitting for an interview doesn't need a real audio guy. In a previous life I did audio so I feel fairly comfortable miking an interview and the only time I get a little concerned is when the client wants the mic hidden, which is the first question I ask. As we have discussed here in previous threads, there is a move towards the style of wider shots so the lav mic would be seen. I don't sweat guys much but sometimes women come in wearing something odd and I have no idea where to hide it, and then wish I had a pro audio person with me. But I do muddle through. If I believed in Santa Claus I would ask for a Schoeps boom and rely on just that overhead. So in sum, for the simple stuff I do it myself and work with a grip. Obviously when I do a one-man-band, which is probably a third of my work now, I do all the audio myself, no mixer, and I do an overhead Senn MH60 boom and a lav, usually a Tram. I have black, white and tan mics.
Next tier up, let's say an Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Dr. Phil level gig, they want good audio during their b-roll, they love snippets of conversations. I know there will be a couple of hidden radios and a boom mixed in, so now I need a real audio guy, not just a grip. I have my own basic ENG/Doc/Corporate/TV audio package and there are several guys I hire to use it. They tend to be younger so I need to monitor the levels more, make sure there's no wind noise or clothing rustle. But most real 100% audio guys hate using the DP's gear for two reasons:
• They make less money
• They can't work as fast, they screw up, there's a blame game when there is a screw up.
However, I have three or four young guys who know the package well, I usually meet them 30-60 minutes before the shoot so they can piece it all together, I buy them breakfast. That way they're ready to go plus they don't need to ask rookie questions in front of the clients. Those types of soundmen are in the $350-$450 range (one guy is $300), most are $350-$400, often they are someone I trained to do "basic" audio. But...it's really important for me that they grip when there's no audio happening. I hate the prima donna type soundguys who won't help with the heavy stuff. When someone refers to themselves as a "mixer" that's a red flag, a sit down kind of guy, or someone who does narrative, or works mainly in a studio at a board. I need what I call "field audio" types. I move so fast at first they can't keep up and we may need to do a hop. I try to monitor the audio if possible if I do not know them well, or I am out of town and they are a complete stranger, they are too young, etc., so I tend to have various types of headphones to make sure nothing is wrong.
The worst profit scenario for me is when I low balled a bid, then the gig comes through and all my cheaper guys are unavailable and then I have to book a more expensive soundguy. Instant $200-$300 loss. Sound happens...
Next level up is when I predict there will be a need for true mixing, so then I need to hire someone with a higher input mixer than my basic Sonic Devices 302, someone with lots of radios and knows their way around quickly fixing stepped on freq issues, and we lately have a lot of interference in the Chicago area. Those types of guys are in the $450-$600 range, some ask for more but I only pay that high a level when I can pass the cost onto the clients, I don't want to "eat" it. And everything is negotiable. I may call a new person after running through my bench and he may say $700 and I'll say there's $500 tops in the budget, wanna come? It depends on what I am getting, that will determine how much I want to pay the soundman. I won't eat the audio rate. I resent how the shooting rates have come down yet audio guys' rates keep rising. It all depends if I can pass it on. And there are various factors for them too, such as if they are slow that week, have kids to feed, I'm offering multiple days, etc. But naturally the older guys who have a lot of good gear will throw out a figure that for my client base, it's usually $200 too much.
So the division is- those guys who are willing to use my gear, (they tend to be younger and need more adult supervision) at the low end of $300 and then the older, high end which can be $600 but bring their own gear. I understand that on spots and feature they can command even more but I troll the corporate/doc/Non Fiction TV show markets and with suppressed rates I prefer if I can get a guy to use my package. That's a good day for me and an extra $200 in my pocket.
Lastly, I happen to presently be shooting and producing two videos that will be shown at galas. Like you I do a lot of fundraising docs for non-profits. That's when the audio is most important to me, when I know there will be big ass speakers. Not only do I need to acquire better field audio but in post I need to nag the editors I will be using as to filtering HVAC, music to voice level ratios, etc. You have no idea how many (90%?) of all editors screw up the voice to music ratio because they judged it by their own ears, at their edit station or looking at useless meters. How do I know this? Because I ATTEND the galas. To watch my work, schmooze, get a freebie dinner and drinks and I have to say that coming out of big speakers is a different experience than in the edit suite. Also, when I have an audience full of local millionaire swells, I consider that to be a happy hunting ground and will use the guest list as a prospecting tool the next time I have a slow week. "Remember the video at the gala?" In sum, a video for a big projected event means I pay more attention to the audio than when I know it will come out of speakers the size of dimes on a laptop, and that has an impact on what kind of field audio guy I hire. But I digress...
