Day Rates

A

Alyosha33

Member
Hey guys,

I'm about to enter into pre-production on an HVX feature but I am yet to hire a camera operator. I'm looking to find out what a fair rate for a low-budget shoot would be. I know that west coast and east coast rates can vary (i'm in the "south") but am unclear what is approriate for my local. We're looking at a 21 day shoot with aprox. 10 hour days. Because money is fairly tight, it will be supplimented with the typical perk of food (catered + craft services). any imput would be greatly appreciated. Also if you have any info about day rates for sound mixers and boom mic operators that would also be appreciated. Thanks!
 
How "low budget" are you talking about?
Also, you aren't talking about 21 straight days, are you?
That can burn your crew out quickly - especially if the money isn't there.
 
boom - 150 - 200
sound 200-300 + xtra $ for equipment = you might be able to get a package deal
cam op 150 - 200 ( no lighting - just operating)
 
Most folks in the micro-budget world shoot 12 to 16 hr days in order to shorten the length of the shoot, which is how they save money. This is often looked at as okay because people are forewarned of the hours and the fact there will be no overtime.

NO ONE shoots just 10 hr days! 12 hrs is standards for the industry.

if you shoot 14hr days you can shave several days off the schedule and save a bundle on craft services as well as rental costs and location costs.

as far as "LOW BUDGET" goes, there is no real rule. What matter is union verses non-union. You can't afford union.

By the way: NEVER EVER shoot SAG experimental. ONLY shoot SAG low budget agreement with deferred clauses. Exepimental agreement wil screw you if the film ever makes any money, and in fact can make you lose money on a film that might have actually made some money otherwise. Only amateurs that don't know the business shoot experimental.

Also check around with all the dealers on package deals for light and grip. Many companies offer 2 or 3 day weeks.

there are some things that are not worth renting because rental costs are too high, such as kinos. In that case it's best to buy the kinos new for a shoot that long and just sell them after the shoot because they hold their value extremely well, and it would cost you more to rent for that length than buy anyways. It's true for a lot of the light packages which is the largest chuck of the rental deal.

of course, the best deals come from guys that offer their own package with themselves as gaffer or key grip. You can often get a fortune in equipment and experienced help for just 500 a day.
 
Thanks for the imput guys. We're actually planning on purchasing our own sound equipment. The plan is to shoot two features in the coming 2-3 years so we thought it would be worth it to purchase our own equipment. If you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you guys would check out the list of sound gear that we're looking to get. I have it listed on a post in the audio section.
 
Alyosha33 said:
The plan is to shoot two features in the coming 2-3 years so we thought it would be worth it to purchase our own equipment.
Click to expand...
So, theoretically you save money by paying less for a sound crew member, right? The kind of person who works as a location sound mixer earns a substantial portion of their income by providing an all inclusive package. They will get cranky if they have to use someone else's gear because they barely earn a livable wage as it is. Maybe, in the interests of promoting a healthy work environment, you could let him make his buck on renting out his gear. I think that's a small price to pay to get someone who will go out of their way to make sure the sound is good vs. using provided gear and getting a sound mixer with a bad work ethic... I think it's possible to get quality labor for indie shoots, but forcing small business owners (sound guys) out of their kit rental is a great way to show the crew you really don't care about them. Just one man's opinion...
 
thisiswells said:
So, theoretically you save money by paying less for a sound crew member, right? The kind of person who works as a location sound mixer earns a substantial portion of their income by providing an all inclusive package. They will get cranky if they have to use someone else's gear because they barely earn a livable wage as it is. Maybe, in the interests of promoting a healthy work environment, you could let him make his buck on renting out his gear. I think that's a small price to pay to get someone who will go out of their way to make sure the sound is good vs. using provided gear and getting a sound mixer with a bad work ethic... I think it's possible to get quality labor for indie shoots, but forcing small business owners (sound guys) out of their kit rental is a great way to show the crew you really don't care about them. Just one man's opinion...
Click to expand...

This is VERY true-- I had a guy walk from a shoot because of this very issue. It wasn't that I was trying to screw the guy out of money, it was just that I owned all of the gear that would be needed.

It's a mistake that I'll never make again. Sound is far too often an afterthought with prodution, and it helps to have someone there who is a pro. If it means paying $100 extra a day, then it's a no-brainer.

David Kuznicki
Production Manager, WGTE-TV30
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top