How much can DP's make?

NOMADIC

NOMADIC

Major Contributor
I know it's kind of a broad question, but how much does a DP typically make on a B-rated movie, feature film. example films that are current, Stranger than Fiction, Night at the Mueseum, Van Wilder, Deck the Halls.

I know people say "skys the limit" but I'm sure there is still an average...


sorry if I posted in the wrong section, I wasn't sure where to place it...



thanks
matt
 
All the movies you listed aren't "b" pictures. Night at the Museum is a major release with a-list talent - the rest are lamentable, but not much farther down the studio release chain.

Episodic and feature DPs, defined as a non-operating camera department head, can pull between $1000 and $3000 / day, fringes inclusive. Unlike most below-the-line feature players, studio feature and single-camera film episodic DPs are often contract-term salaried employees.

With pre-production, long physical production days that include dailies, script and blocking meetings and post-production supervision over timing and so-forth, even the highest compensated DP might find that he'd make more per hour pulling a shift at Home Depot.

It's money, but it isn't really about money.

e
 
Usually a DP is contraced to a feature on a set dollar amount not a day rate. I am talking Big budget movies here.
 
ncje said:
Usually a DP is contraced to a feature on a set dollar amount not a day rate. I am talking Big budget movies here.
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That's not *exactly* true... they usually set their weekly amount, times X number of weeks scheduled for a shoot. Then, if they run over, they're getting paid for that, too.

Then they're not screwed if the shoot runs well over schedule. Think about being DP on 'Eyes Wide Shut,' or 'Titanic,' for example!

David Kuznicki
Production Manager, WGTE-TV30
 
You honestly believe the DP who ran overtime on Titanic was worried about a few months on his agreed contractual amount? Unless of course its interfering with future income then I can certainly guarantee the lawyers came in.
 
He wasn't worried, becaused his rate was almost certainly tied to the projected production period. It isn't unheard of for DPs, operators or other BTL employees to replace themselves on shows that run far beyond their projected days schedule.

Also keep in mind that a DP doesn't report to work the day principal photography starts. There is a pre-production period where producers, director, art director, DP and other department heads work to sift through breakdowns, hiring, equipment coordination and preparation and on and on.

What are typically weeks of pre-production in advance of principal photography represent the hard start date for the DP, just as the supervision of certain aspects of post-production mark the end of his involvement.

Any DP who has been plying the trade long enough knows how to pad their schedule to allow for production delays from one show to the next.

e
 
RyanMc said:
If thats what you think about become a producer.
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I knows its not about the money, trust me, I know you have to take the freebies, but on average, there still has to be some kind of wage.

what, if any is there for union payscales that are minimums for productions, per day, and what do they vary in preproduction and production settings.


thanks for the replies...


-matt
 
IATSE is the union for directors of photography and other associated film crew.

For a non-union indie film type of thing, expect anywhere from $100/day on up to maybe $2000/week. For a union show different rules apply, obviously.
 
To quote John Hudson...

Barry, dude, bro! You're kidding, right? Man, that must be really guerilla-style DPing there!

e
 
overlandfilms said:
To quote John Hudson...

Barry, dude, bro! You're kidding, right? Man, that must be really guerilla-style DPing there!

e
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I'm talking about what people can expect if they want to work on those direct-to-DVD shlock pictures that are made for pennies. $100/day is probably about right.

"real" movies will pay a lot more, of course, but these microcinema films that get made -- you'd probably be doing well to get $100/day at that! (and yes, that would probably mean bringing your own equipment too!)
 
There are lots of ways to make money by shooting; but being a microcinema DP is probably the least financially rewarding. You can make $100/day shooting someone's movie, or $800 to $5000/day shooting TV commercials. But it's an unglamorous career vs. the "prestige" of being a movie shooter...

Which is why nearly every commercial director I ever worked with wished he was shooting movies instead, and every movie shooter I knew was asking "hey, how do I break into commercials?" :thumbsup:
 
I have absolutely no response to that. Well, okay... I will say that he asked about mainstream DPs working on studio releases, not some slasher flick on a DVX. 1k - 3k per day is a range I'd cite from my own episodic film and feature experience.

e
 
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Arson said:
Real artists have a patron or sponge off government grants
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I understand what you are saying, but some people acutally get the oppertunity to DP on features, and for that, there is usally decient pay.

I'm not trying to justify whether artist integrity is more important than money. Of course it's more important, but sometimes you need to sacrific that to gain more respect to then gain the trust to be able to make ALL the calls.

Film can still be artistic, and still be a business.

If I always settled for nothing less than what I wanted, film would be my hobby, not my career.

-------
Does anyone know the set stone union pay scales? I'm writing a report for on of my classes.

thanks...
matt
 
dougspice said:
maybe, but real tenants pay their rent.
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dude, i checked your site out...you guys do some pretty rad stuff. I'm starting to motion design stuff at my work in anahiem hills. although it was for bratz, that intro was really cool. i dig that kind of stuff.
 
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