what to pay 2nd camera man, for 4 hours

[Dave Morgan]

ill be filming an event and need to pay another camera guy that will be using canon xh-a1 the filming will be about 3 hours, will be there about 4.

what would be a decent pay for him?

[Shaun Roemich]

If it helps: I'd bill you $250 for labour for up to 5 hours as a shooter. Plus gear, if I was supplying. My terms would be: company cheque at the end of the shoot (or before) or cash. No terms since we don't have an existing relationship. You pay any and all location costs (ie. parking).

Again, hope this helps.

[Rick L. Allen]

Agree. $250 + mileage, expenses. Standard half day rate, no gear.

[Chris Davis]

It all depends. Are you paying an experienced cameraman, or just a friend who will point a camera at something? For the latter, I typically pay $15 per hour plus lunch. For a professional, $250 sounds right.

[Jonathan Levin]

Like Shaun says, expenses. And don't forget tape, sticky and recording, messenger, transfer, everything! And hey, do I get to eat??? You'd be surprised at how many cheap a**holes don't/won't feed you.

I am steering away from the idea of a "one half day" shoot. When it's said and done, you've pretty much eaten away at the bulk of a day and there is not much left you can do like take on another booking when you have to travel, set-up, the whole thing.

I can't tell you how many times in my colorful 30 year history that I've been asked to do a half day, and then have it run 5, 6, or even 8 hours. Be prepared for this, and in your WRITTEN and signed contract, make sure it states that anything over XXX hours is billable at XXX dollars.

You can price it how you want to, but if I had two 1/2 day projects, they would surely be done on different days. Even if it is just time to mentally prepare.

And never mind the "hourly" job too.

Jonathan

[Shaun Roemich]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Levin

I am steering away from the idea of a "one half day" shoot. When it's said and done, you've pretty much eaten away at the bulk of a day and there is not much left you can do like take on another booking when you have to travel, set-up, the whole thing.

Agreed. My half day rate is certainly more than half of my full day rate AND contains a stipulation regarding start/stop times. For example, 10am - 3pm is NOT a half day: that's a full day UNLESS I am able to schedule other work in. I'm quite fair about this - if I have editing or my own self promotion to do around a half day, you get the half day rate. Having said that, you grind me to get a half day rate and say "Start at 7 and we'll be done by 11", I'll go ahead and book work in at 1pm. And I won't stay late enough at your shoot to jeopardize my 1pm.

Of course, as Chris says, I'm not a "stand near the camera and push the button" guy either. I also don't have Jonathan's 30 years (although some days it FEELS like it...)

[Jonathan Levin]

And I must clarify: 30 years still photo biz, and the last five in both still and video, but same idea transfers from one to the other. And believe me, there are still days that it feels like the 1st one to me :'+

Jonathan