Going rate for a production designer?
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- MondoMorphic
How much would you expect to pay (in USD, per hour) for production design work? I need to hire one and I want to offer a fair rate for their work.
- ukit0
just tell them the work "will lead to other work"
- MondoMorphic0
hahaha - having heard both of those too many times, that would be downright evil.
Nah, I intend to pay this guy real money!
- TheeOtherJuan0
in agency = pizza and beer
corporate = $45 per hour
- doesnotexist0
35-50
- MondoMorphic0
This would be a very small, three-person agency
- i_monk0
A share of the profits once you make some.
- capn_ron0
Production would be around $35-$50, but make sure they are fast, because that can add up quick for a slow production person.
- MondoMorphic0
Good point, Ron!
BTW, when's our next QBN SD drink night??? We're past due!
- capn_ron0
Mondo,
I missed the last one. We need to set that up.
- akrok0
$35-50 sounds good for production. may places do that for design.
- inkpink0
3 person agency:
$40/ hr + "cool work environment"
- studderine0
blow hards.
- < Look who showed up, What's up E?capn_ron
- what up dooooogstudderine
- sup, e!akrok
- studderine0
rates are all wacky, depending on where you live. if you have a good portfolio that shows you can do "conceptual" work then you can probably demand more. if you are just a super-whiz on the hotkeys photoshop then you may be able to demand more because you are quicker.
- kjw0
What is production work...?
Taking concepts and creating comps out of them?
(I am a programmer...?)
- spifflink0
i get 12 an hour. to be fair I got hire to do print graphics and a little web work. ended up dusting off my production skills/contacts, but, still only the 12 an hour. cheap ass boss. we'll see how long this lasts before nut punching ensues.
- jaylarson0
this might help
http://www.designsalaries.org/
- capn_ron0
^ spifflink, it's time to have a serious talk and get a better rate. 12 is hurting us all. It sets the bar too low. I don't know your work, but just get that rate higher and get what you are worth (at least on the lower end). trust me, i've charged way too little for work, but the lesson you should learn is to charge more. If they can't afford it then the work wasn't worth it anyway.
- monNom0
You also need to factor in freelance vs. employee. 16-18/hr is typical junior production sort of rates... as an employee. A freelancer at the same level should be roughly double. So ~35/hr. You've got to remember an employee costs more than just their salary. You've got sick days, vacation days, employer portion of unemployment benefits, equipment, consumables, HR time /accounting /etc.
As a freelancer you've got increased expenses and risk due to gaps without work, marketing yourself, meetings, etc. that need to be accounted for.
12/hr is pretty low, but don't think because these folks are saying 35/hr that you can command 70k in a junior production role as an employee. It's apples and oranges.
Also $12 at a good studio where you're getting a lot of variety of work and good people to learn from is better than $20 in a role without that.