Premium Member Walter Graff Posted June 21, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted June 21, 2008 Hey that comes out to a whopping $4.70 and hour. And to think, you get your name in the credits. Can't wait to see this one in my local theater. :) Payment is on a lo/no/deferred basis. Sound recordist: Checking for disturbances using (over the head ear phones)while recording dialogues/ boom operator / wireless lavalier Assistant Director: Manage of the minute to minute operations on the set during the process of filming, as well as co-ordinating the necessary communication of details as the filming progresses. Lighting Technician - for operating lights and lighting equipment on set. Steady cam Operator - Camera operation Shoot will be approximately 23 days - Apart from movie credits. $1000.00 for around 23 days - great experience for Interns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Downes Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Reminds me of this one ad I ran across ad where the requirements pretty much were limited to the Sony F900 series camera. Required audio, lighting, gaffers truck, and all for $20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lary Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 My favorite ad so far has been for a real estate company that needed a cam op to drive to houses and shoot the environment for some kind of virtual tour. They were paying about $40 per house and said "keep track of your mileage. we won't reimburse you for it, but it is a tax-deductable business expense". requirements: must have own professional HD camera and Steadicam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul Rodgar Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Someone a few years back called me from a low budget feature production that paid $75 flat day-rate! It was hard not to laugh or get mad, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Greene Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Someone a few years back called me from a low budget feature production that paid $75 flat day-rate! It was hard not to laugh or get mad, really. Many years ago I was asked to operate a feature on location with a low budget IA agreement. Keys were to be paid $12.00/hour(+health and welfare benefits) I ended up working on another feature where the UPM complained that he was putting my children through college (Steadicam...). The picture I turned down was nominated for an oscar(s). Go figure...You just never know. I can laugh now, but I didn't then:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesus Sifuentes Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 just take a stroll on your local Craigslist TV/Film/Video job post for a good laugh. Some of the job posting rates are just plain offensive. None the less I did recently get a 1st AD job of a Craigslist posting. Decent budget and decent rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member John Sprung Posted June 30, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted June 30, 2008 Someone a few years back called me from a low budget feature production that paid $75 flat day-rate! It all depends how many years back. $100/day was pretty typical for grip/electric/AC's 40 years ago. -- J.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Matthew W. Phillips Posted June 30, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted June 30, 2008 Someone a few years back called me from a low budget feature production that paid $75 flat day-rate! It was hard not to laugh or get mad, really. There is two sides to this coin though Saul. I've gotten ridiculous solicitations on the other end of the spectrum. Just yesterday a lady replied to my ad looking for a DP to shoot "on a film camera which I am providing." She sends me this email telling me she has a RED cinema camera and will shoot my film for $2,200/day. Speaking of wanting to laugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member George Ebersole Posted June 30, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted June 30, 2008 I worked on deferred payment as a dolly grip one time, but never saw a dime. Said trailer eventually evolved into the TV series "Tales from the City". Back in the 90s one lady producer from Oakland actually asked me to work for food one time. To answer your next question; no, I didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Washlesky Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 There is two sides to this coin though Saul. I've gotten ridiculous solicitations on the other end of the spectrum. Just yesterday a lady replied to my ad looking for a DP to shoot "on a film camera which I am providing." She sends me this email telling me she has a RED cinema camera and will shoot my film for $2,200/day. Speaking of wanting to laugh. Well I have an Etch-A-Sketch and will do it for only $500.00 a day. Call me. Lets chat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Matthew W. Phillips Posted July 1, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted July 1, 2008 Well I have an Etch-A-Sketch and will do it for only $500.00 a day. Call me. Lets chat. You must have mad skills to etch 24 frames per second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Woodhead Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 You must have mad skills to etch 24 frames per second. Large frame buffer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Glen Alexander Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Back in the 90s one lady producer from Oakland actually asked me to work for food one time. To answer your next question; no, I didn't. :lol: How about a full tank of gas? :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Downes Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 Now I remember why for the piece I'm doing in august, I *AM* the entire crew.