How much to pay an assistant? at DVinfo.net

Nathan Quattrini · May 16th, 2009, 09:00 AM

What is the going rate for a wedding assistant for both video and still photo for a wedding (separate quotes)? Is it usually a day rate? Or by the hour? They would be hauling gear, labeling, charging batteries, setting up tripods etc, run of the mill stuff. Thanks for the input :)

Louis Maddalena · May 16th, 2009, 02:41 PM

I pay mine 150 for video. I don't do photo though. Thats for a day with a few hour break in between prep and the reception.

Dawn Brennan · May 17th, 2009, 08:56 AM

I usually pay between $100-150, depending on the number of hours. I don't technically pay hourly, but if its an extremely long day, I'll throw in a little more. My helpers carry equipment, set up tripods, ect and also shoot with the 2nd camera. I usually set up for them and make it as easy as possible... but they do a great job for me.

Nicholas de Kock · May 17th, 2009, 01:24 PM

$150 or more depending on the project. Take care of your assistant, they are usually your weakest link, I believe if you look after the people that work for you that you'll get excellence.

Alastair Brown · May 18th, 2009, 11:18 AM

I usually pay mine 10% of the package. I base that on the fact that he has a great eye for nice shots, knows what he is doing, is good company.

Travis Cossel · May 18th, 2009, 11:26 AM

I have yet to find an assistant I'm really happy with, so at the moment I pay them $100, with potential $25 and $50 bonuses based on the footage they shoot. You guys should really consider incorporating bonuses because it gives your assistant motivation to try a little harder.

Alastair Brown · May 18th, 2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis Cossel

I have yet to find an assistant I'm really happy with, so at the moment I pay them $100, with potential $25 and $50 bonuses based on the footage they shoot. You guys should really consider incorporating bonuses because it gives your assistant motivation to try a little harder.

Does feeding them count?

Jason Robinson · May 18th, 2009, 03:58 PM

I give my assistant a back rub and take her out to dinner the next day. Hehehe. Yeah I shoot with my wife as assistant / Second Unit cam.

Nothing helps an assistant camera op remember common mistakes like me complaining all winter about our bad shots from the summer before. :-)

Although I haven't taken my advice yet and made her watch the raw footage from her cam. That is how I learned the most, so I might do that before this year's wedding season starts .... oh . . .wait... the start is this weekend! Gah!

Travis Cossel · May 18th, 2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alastair Brown

Does feeding them count?

Naw .. I find they work harder if you starve them. d;-)

Dawn Brennan · May 18th, 2009, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Robinson

I give my assistant a back rub and take her out to dinner the next day.

I was gonna ask if I could be your assistant... LOL!

Nicholas de Kock · May 19th, 2009, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Robinson

I give my assistant a back rub and take her out to dinner the next day. Hehehe. Yeah I shoot with my wife as assistant / Second Unit cam.

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.

Noel Lising · May 19th, 2009, 07:37 AM

I pay $ 100-$150, he just need to unload lights, charge batteries, set-up tripod, man the camera for speeches ( so I can eat). Lately it's just me and the wife, have never used an assistant for 2 seasons now.

Blake Cavett · May 21st, 2009, 02:24 PM

I'm also in the 100 to 150 range... but more and more, I'm rarely letting my assistant shoot.
If anything, he carries the light(s) & tripod and watches me work.

Not a bad gig!

Ethan Cooper · May 21st, 2009, 08:17 PM

How long are your assistants working cause I'm paying $200 - $300 for 6 - 8 hours. Pay usually depends on my mood, how far in advance I get them, if they have to travel or not.

Am I over paying? I've considering going to an hourly rate.

Jason Robinson · May 21st, 2009, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ethan Cooper

How long are your assistants working cause I'm paying $200 - $300 for 6 - 8 hours. Pay usually depends on my mood, how far in advance I get them, if they have to travel or not.

Am I over paying? I've considering going to an hourly rate.

I don't know, if I could pay someone $200 and simply not worry about them at all and know that I would get great footage, correctly white balanced, with out the worry about the assistant's camera zooming / moving at the same time as me, that the assistant would get creative shots on their own, would work well with the guests, and would make my edit job easy..... then I'd consider paying $200 for an 8hr assistant.

There is only one person I would trust to get that kind of footage for me (Travis C. right here on DVi).

The other problem is schedules (since he operates his own wedding vid business) and that I really need that extra $200 now more than ever.

May 16th, 2009, 09:00 AM	#1
Nathan Quattrini Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Warwick, Rhode Island Posts: 740	How much to pay an assistant? What is the going rate for a wedding assistant for both video and still photo for a wedding (separate quotes)? Is it usually a day rate? Or by the hour? They would be hauling gear, labeling, charging batteries, setting up tripods etc, run of the mill stuff. Thanks for the input :) __________________ Cinematography Site

May 18th, 2009, 11:26 AM	#6
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	I have yet to find an assistant I'm really happy with, so at the moment I pay them $100, with potential $25 and $50 bonuses based on the footage they shoot. You guys should really consider incorporating bonuses because it gives your assistant motivation to try a little harder. __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

May 21st, 2009, 02:24 PM	#13
Blake Cavett Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Madison Posts: 330	I'm also in the 100 to 150 range... but more and more, I'm rarely letting my assistant shoot. If anything, he carries the light(s) & tripod and watches me work. Not a bad gig! __________________ I like my oatmeal lumpy.

May 21st, 2009, 08:17 PM	#14
Ethan Cooper Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 1,400 Images: 5	How long are your assistants working cause I'm paying $200 - $300 for 6 - 8 hours. Pay usually depends on my mood, how far in advance I get them, if they have to travel or not. Am I over paying? I've considering going to an hourly rate. __________________ ∅ -Ethan Cooper

May 16th, 2009, 02:41 PM	#2
Louis Maddalena Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: NYC Area. Posts: 550	I pay mine 150 for video. I don't do photo though. Thats for a day with a few hour break in between prep and the reception.

May 17th, 2009, 08:56 AM	#3
Dawn Brennan Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 193	I usually pay between $100-150, depending on the number of hours. I don't technically pay hourly, but if its an extremely long day, I'll throw in a little more. My helpers carry equipment, set up tripods, ect and also shoot with the 2nd camera. I usually set up for them and make it as easy as possible... but they do a great job for me.

May 17th, 2009, 01:24 PM	#4
Nicholas de Kock Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: KLD, South Africa Posts: 983	$150 or more depending on the project. Take care of your assistant, they are usually your weakest link, I believe if you look after the people that work for you that you'll get excellence.

May 18th, 2009, 11:18 AM	#5
Alastair Brown Major Player Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Glasgow/Scotland Posts: 626	I usually pay mine 10% of the package. I base that on the fact that he has a great eye for nice shots, knows what he is doing, is good company.

May 18th, 2009, 03:58 PM	#8
Jason Robinson Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 1,997	I give my assistant a back rub and take her out to dinner the next day. Hehehe. Yeah I shoot with my wife as assistant / Second Unit cam. Nothing helps an assistant camera op remember common mistakes like me complaining all winter about our bad shots from the summer before. :-) Although I haven't taken my advice yet and made her watch the raw footage from her cam. That is how I learned the most, so I might do that before this year's wedding season starts .... oh . . .wait... the start is this weekend! Gah!

May 19th, 2009, 07:37 AM	#12
Noel Lising Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 789	I pay $ 100-$150, he just need to unload lights, charge batteries, set-up tripod, man the camera for speeches ( so I can eat). Lately it's just me and the wife, have never used an assistant for 2 seasons now.