Reality TV DP Rates???

Unscripted rates are $500 - $550 for operators and DPs on commissioned shows are still earning $700+ per 10 (or 12) depending on the contract. Production companies, even in secondary markets like mine have been offering $550 as standard. The lowest I worked for was a flat weekly rate based upon $500/d but with a ceiling on five days of pay for up to six days. Lucky for us, the talent took many days off and we were relegated to jib work and b-roll. We were happy to wring-out eights against that salary.
 
Just to clarify, I hope you guys (fellow DVXuser members) are getting $500 or more per day but I also know companies are using the economy and high unemployment to drive down the rates too. Hey, I'm all for making a buck as well and if it came to having a veteran charging $750 when I could get close to the same quality work for half price or less, I will go with the cheaper rate most often. I'm talking for reality TV though, it's a lot less forgiving when it comes to quality and what viewers will tolerate or expect to see. They aren't expecting a beautiful picture, they want the drama involved, whether it's shaky, grainy or slightly out of focus. If it was for a production, yeah, I may ante up the extra money to ensure a perfect job.
 
dalethompson said:
if it came to having a veteran charging $750 when I could get close to the same quality work for half price or less, I will go with the cheaper rate most often.
Click to expand...

I have no problems with people sharing opinions and experiences. For you, as a producer, it works and you are satisfied with the level of quality achieved. This, however, does not mean that your microcosim is the same industry wide.

As David and Eric said, freelancers are paid more because they are freelancers (they are their own sales, marketing, accountants...etc, and they cover their own taxes, insurances...etc and they are working less frequently than a staff employee). I simply cannot agree that the going rate is far less than what the market can bear. To Frank's point, his market is not able to bear as much as it used to and he feels that downward trend my get worse. However, I have not seen it as bad in the NYC/NJ market. I would imagine that you (Dale and Jonathan) have happy relationships with your freelancers and are please with the work/pay ratio. There are others who abuse the system and I personally don't prescribe to the 'intern/slave' modis operendi of some producers.

As a producer, it is likely that you are billing higher than you are paying on a freelancer. That is the way that business works. I have no problem with paying a freelancer a rate that is lower than what I bill (after all, it was I who had to prospect for the cilent), nevertheless, the pay must be commiserate with the scope of work for hire.

To me its about respect for the industry, respect for the roles I am hiring and paying it forward. Also worth noting - you get what you pay for.


Jason
 
I get your point of view and respect it. I can say for myself (and maybe Frank), we're not saying it's disrespectful to offer less or go with someone cheaper, it's just business and, unfortunately, the market isn't exactly stable or healthy enough to say that the old rates should still apply.

I totally understand how economics work, I really do. I used to freelance car detailing and when the market was healthy, people were buying more cars and I was charging a fee that was more than the average rate but because I was good at it, I always had customers willing to pay more for it. However, when the economy started to dive one year, I saw business start to drop off. People weren't spending more money and trying to get more for what they had. All of a sudden, people undercut me and did it for less and, therefore, got a good chunk of my business. It wasn't fair but it was business, I understood it. It doesn't mean their work was better than mine but for what people were saving, they could justify it. I never took it as a disrespect though, because there are two things with money you have to remember:

1). Always separate money from emotion.

2). Know what you're worth but don't expect everyone else to abide by it.

My point is that you can believe you are worth $750 a day and in most cases, I think thats probably pretty accurate. If you do great work, you should be paid for it, I'm totally for that. However, when unemployment is going up, people losing their homes, the economy is shaky at best and people are begging for work, not everyone is as sympathetic to why you are worth a certain amount. I don't think it's disrespectful necessarily but when it comes down to it, you may not get paid what you are worth now but it will happen again, it's the law of economics.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top