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Wengenroth Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I don't know man...if it meant the difference between having electricity and, well, NOT, I took some pretty sh*tty jobs in NYC. And will continue to take sh*tty jobs there upon moving back in the spring. It's still work. I don't think anyone should aspire to work for 20 bucks a day, but on the other hand, if you're not making any other money, I think you look like more of a jackass if you turn down work because of what you SHOULD be getting. Bottom line is, you AREN'T. So if you have to make $2000 a month to survive bare minimum, it's the middle of the month, and you only have $400 in the bank, maybe it's time to either 1) start working no matter what it is, 2) quit bitching and go work at Starbuck's, or 3) go find a nice-sized cardboard box overlooking a cozy alleyway in Alphabet City and start praying. I'm just saying. In a perfect world, we all get paid what we're worth, but the film industry is far from perfect. That's not to say we shouldn't stand up for what we feel we deserve, but at the same time, if you work 10 sh*tty Craigslist jobs in a month, life is a hell of a lot better than not making any money at all. I think if you have a family supporting you or if you live in a suburb or small town, it's easy to turn your nose up, but if you're in a big city, good luck with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Glen Alexander Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 (edited) Now I remember why for the piece I'm doing in august, I *AM* the entire crew.... :lol: I know the feeling.... Here's some funny ones for you. You'd be surprised at the people who would turn down PAYING work because the days off are tuesday and wednesday instead of saturday and sunday. Wow, the sky is falling, that someone might have to work two weekends in a row. Try getting a good AC who knows anamorphics and doesn't complain or whinge with a tiny crew and they might have to lower themselves to do 2AC or heaven forbids "load". If they do , they want 3x the standard rate. Sound people that actually know how to get good sound without a boom/lav. Edited July 1, 2008 by Glen Alexander Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member George Ebersole Posted July 1, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted July 1, 2008 (edited) I don't know man...if it meant the difference between having electricity and, well, NOT, I took some pretty sh*tty jobs in NYC. And will continue to take sh*tty jobs there upon moving back in the spring. It's still work. I don't think anyone should aspire to work for 20 bucks a day, but on the other hand, if you're not making any other money, I think you look like more of a jackass if you turn down work because of what you SHOULD be getting. Bottom line is, you AREN'T. So if you have to make $2000 a month to survive bare minimum, it's the middle of the month, and you only have $400 in the bank, maybe it's time to either 1) start working no matter what it is, 2) quit bitching and go work at Starbuck's, or 3) go find a nice-sized cardboard box overlooking a cozy alleyway in Alphabet City and start praying. I'm just saying. In a perfect world, we all get paid what we're worth, but the film industry is far from perfect. That's not to say we shouldn't stand up for what we feel we deserve, but at the same time, if you work 10 sh*tty Craigslist jobs in a month, life is a hell of a lot better than not making any money at all. I think if you have a family supporting you or if you live in a suburb or small town, it's easy to turn your nose up, but if you're in a big city, good luck with that. For me the "work for food" job was the only one I turned down because of "the wages" (so to speak). All the rest were due to scheduling conflicts. Whether I was raking in $500 a day as a dolly grip or $100 as a low wage stage manager, it didn't matter. It was all work.... ... I take it back. I actually did turn down a job two or three years ago to PA on that Poker show that's shot in Vegas. For me to get PA wages after buying a plane ticket, or spending money on gas to drive all the way to Vegas from San Francisco, to me, seemed a little rediculous. I suppose I could've tacked on my gas expense, but when I was working a lot I only ever charged mileage when I was running errands for whoever hired me. I never charged for commuting. On all-night shoots I didn't charge nor expect extra either. It was all part of the job and line of work. Edited July 1, 2008 by George Ebersole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Adrian Sierkowski Posted July 1, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted July 1, 2008 I finally started turning down free work unless