DP Rates

there are all different types of production - IE: commercials, features, corporate etc -then within each of them - you have lo , med, hi budgets and each pays a different rate ...

i know DP shooting tape 500-1200 day with camera ...
i know DPs that are $3000 day commercials -no equipment ...
i know DP's that have different rates depending on size of camera they use !
i know camerapersons that are 3-500 day including camera & lights ...

some DP's will change their rates depending on budget ..others only have one rate and budget doesn't matter ....
 
How ever much you can manage to convince people to pay you.
There is union scale once you have the experience to get in the union. Before then you can work for however much your skills can command and clients can afford. After you are in the union it's scale, or whatever your skills and experience can get clients to pay you.
 
I usually flex depending on who I work with. Large companies, corporations can afford to pay me $800+ per day. For the average doods with little money I go easy granted I have time and I WANT to do the work just to do it. Though honestly, if I take home at least $300 a day I'm happy. Then as said, it also depends on what gear they want. They want dollies jibs and steadicams then they gotta pay up.
 
srproductions said:
What are the average rates for a DP with lighting equipment?
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Depends.
Dp with flashlight = $500 a day.
Dp with 20k HMI =$5000 a day.
 
Well, I am going to have a 5-10 minute scene in a car. It will be on a greenscreen stage. I don't know how much light, but that's the gist of the scene I want a DP for.
 
How many days? Multiple days gets better rate. What camera? The more expensive the camera normally the more complex which means you have to have a higher level of knowledge in the field so they pay you more. A good rule of thumb for would be would be at least $250 more than what it costs to rent the equipment from a reputable company. So if you had a HVX200 Zacuto.com charges $250 a day for a basic package. So $500 would be a good day rate. This does probably holds true for up to 4 day shoots then they want a price break. So you would do 5 days for a 4 day rate.

If you have bigger cameras then you would charge $500-$1000 on top of the rental price. Example Sony F330 XDCAMHD might be $500, but Varicam might be $1000 on top of the rental price for a day.

Once you get a name and a nice reel then you can charge the rental price and your day rate and still make them pay for the camera rental. Someone explained this to me on a music video forum somewhere years ago but it seems fair.

Remeber that most of the high rates you hear about are not for short films as most people feel that there isn't any money in it. So there rates are for commercials, music videos, basically really short stuff that doesn't provide them steady work.

NOTE: The rates above are for people who own there equipment and are not renting it for every shoot. So for a HVX shoot if you own the camera a good day rate would be $500.

DOUBLE NOTE: Just realized that this was for DP with lighting so I have no idea. :)
 
2 days with a car on a greenscreen is going to require a fair amount of light and knowledge to get it right. So I would say you will be looking at a minimum $500 a day for a lighting and grip package, probably more like $750 a day depending on your area. Then minimum $500 a day for a DP competent enough to do the job.
 
srproductions said:
How about a cinematographer with a DVX100 and a Redrock M2?
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Do you have some stuff the client can look at? If not that means you can command only low rates. So DVX100 and redrock. Maybe $250 for camera and redrock rental then $200 on top of that. So $450. With just a dvx100a $175 for the rental and $200 more for you equals $375. Now if you have a reel with atleast some decent footage. Then you can Start at $500 an hour. So If this is your first gig or first gig you will use on your reel go with $400 an hour, but give them an invoice that says $500 an hour let them know that you just gave them a discount because you didn't have anything to show them along the lines of what they are looking for. Most people wouldn't hire Speilberg to direct a romantic comedy so he would first have to prove himself in that field. Of course he really wouldn't because he is speilberg but heh. :)

Look at my average reel. I am an editor/simple motion graphics designer. This is what I consider average.
http://www.thehypeengine.com/video/reel.mov
Usually folks see it and think okay he can do the job. They don't say oh my god we need him!

With a reel like this as a shooter I would say $500-$650 depending upon camera. If your reel is kick ass then sky is the limit.
I usually follow up my reel with this thou.
http://www.thehypeengine.com/video/izania.mov
 
Where are you located? I know a great DP in the LA area with HVX200,lights,laptop,etc. His rate is $500 a day. No it is not me. :)
 
Let me clarify something. What if I want someone to to just do the lighting, not the camera? Say I want to do the camera work.
 
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