How much should you make as a DP?

Don't you think we should try to make more than a million dollars? A million dollars isn't exactly a lot of money these days, particularly over the course of a 40 year career. Spielberg alone makes over 100 million per year on average.
 
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I think that possibly a more interesting discussion is how much DP's make on a given job compared to other positions, especially all of the above-the-line. The level of responsibility compared to the relative paycheck.
 
CharlesPapert said:
I think that possibly a more interesting discussion is how much DP's make on a given job compared to other positions, especially all of the above-the-line. The level of responsibility compared to the relative paycheck.
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Matt had a nice follow up video of his humble beginnings, shooting with dvx100 to working is way up. Yes he got lucky by being offered a $50K budget gig from relative obscurity but as we know luck is preparation meets opportunity.

Of course I would love to hear more about your day and/or process for the work you do.
 
So offering rea and biscuits isnt enough? Ohh come on, you musnt love what you do then. Where's the passion? (I just finished a doco shoot in 2008 that was well funded and the day after that job finished, someone actually rang and said that to me after I rejected working for a pitiful amount. Thought they were joking at first. Not the tea and biscuit part).
 
This is from David Mullen's post on Cinematography.com dated in 2012 (the rates have gone up, I am sure)

Current guild minimum rates for a DP on an episodic or feature is around $94/hr up to 8 hours generally (about $750/day so with 12+ hours that are typical, it's really in the $1000/day range as a minimum rate), then at some point, there are overtime rates. When I started out, I spent my first decade after film school shooting non-union features, about 23 or so, and generally got paid around $250/day to $350/day, but this was in the 1990's. I did "Northfork" in 2002 for a flat $1000/week, 4 weeks of shooting and 2 weeks of prep, so $6000 total. And I turned down work off and on over a 2-year period waiting for that movie.
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http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=56335
 
As with any field, there's money to be made in Cinematography. But it isn't a job to get into for the money, that much is certain. Even when the money is good, it's only ever going to be for a couple of months at a time (at most), and then you're back in the unemployment line until the next gig rolls around.
 
Depends on what you are shooting, of course. I know plenty of people working on 1 hr episodic series who work 9-10 months straight (and sometimes take shows during the hiatus) which, frankly, is more work than I even want! That sounds a little entitled maybe, but it's more like, I'd rather work in shorter bursts with time off inbetween/make less and have a life, which is where I find myself most of the time.
 
**sigh**

Once I get back home from this Bollywood feature I'm shooting at the moment, I think it'll be time for me to packup and move to LA. I need more of these Hollywood Problems in my life.

Looking for a new operator by any chance Charles? :p
 
These rates seem a bit high. I've been hearing $400k a season of very high end tv is considered quite good and that's more than 100 shoot days... much less than $3500/day and these are top shelf guys.
 
Policar said:
These rates seem a bit high. I've been hearing $400k a season of very high end tv is considered quite good and that's more than 100 shoot days... much less than $3500/day and these are top shelf guys.
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Matt is talking about commercial work, where you're only shooting for a few days at a time. Long-form work rarely gets such high rates for months at a time, unless you're right at the top of the heap.
 
The $1000/day rate that was quoted above from David Mullen is a more typical average for episodic. Higher for network, lower for basic cable.
 
So for those of you on day rates, how many days a year do you guys typically work on average? I'm guessing it's all over the place depending on the jobs you can get but for those you you doing it for a while, what has your average been?
 
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Policar said:
These rates seem a bit high. I've been hearing $400k a season of very high end tv is considered quite good and that's more than 100 shoot days... much less than $3500/day and these are top shelf guys.
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Well, $4K/day x 100 days is $400,000.

Most one hour scripted weekly take 7-10 days to shoot an episode, with rotating directors. Some directors are very busy and can shoot several shows at a time, especially if it's under a single banner. Many directors have DP preferences but they'l also use several, as a rule. For a full pickup show (22-25 episodes), a 250 day shooting schedule has to be made with both A and B units. 12-14 hr days, ten months in a row.

Then again, as Joan Rivers once said, "If you turn down jobs, they won't ask you again".
 
roxics said:
So for those of you on day rates, how many days a year do you guys typically work on average? I'm guessing it's all over the place depending on the jobs you can get but for those you you doing it for a while, what has your average been?
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My best years financially were my worst years physically and relationship-wise. I used to work about 250+ days but I never turned down anything.
Now I've let all my ENG clients go, and will only occasionally work EPK. Working at least 100 days/year now. Shooting for more this year.
No reality either.
 
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