How much to pay an assistant?

Travis Cossel · May 21st, 2009, 10:27 PM

Thanks, Jason!

Ethan, you have to factor skill AND time with an assistant (as Jason pointed out). I still have to go through every wedding with the plan that my assistants won't get what I need them to. They just aren't that skilled. So for me, it doesn't make sense to pay them more than $10/hr.

If your assistants are getting you exactly what you want, then $200-300 is probably about right. If they aren't, and you have to baby-sit them and cover their shots with your own, then I think you're probably over-paying. This is where a bonus system works nicely.

Jim Snow · May 21st, 2009, 10:29 PM

"Assistant" can mean a lot of things. Do you just want someone to carry and setup your equipment because you have a bad back? Or do you want a decent second camera operator? Or do you a really good shooter with all his own pro equipment? There are assistants and then there are ASSISTANTS.

Jason Robinson · May 21st, 2009, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Snow

"Assistant" can mean a lot of things. Do you just want someone to carry and setup your equipment because you have a bad back? Or do you want a decent second camera operator? Or do you a really good shooter with all his own pro equipment? There are assistants and then there are ASSISTANTS.

That is true. Some times my wife functions as between the level of a PA and that of a second unit op. Which is very handy. For the ceremony she is 2nd unit op, but when it comes to reception, prep, etc, she greatly helps out in the bustle of activity by tracking where B&G are, holding the MultiRig while I use the glidecam (or vice versa) and other "where is the ...." type tasks.

Very handy to have both an assistant (aka PA) that can also think like a second unit op and operate semi-autonomously.

Dany Badaoui · May 22nd, 2009, 06:24 PM

on this note, how much do you pay a second camera man with all of his own gear including wireless mic's, multirig pro, tripod + XHA1?

by the hour or day rates?

i have just been approached to do some work for somebody and what they offered me was kind of offending considering i have my own setup.

Jason Robinson · May 23rd, 2009, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicholas de Kock

Jason my fiance was my assistant for a while after my regular left. Sometimes we "really" got on each others nerves, lol however now that she's not shooting with me anymore I miss having her with me. She knew nothing about camera work I pretty much gave her a camera and said shoot something, was fun. I now employ a full time editor to help with the editing and shooting, one thing I learn through editing my footage, I think it's important for an assistant to edit his/her own work if only syncing footage.

oh we sure do end up grating on each other a bit, but we are also two firstborns. :-) I am a bit more "intense" in my focus so that does cause problems. But my wife is becoming a real good camera op (not technically though; she doesnt' know how to use manual controls, etc) but she is good at finding good shots. Now if I can just get her to look at me before moving so I know to not touch my cam so there is a cutaway cam. This is why for my double header this weekend I'm actually rolling with 4 cams. Always two cutaways. :-)

And I absolutely agree that a cam op should also edit their footage, or be forced to sit in on the edit session so they can see the problems they create and how to avoid it next time.

Jason Robinson · May 23rd, 2009, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dany Badaoui

on this note, how much do you pay a second camera man with all of his own gear including wireless mic's, multirig pro, tripod + XHA1?

by the hour or day rates?

i have just been approached to do some work for somebody and what they offered me was kind of offending considering i have my own setup.

in that case I bet the price offered was less than $200USD, in which case, depending on how long they want you to shoot, it is an offensive amount. If I show up to shoot for someone else (unless it is a local DVI member and I'm helping out in a crisis) then that would be my price for the first two hours with $75 / hr after that Minumum. I mean, you are talking about ~$4k in gear alone! Now experience ofr the shooter would need to be taken into account. For example, if some guy went out and blew through $5k and got himself a sweet single cam setup but had never shot a wedding, I would tell him "I use your gear, you stay out of the way and learn." :-) if the hired shooter was a pro, or even had >10 weddings under their belt then the rate must be more, especially since that is almost an entire shooting operation right there (only missing the extra cams).

Oleg Kalyan · May 26th, 2009, 01:21 AM

I pay around $350 if the assistant also shoots a video, becomes a second cameraman at times.

Around $250 300 if he help with different stuff, no shooting involved.

talking about complete wedding day. 12 hours.

May 21st, 2009, 10:27 PM	#16
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	Thanks, Jason! Ethan, you have to factor skill AND time with an assistant (as Jason pointed out). I still have to go through every wedding with the plan that my assistants won't get what I need them to. They just aren't that skilled. So for me, it doesn't make sense to pay them more than $10/hr. If your assistants are getting you exactly what you want, then $200-300 is probably about right. If they aren't, and you have to baby-sit them and cover their shots with your own, then I think you're probably over-paying. This is where a bonus system works nicely. __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

May 21st, 2009, 10:29 PM	#17
Jim Snow Trustee Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 1,104	"Assistant" can mean a lot of things. Do you just want someone to carry and setup your equipment because you have a bad back? Or do you want a decent second camera operator? Or do you a really good shooter with all his own pro equipment? There are assistants and then there are ASSISTANTS.

May 22nd, 2009, 06:24 PM	#19
Dany Badaoui Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 40	on this note, how much do you pay a second camera man with all of his own gear including wireless mic's, multirig pro, tripod + XHA1? by the hour or day rates? i have just been approached to do some work for somebody and what they offered me was kind of offending considering i have my own setup.

May 26th, 2009, 01:21 AM	#22
Oleg Kalyan Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: MOSCOW Posts: 860	I pay around $350 if the assistant also shoots a video, becomes a second cameraman at times. Around $250 300 if he help with different stuff, no shooting involved. talking about complete wedding day. 12 hours.