What Daily Rate to Charge?
Discussion
Hello!
Seeing as this place is always a font of knowledge, I thought discuss this here.
Today I have been offered the opportunity to be a creative producer for an established new media company. The company, which is based in the heart of London, are looking to employ me on a freelance basis but having never worked quite like that in the past I don't know what I can reasonably expect to charge as a daily rate.
The job would include not only creating and story-boarding ideas but also pitching the ideas to whoever, before putting my directors/producers hat on and seeing the idea through to the finish.
The company have previously only been a 'sales' orientated company, renting out their equipment etc and have never tried to produce 'in-house' before, so no precedent has really been set.
I'm not looking to make mega bucks here, just want to know what is reasonable to charge/accept without underselling myself or overcharging and ruining a very good relationship.
My experience within the media industry is quite varied but am accomplished in most things to one degree or another.
What do you reckon? What's fair?
I'm here to answer questions if you have them.
Cheers
Seeing as this place is always a font of knowledge, I thought discuss this here.
Today I have been offered the opportunity to be a creative producer for an established new media company. The company, which is based in the heart of London, are looking to employ me on a freelance basis but having never worked quite like that in the past I don't know what I can reasonably expect to charge as a daily rate.
The job would include not only creating and story-boarding ideas but also pitching the ideas to whoever, before putting my directors/producers hat on and seeing the idea through to the finish.
The company have previously only been a 'sales' orientated company, renting out their equipment etc and have never tried to produce 'in-house' before, so no precedent has really been set.
I'm not looking to make mega bucks here, just want to know what is reasonable to charge/accept without underselling myself or overcharging and ruining a very good relationship.
My experience within the media industry is quite varied but am accomplished in most things to one degree or another.
What do you reckon? What's fair?
I'm here to answer questions if you have them.
Cheers
I would have thought you could get £300-£350
Have a look on Jobserve / Jobsite for graphic design contracts to see what rates are achievable, then remember that those rates are charged via agencies who take a cut.
Ultimately make sure that it's a figure YOU can live on and remember you probably can't work all 52 weeks of the year
Have a look on Jobserve / Jobsite for graphic design contracts to see what rates are achievable, then remember that those rates are charged via agencies who take a cut.
Ultimately make sure that it's a figure YOU can live on and remember you probably can't work all 52 weeks of the year
What is the current freelance rate for promo directors/producers?
Most I worked with were on a different kind of 'day rate' to the 'permie v contractor' discussions here. But, it would make their eyes water.
How short is your contract?
Can you negotiate some back end? If you are 'creative director', pitching ideas to clients etc, you could combine a sensible f/lance rate with a % of the product production budget.
What sort of things are you talking about? £20k corporate videos or £200k corporate video or commercials or what?
As an idea, I would expect if you were able to bring in work, you'd be worhth £400+/day.
Promo directors can be paid £5k per 'day' but this is per filming day as a buyout for the production.
Have you thought about getting an agent?
Most I worked with were on a different kind of 'day rate' to the 'permie v contractor' discussions here. But, it would make their eyes water.
How short is your contract?
Can you negotiate some back end? If you are 'creative director', pitching ideas to clients etc, you could combine a sensible f/lance rate with a % of the product production budget.
What sort of things are you talking about? £20k corporate videos or £200k corporate video or commercials or what?
As an idea, I would expect if you were able to bring in work, you'd be worhth £400+/day.
Promo directors can be paid £5k per 'day' but this is per filming day as a buyout for the production.
Have you thought about getting an agent?
johnfm said:
What is the current freelance rate for promo directors/producers?
Most I worked with were on a different kind of 'day rate' to the 'permie v contractor' discussions here. But, it would make their eyes water.
How short is your contract?
Can you negotiate some back end? If you are 'creative director', pitching ideas to clients etc, you could combine a sensible f/lance rate with a % of the product production budget.
What sort of things are you talking about? £20k corporate videos or £200k corporate video or commercials or what?
As an idea, I would expect if you were able to bring in work, you'd be worhth £400+/day.
Promo directors can be paid £5k per 'day' but this is per filming day as a buyout for the production.
Have you thought about getting an agent?
I don't know what the current rate is for Promo producers - although I am trying to find out. Most I worked with were on a different kind of 'day rate' to the 'permie v contractor' discussions here. But, it would make their eyes water.
How short is your contract?
Can you negotiate some back end? If you are 'creative director', pitching ideas to clients etc, you could combine a sensible f/lance rate with a % of the product production budget.
What sort of things are you talking about? £20k corporate videos or £200k corporate video or commercials or what?
As an idea, I would expect if you were able to bring in work, you'd be worhth £400+/day.
Promo directors can be paid £5k per 'day' but this is per filming day as a buyout for the production.
Have you thought about getting an agent?
The jobs include live events/live animation and film production (one hell of a job). The budgets will vary from job to job and I have sold myself on the idea that I shall aim to bring work in.
I have been in touch with a Director friend of mine at the BBC and he reckons I should look at about £400 a day, so your figure seems fairly accurate - seems a hell of a lot to me but that's only 'cos Im not used to working with those figures (lets hope I get the opportunity to get used to it).
I haven't had the agent thought yet no, although I had an agent when I was acting and discovered a strange disliking to most of them! Probably because they got me very little work compared to how much I got myself! However if you know of any good ones in that area do let me know and I'll investigate it.
Cheers!
Have you looked into whether or not you would end up as an employee of this firm as far as HMRC are concerned? There are a number of tests you (and the firm using you) have to comply with before you can be considered not to be an employee (such as do you work for anyone else as well, can you send in a substitute person to do your work, do you set your own hours of work etc etc)
zippy3x said:
The often quoted formula for permie to contract rate is hourly rate = annual salary /1000
So 40k salary would be 40/hr.
This is supposed to cover holiday pay (or lack of), sickness, time between contracts etc.
Would be a reasonable starting point.
I'd think this is about right if it's a 3-6 month contract where you're working full time (and where you would be caught by IR35 and pay 2 lots of NI). If you're just going to be working a few odd days when they need you then I would be looking for a fair bit more than this, especially if I wasn't sure I could find other contracts for the other days in the week.So 40k salary would be 40/hr.
This is supposed to cover holiday pay (or lack of), sickness, time between contracts etc.
Would be a reasonable starting point.
Morning all,
Thanks very much for your input. I met with the MD last night and discussed 'the deal'. I genuinely took all your comments on board as we were discussing it, so thanks very much all of you.
The offer is weighted in my favour, allowing me the opportunity to create my own productions and pass the charge on providing the technical aspects are always provided by the company. They have stated that whenever a creative opportunity arises they will use me as their Creative Director/Producer and offered me an excellent daily rate for doing so - actually slightly higher than I expected.
So all in all thanks guys, once again PH'ers do a wonderful job!
I'll point you in the direction of where my first production is...
Thanks very much for your input. I met with the MD last night and discussed 'the deal'. I genuinely took all your comments on board as we were discussing it, so thanks very much all of you.
The offer is weighted in my favour, allowing me the opportunity to create my own productions and pass the charge on providing the technical aspects are always provided by the company. They have stated that whenever a creative opportunity arises they will use me as their Creative Director/Producer and offered me an excellent daily rate for doing so - actually slightly higher than I expected.
So all in all thanks guys, once again PH'ers do a wonderful job!
I'll point you in the direction of where my first production is...
When I was on the freelance/contract circuit in the media business, rates were between £250 and £600/day in London for an engineer (technical not operational) through to a project manager. The rate depended upon experience, job, client and duration of the job. £350/day was my average.
Edited by TGAoW on Monday 24th May 08:18
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