2011Legal / Business Practices forum
Day player steadicam operator rates and equipment rental negotiations on film and television productions
15 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- A day player covering for an established operator typically must accept the existing operator's established rate and equipment rental terms for the duration of the booking
- A day player brought in for separate camera unit work can negotiate independent rates and equipment rental terms
- Equipment rental rates on television productions are typically lower than commercial work rates
- Producers sometimes request operators bring equipment to set without guaranteeing its use or payment unless actually deployed
- Operators can decline unfavorable terms by refusing to accept the job or bring equipment, especially when alternative work opportunities exist
- Negotiating from a position of having competing job offers makes it easier to resist low rate proposals
Depends on
- The discussion references network television practices from 2011 and may not reflect current industry standards
- Specific contract terms and union regulations that might apply are not discussed
- The anecdotes provided are individual experiences and may not represent standard practice across all productions