The less expensive the audio labor, the more the DP can make. Over the years I have trained many an up and coming grip type to do audio and they appreciate learning a higher skill, since most of them will fail at camerawork anyway. Just stay out of my shot and don't let me see the boom or it's shadow in my viewfinder. By training my own guys from Intern up to PA to then Grip to then do Audio, I have created my own bench. Problem is, this new generation, they don't stay in one place long plus they're in the Gig Economy doing a plethora of jobs so I now need some newbies. Hope that answers your question. It's complicated. If all you have are the local "real" sound guys to call, that will be expensive. So consider developing your own. Audio is not brain surgery. Eagerness, ambition and tech aptitude is what I look for. Good biceps and height are a plus.
There are situations where if the audio guy is going to be at the max of the pay scale and there is NO WAY I can mark him up for a profit, I usually insist they bill the client directly. Then I don't have to suffer his nagging when the client's check is late but very importantly, my annual gross doesn't rise for no reason. In the days when I was dumber and accepted more dangerous gigs, that was a way to get out of being the "Employer of Record" in case something bad occurred. Lastly, especially if there's OT, I am not responsible at all for his taxes. If they're incorporated that doesn't matter, but most audio guys are unincorporated. But I digressed again...
P.S.S. There's a 26 yo sound mixer I hired a year ago, screwed up a couple of times using my gear, but passable. Called him a couple of weeks ago and he wanted $600 using his gear. But a 50 yo old sound guy is $600 and knows what he's doing and won't mess up. But somehow these young guys look at the old guys' rates and feel they are somehow entitled to the same rate, as if experience means nothing in relation to one's rate? Go figure...
So the answer to your question is $300-$600.
"Ned, what are you typically paying sound guys when you hire them as part of a crew?"
That's a very interesting subject and each shoot is different, as someone is asking me my prices I have to calculate how complex the audio will be and what level (if any) of soundman or soundwoman to hire, but...
Much of what I do is Interview, B-Roll, Repeat. If the B-Roll is not having hidden radios and mixing with a boom, if it's "just" camera mic audio then I prefer to hire a very good grip and do my own audio. I want the muscle power and hustle of a real grip that knows my cases, helps with the lighting because after all, someone sitting for an interview doesn't need a real audio guy. In a previous life I did audio so I feel fairly comfortable miking an interview and the only time I get a little concerned is when the client wants the mic hidden, which is the first question I ask. As we have discussed here in previous threads, there is a move towards the style of wider shots so the lav mic would be seen. I don't sweat guys much but sometimes women come in wearing something odd and I have no idea where to hide it, and then wish I had a pro audio person with me. But I do muddle through. If I believed in Santa Claus I would ask for a Schoeps boom and rely on just that overhead. So in sum, for the simple stuff I do it myself and work with a grip. Obviously when I do a one-man-band, which is probably a third of my work now, I do all the audio myself, no mixer, and I do an overhead Senn MH60 boom and a lav, usually a Tram. I have black, white and tan mics.
Next tier up, let's say an Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Dr. Phil level gig, they want good audio during their b-roll, they love snippets of conversations. I know there will be a couple of hidden radios and a boom mixed in, so now I need a real audio guy, not just a grip. I have my own basic ENG/Doc/Corporate/TV audio package and there are several guys I hire to use it. They tend to be younger so I need to monitor the levels more, make sure there's no wind noise or clothing rustle. But most real 100% audio guys hate using the DP's gear for two reasons:
• They make less money
• They can't work as fast, they screw up, there's a blame game when there is a screw up.
However, I have three or four young guys who know the package well, I usually meet them 30-60 minutes before the shoot so they can piece it all together, I buy them breakfast. That way they're ready to go plus they don't need to ask rookie questions in front of the clients. Those types of soundmen are in the $350-$450 range (one guy is $300), most are $350-$400, often they are someone I trained to do "basic" audio. But...it's really important for me that they grip when there's no audio happening. I hate the prima donna type soundguys who won't help with the heavy stuff. When someone refers to themselves as a "mixer" that's a red flag, a sit down kind of guy, or someone who does narrative, or works mainly in a studio at a board. I need what I call "field audio" types. I move so fast at first they can't keep up and we may need to do a hop. I try to monitor the audio if possible if I do not know them well, or I am out of town and they are a complete stranger, they are too young, etc., so I tend to have various types of headphones to make sure nothing is wrong.
