Service and Rental Fees

C

Cedric Akins

Well-known member
Okay I don't know if this has ever been asked. I am interested in doing market research in what various people across the US charge for thier services and equipment rentals. If any of professional sound guys would be interested in dropping in and posting some of thier fees for thier services? :) I understand that experience is a huge factor in the pricing for services, so I am basically speaking for some one just entering the field with less than two years of actuall field experience.

Speaking in general terms, what is a fair day rate for services along with this simple list of gear.

-Shotgun mic
-Boom Pole and shock mount
-Sound mixer
-Wireless Lavs
-Headphones
-Breakaway cable
-Assorted XLR cables
-Assorted adapters
 
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Hi Cedric

So you are interested in doing market research with only less than 2 years of field experience. Doesn't make sense. Any form of research requires a good knowledge of that particular industry that you're interested. There are lots of variables in terms of what a fair day rate would be. What's fair to you?

2 years or even 10 years doesn't gauranttee anyone that they are skilled. Some people might consider themselves professional because they have good gear, but not the people skills or experience to do the unexpected requirements from a client. Of course you can charge the client 1st Tier rate and maybe they'll look at you as a real top dog, but the end results will only tell them if you're worth it or not. You are only as good as your last job. What types of jobs have you done in the past 2 years? What were the struggles and lessons you've learned throughout these 2 years? After establishing yourself as a location audio recordist on these projects, why are you still doing it? Is it because of the pay, the enjoyment, the people? Maybe you've been offering to help on projects to record sound and now begin to realize that you want to charge people for what you are worth.

Rates differ in locations. Some locations have much higher paying wages than others while both of the tasks are the same. Locations, Locations. Where are you located Cedric? How is the audio industry there? Have you worked with other audio recordists or know their rates? Find out about your area by maybe asking people who you have worked with in the past. Get a broad idea of what the rates are in your location and also what kinds of equipments these other on-location recordists have in their kit.

The list that you provided in your post are general items that audio equipments are categorized in. It's too broad of a list. For example, person "A" has a shotgun worth $400USD and person "B" has a shotgun worth $1400. Are both of them going to offer the same rates for just providing the shotfun of use? No. While you're still getting experience recording field audio, what are the equipments that you have? This is the first step that you have to start bullet-pointing. With these gear, what types of jobs will this kit do well in? I'm sure several, but not all types of field audio. Start there. After you've come up with a more narrowed-down goal, you will eventually begin to see that what you can offer or cannot offer is your starting rate.

Alan
 
Alan H. Chang said:
Hi Cedric

So you are interested in doing market research with only less than 2 years of field experience. Doesn't make sense. Any form of research requires a good knowledge of that particular industry that you're interested. There are lots of variables in terms of what a fair day rate would be. What's fair to you?

2 years or even 10 years doesn't gauranttee anyone that they are skilled. Some people might consider themselves professional because they have good gear, but not the people skills or experience to do the unexpected requirements from a client. Of course you can charge the client 1st Tier rate and maybe they'll look at you as a real top dog, but the end results will only tell them if you're worth it or not. You are only as good as your last job. What types of jobs have you done in the past 2 years? What were the struggles and lessons you've learned throughout these 2 years? After establishing yourself as a location audio recordist on these projects, why are you still doing it? Is it because of the pay, the enjoyment, the people? Maybe you've been offering to help on projects to record sound and now begin to realize that you want to charge people for what you are worth.

Rates differ in locations. Some locations have much higher paying wages than others while both of the tasks are the same. Locations, Locations. Where are you located Cedric? How is the audio industry there? Have you worked with other audio recordists or know their rates? Find out about your area by maybe asking people who you have worked with in the past. Get a broad idea of what the rates are in your location and also what kinds of equipments these other on-location recordists have in their kit.

The list that you provided in your post are general items that audio equipments are categorized in. It's too broad of a list. For example, person "A" has a shotgun worth $400USD and person "B" has a shotgun worth $1400. Are both of them going to offer the same rates for just providing the shotfun of use? No. While you're still getting experience recording field audio, what are the equipments that you have? This is the first step that you have to start bullet-pointing. With these gear, what types of jobs will this kit do well in? I'm sure several, but not all types of field audio. Start there. After you've come up with a more narrowed-down goal, you will eventually begin to see that what you can offer or cannot offer is your starting rate.

Alan
Click to expand...

First of all I would like to say thank you for your response. :dankk2: But that is my point exactly. I am only speaking in general terms. I know that there are huge differences in price and quality of the varying types of equipment. Also I understand that there are different types of clients as well. Some will pay what ever you ask, with in reason, if they feel that you are worth the money. And then there are those that only want to pay the absolute lowest price regardless of your experience and equipment. So with that in mind what are the varying prices for day rates and equipment rental across the country? That is if no one minds puttting it in print.

***This is only meant as general information not to be used to hold anyone person to a quoted price.***
 
Rates vary anywhere from free/deferred (same thing) to ballparks of well over $1000 a day for the feature films. As you seem aware, prices depend on the locatiion, the style of filming, the equipment needed, and quite honestly the mood of the mixer about how much he might cut his nominal day rate to fit a production's budget.

Equipment rental rates when included as part of a day rate can be a debatable issue. For renting out individual pieces of equipment the rates are pretty standard as found at production rental houses but a mixer might rent out gear below those rates if he likes ya ;)

As far as naming an exact figure in a public setting, that is, imho, like asking someone at party what their annual salary is. Phone or email individuals if you want to get into specifics; some will help you, some will not. Depending on what you are exactly doing I might or might not. "Market research" would be a "no" OR I will name an impossibly high figure.

Cheers
 
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