pricing question.

Steve Laramie

Steve Laramie

Veteran
This might be the wrong forum but I figured itd be better to ask fellow DP's. I was offered a foreign indie feature a few days ago. They are offering me $9,000 for a 45 day shoot and a 130 minute script. They want me to provide my HVX200a with Redrock rig and lenses. This is my first paid feature. Do you think this is a good deal?
 
That's 200 dollars a day.

Is lodging, transportation, food, expenses all covered?

ACs work for more than that a day usually. You have to think, is everything covered? If not, 200 a day will hardly allow you to be in a hotel room and eat.
 
Including expenses or are you being taken advantage of for $9,000 total?

There are two ways to look at this:

1.

$9,000 is equal to $200/day for 45 days. This doesn't include the 130 minute script. How long will it take you to write the script?

In addition, you are providing the equipment. How much do you have invested in your outfit? What kind of wear & tear are you putting it through for 45 days?

2.
Money isn't everything. The experience may be worth the fact that there isn't a lot of money on the table.

Bottom line is clarify what you're getting, what's expected of you and do some basic math.

Then take a lined sheet of paper. List all the pros in one column and the cons in the other and see if it looks like a good gig.

Good luck and congrats! (I think)
 
Last edited:
there should be a equipment rental as well. that is way to cheep. at least $100 a day for your stuff. that is a long time 45 days?
 
If they insure the cost of your equipment and provide you with room, board, and transportation in addition to the $200.00 a day, then it might be worth considering.

$200 is terrible money, but, let's face it, according to your resume, you have no real experience. You would probably learn quite a bit by the end of the film.
 
Well I do have allot of experience and I know what im doing the problem is i am trying to get my name out. I am hoping this job will help that. To clarify any confusion I am only DPing I noticed someone said it was bad that I had to write the script too. I am not writing the script. It is also local so there will be no need for hotels. Also I would assume that they would put my equipment under there production insurance.
 
lairhair said:
To clarify any confusion I am only DPing I noticed someone said it was bad that I had to write the script too. I am not writing the script. It is also local so there will be no need for hotels. Also I would assume that they would put my equipment under there production insurance.
Click to expand...

Different story then. Above you mentioned that it was a foreign indie feature which implied that you had to travel etc. Your post also sounded as if you had to write the script as well.

If you are at home and they insure your outfit, $200 a day isn't as bad especially if you're trying to get your name out there. In effect, you are making some money while investing in your future.

Even if you're covered by their production insurance, I still think that you should be paid some sort of equipment rental fee. Assuming that your equipment emerges unscathed at the end of this shoot, 45 days puts a lot of wear and tear on your equipment.

One final point, your website says that you attend Moorestown High School and expect to graduate in 2011. 9 grand and still in High School? If you can fit this into your schedule, I say go for it. (Make sure you graduate High School though)
 
Last edited:
Never assume anything with this kind of agreement. I think you should make sure that everything is clarified up front.

Also, regardless of it being local - you have to consider gas/travel money to and from set. 45 days though? Like already mentioned...that's a LONG shooting schedule. $9000 is a nice sum of money, especially since your contact info on your site says you're in highschool. Let's see any of your classmates make $9000 in 45 days. That puts you above the rest that people are actually willing to invest in you.

Really think about it and find out as much as you can about the production and why its taking so long to shoot/what's required, what's covered, etc.

Best of luck,

Kegan
 
I personally dont see it going 45 days. The director does but he also told me that its only a few locations. So I dont see how it could be a 45 day shoot.
 
I think we're all still amazed that you are in high school and plan on doing a 45 days shoot.

Are you going to go to class during the day and then try and do shoot with your evenings? It could easily take 45 days depending on the experience of the crew, complexity of the scenes, hours worked per day, etc. I think we're all interested to hear the details of this project.

Again, never assume anything. Especially when it comes to your pay or your equipment.
 
Well im going to dump my part time job most likely and work on the film weekends and weekdays at 2pm. Still going to school.
 
Usually working on a feature you have little time to do anything else...I don't see how you can squeeze school and homework in there at the same time. Especially if you're shooting it.

Maybe you can though...I don't know.
 
I would do.

I worked on a film 50 hours a week and went to school for 35 hours a week for a month and a half at the end of last year. It is rough but it's possible, and it's worth it if you really want to become a DP.
 
Basically you're working half days and getting $200/day. Not bad at all, especially since it's presumably all profit (you live with your parents, no student loans, utilities, etc.)
 
Hi Steve,

I'd get an attorney to look at the contract and go over the details especially what sort of insurance and bond security is involved with your equipment and all liabilities with the company and production.

If you aren't shooting, is your equipment available? Is is insured?

If you setup a shot, who is responsible for property releases? All the legalese needs to plotted.

You'll want to make sure that you have a payment schedule worked out, too.

You don't want deferred payment. That's like a non-starter. Regular pay periods on a set schedule is the only thing that makes sense.

If any of the above is a sticky point, you might want to reconsider.

Good luck.
 
Are you 18? If not, you can't sign a contract anyway. If you are 18 at least, I would have an attorney look at anything before you sign it.

Unless you have a binder from an insurance agency naming you as a loss payee, you are NOT insured, don't screw yourself and listen to anything anyone tells you about insurance. No binder, no insurance. The film business is full of cool people that are great but there are a certain percentage of producers out there who will totally ream you, given the chance. I would also require 50% deposit up front, the remainder upon completion of shoot and you don't release your last week of footage to them until you are paid.

Once you work with people, you build trust but they may be just thinking that you are a naive kid that they can take advantage of.

Best,

Dan
 
Working for a few hours on nights and weekends will push the shoot hard. I would make sure you can finish school and keep your grades up.

And I think we were getting at, you haven't done any major stuff yet. Which is not to be expected since you are apparently still in high school.

It's a great deal - if it works out. Just because they will give you money doesn't mean its a great deal. Look into it. Look at the contract. That is the most important thing. And get some legal advice on the terms.
 
Get the production's insurance rider and make sure it is valid.

Get 1/3 of your money up front, the 2nd 3rd at mid-production and the last 3rd on day 45.
 
Again, weigh the pros and the cons, get everything in writing and take mcgeedigital's advice... set up a payment schedule and make the producer stick to it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top