The worst profit scenario for me is when I low balled a bid, then the gig comes through and all my cheaper guys are unavailable and then I have to book a more expensive soundguy. Instant $200-$300 loss. Sound happens...
Next level up is when I predict there will be a need for true mixing, so then I need to hire someone with a higher input mixer than my basic Sonic Devices 302, someone with lots of radios and knows their way around quickly fixing stepped on freq issues, and we lately have a lot of interference in the Chicago area. Those types of guys are in the $450-$600 range, some ask for more but I only pay that high a level when I can pass the cost onto the clients, I don't want to "eat" it. And everything is negotiable. I may call a new person after running through my bench and he may say $700 and I'll say there's $500 tops in the budget, wanna come? It depends on what I am getting, that will determine how much I want to pay the soundman. I won't eat the audio rate. I resent how the shooting rates have come down yet audio guys' rates keep rising. It all depends if I can pass it on. And there are various factors for them too, such as if they are slow that week, have kids to feed, I'm offering multiple days, etc. But naturally the older guys who have a lot of good gear will throw out a figure that for my client base, it's usually $200 too much.
So the division is- those guys who are willing to use my gear, (they tend to be younger and need more adult supervision) at the low end of $300 and then the older, high end which can be $600 but bring their own gear. I understand that on spots and feature they can command even more but I troll the corporate/doc/Non Fiction TV show markets and with suppressed rates I prefer if I can get a guy to use my package. That's a good day for me and an extra $200 in my pocket.
Lastly, I happen to presently be shooting and producing two videos that will be shown at galas. Like you I do a lot of fundraising docs for non-profits. That's when the audio is most important to me, when I know there will be big ass speakers. Not only do I need to acquire better field audio but in post I need to nag the editors I will be using as to filtering HVAC, music to voice level ratios, etc. You have no idea how many (90%?) of all editors screw up the voice to music ratio because they judged it by their own ears, at their edit station or looking at useless meters. How do I know this? Because I ATTEND the galas. To watch my work, schmooze, get a freebie dinner and drinks and I have to say that coming out of big speakers is a different experience than in the edit suite. Also, when I have an audience full of local millionaire swells, I consider that to be a happy hunting ground and will use the guest list as a prospecting tool the next time I have a slow week. "Remember the video at the gala?" In sum, a video for a big projected event means I pay more attention to the audio than when I know it will come out of speakers the size of dimes on a laptop, and that has an impact on what kind of field audio guy I hire. But I digress...
The less expensive the audio labor, the more the DP can make. Over the years I have trained many an up and coming grip type to do audio and they appreciate learning a higher skill, since most of them will fail at camerawork anyway. Just stay out of my shot and don't let me see the boom or it's shadow in my viewfinder. By training my own guys from Intern up to PA to then Grip to then do Audio, I have created my own bench. Problem is, this new generation, they don't stay in one place long plus they're in the Gig Economy doing a plethora of jobs so I now need some newbies. Hope that answers your question. It's complicated. If all you have are the local "real" sound guys to call, that will be expensive. So consider developing your own. Audio is not brain surgery. Eagerness, ambition and tech aptitude is what I look for. Good biceps and height are a plus.
There are situations where if the audio guy is going to be at the max of the pay scale and there is NO WAY I can mark him up for a profit, I usually insist they bill the client directly. Then I don't have to suffer his nagging when the client's check is late but very importantly, my annual gross doesn't rise for no reason. In the days when I was dumber and accepted more dangerous gigs, that was a way to get out of being the "Employer of Record" in case something bad occurred. Lastly, especially if there's OT, I am not responsible at all for his taxes. If they're incorporated that doesn't matter, but most audio guys are unincorporated. But I digressed again...
P.S.S. There's a 26 yo sound mixer I hired a year ago, screwed up a couple of times using my gear, but passable. Called him a couple of weeks ago and he wanted $600 using his gear. But a 50 yo old sound guy is $600 and knows what he's doing and won't mess up. But somehow these young guys look at the old guys' rates and feel they are somehow entitled to the same rate, as if experience means nothing in relation to one's rate? Go figure...
So the answer to your question is $300-$600.
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