Search the Community

I’m currently working on my second feature film in Texas, which has a budget of approximately $1 million (and likely to exceed that). I recently had a meeting with the production team, and they’ve offered me $15,000 for the entire production. This includes 30 days of on-ground production, 30-40 days of on-ground pre-production, and additional prep work off-ground through calls (though I feel that's a standard expectation). After researching, I’ve found that cinematographers typically quote between 5-8% of the production budget, which in this case would be around $50,000 to $80,000. Considering the indie nature of the production and my experience, the $15,000 offer feels significantly low. How should I approach this? It’s a recurring challenge I’ve faced recently, despite having worked on several commercials, music videos, short films, and one feature. I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on navigating this.