Editors salaray compared to the DPs?
- Thread starter OP5
- Start date
, has about the same experience and level of skill.
This is too broad a concept to have a universal answer. The commercial world, independent film world, and the Hollywood worlds all have radically different answers to this question, and even then there are always exceptions.
If this is an editing gig for someone else and it isn't a favor for a friend, then I'd go for an hourly or at least a day-rate and NOT EVER a flat rate for editing the project. The worst thing you can do is agree to a flat rate to edit the project because then you are in for revision hell because they know they have you for the same price until it's done to THEIR satisfaction...
If this is an editing gig for someone else and it isn't a favor for a friend, then I'd go for an hourly or at least a day-rate and NOT EVER a flat rate for editing the project. The worst thing you can do is agree to a flat rate to edit the project because then you are in for revision hell because they know they have you for the same price until it's done to THEIR satisfaction...
Agree with "it depends". On my current project the editor is working for a flat rate and the DP for a day rate. It will work out that the editor winds up with twice what the DP got, but he will have worked over twice as many hours.
This doesn't even take into account the experience level of the people in mind, the regional rates as opposed to union rates, etc.
I'd also take into account how much footage there is to deal with and if there are good script supervisor/continuity notes, etc. along with good slates. Organization is key to effective editing, but it has to start from the footage and the logs.
I will never take on a feature film on a flat rate again. Too much work with too much uncertainty.
Doesn't that mean they are making the same amount, just the editor is working twice as long/much?
I'd also take into account how much footage there is to deal with and if there are good script supervisor/continuity notes, etc. along with good slates. Organization is key to effective editing, but it has to start from the footage and the logs.
I will never take on a feature film on a flat rate again. Too much work with too much uncertainty.
Doesn't that mean they are making the same amount, just the editor is working twice as long/much?
you should NEVER pay an editor a flat rate. it's unlike a dp where you know how many days you'll have of prepro and production. you can edit a film FOREVER and your editor eventually will get pissed at you for jipping them on their pay when they're basically being overworked. for an editor, go with HOURLY. and if they really insist on flat rate, then tell them how many weeks you'll work for which amount but do the numbers.
If an editor can't edit as film in two or three weeks of working on it every day (say 8 hours a day) then you didn't do a very good job as a director. He should have production notes indicating which are good and bad takes, a slate on every shot, a script that is down to the shot level (at least some of the time). My editor was on set, and in the time it took us to fill a P2 card he'd have a rough cut of the scenes on the previos P2 card finished. The day we wrapped the 1/3 of the movie was already edited.