it's a very very short day and I really want to shoot something narrative. Though, even in those circumstances, I generally won't agree unless I'm getting some kind of travel compensation/food and cash for any equipment of mine I'm bringing (e.g. , give me $20 and a six pack and I'll bring both my 2Ks ;) ) One of these days, I'll get paid a standard rate; so I tell myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul Rodgar Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 It all depends how many years back. $100/day was pretty typical for grip/electric/AC's 40 years ago. -- J.S. Yikes! I wasn't even alive 40 years ago . . . It was 4 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul Rodgar Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I'm just saying. In a perfect world, we all get paid what we're worth, but the film industry is far from perfect. That's not to say we shouldn't stand up for what we feel we deserve, but at the same time, if you work 10 sh*tty Craigslist jobs in a month, life is a hell of a lot better than not making any money at all. I think if you have a family supporting you or if you live in a suburb or small town, it's easy to turn your nose up, but if you're in a big city, good luck with that. For sure, if one NEEDS the money, hand to mouth style, there is no other way around it. Still, I have never worked for anything less than $200 per 10 hr day, let alone flat rate. Maybe I am lucky, but I refuse to work my ass off for 14-16 hrs a day for shite wages. It is not so much turning up one's nose as just being fair to one's self. If living in a big city means having to take any job to survive, then one needs to wonder if living in a big city is such a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Matthew W. Phillips Posted July 1, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted July 1, 2008 If living in a big city means having to take any job to survive, then one needs to wonder if living in a big city is such a good idea. These things have a way of balancing themselves out. Granted, in a big city you may have to take "crap wages" but I'm sure you can also find more work available in these cities too. However, in smaller cities, who cares about making $200/day if you can only work like 1 week a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamieson Mulholland Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 The best craigslist Ad I ever saw said something like: "Looking for DP for feature length film- must have own camera and be willing to work for credit- experience with depth of field a plus" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Matthew W. Phillips Posted July 2, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted July 2, 2008 The best craigslist Ad I ever saw said something like: "Looking for DP for feature length film- must have own camera and be willing to work for credit- experience with depth of field a plus" Hah! That is funny, I must admit. I take a lot of heat on here sometimes for not paying people. However, for this current project, I was willing to pay a DP a decent wage if they had their own camera (only wanted a 16mm camera or a good super 8 camera) and I was going to pay about $250/day. Sure it's not union rates but it is enough to make it worth 10-12 hours of your time if you haven't got anything else to do. However, no one responded that had film cameras. All I got was a bunch of digital inquires. I decided to buy my own camera and then I had DPs coming out of the wood work to do it for free because they wanted to chance to shoot on film instead of digital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Adrian Sierkowski Posted July 2, 2008 Premium Member Share Posted July 2, 2008 Buy my ticket and give me $100 a day and I'll bring out my SR3! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruairi Robinson Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 (edited) Hah! That is funny, I must admit. I take a lot of heat on here sometimes for not paying people. However, for this current project, I was willing to pay a DP a decent wage if they had their own camera (only wanted a 16mm camera or a good super 8 camera) and I was going to pay about $250/day. Sure it's not union rates but it is enough to make it worth 10-12 hours of your time if you haven't got anything else to do. However, no one responded that had film cameras. All I got was a bunch of digital inquires. I decided to buy my own camera and then I had DPs coming out of the wood work to do it for free because they wanted to chance to shoot on film instead of digital. I don't entirely fair to characterize that as "coming out of the woodwork" - you asking someone with their own camera to shoot it is you asking them for a favour. You supplying the camera so they can shoot on film is you doing them a favour in exchange for the favour they are doing you. Big difference! There are so many chancers out there trying to get people to do crap for them for free that will benefit them not one bit, that to turn this into an opportunity is really the best way to get people to work for free, and make them feel good about it. Nothing wrong with that! Best, R. Edited July 2, 2008 by Ruairi Robinson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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