4 answers
Isla
Student
Hancock, MA
2
Questions
Updated
419 views
What is the typical salary for filmmaking? Would having another career affect your main job?
If you were to be a filmmaker would having another job interfere with a side job
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4 answers
JOHN German
85
Answers
Bluffton, South Carolina
Updated
JOHN’s Answer
Hello:
"The salary of a filmmaker in the United States varies depending on the source, the level of experience, and the frequency of payment. Some sources report an average salary of $100,0001, $69,7672, or $74,5673 per year, while others report an average hourly wage of $37.984 or $363. The salary range for a filmmaker job can be from $42,296 to $51,3245, $53,830 to $83,4702, or $18.37 to $99.454 per hour. An entry level filmmaker (1-3 years of experience) may earn around $52,4943 per year, while a senior level filmmaker (8+ years of experience) may earn around $92,4723 per year. A filmmaker may also receive a bonus of $2,9603 or more1 per year.". - payscale.com, salarylist.com, salaryexpert.com, etc.
Depending on your full-time or part-time position, side jobs can bloom to become your full-time initiative. Various on LinkedIn have pushed forth their initial steps were a side job outside of their main income then transformed that side job into their main job (resigning from their previous)
Keep the focused mindset into any path you decide to embark a part of.
Grateful for your roads.
God Bless,
John German
"The salary of a filmmaker in the United States varies depending on the source, the level of experience, and the frequency of payment. Some sources report an average salary of $100,0001, $69,7672, or $74,5673 per year, while others report an average hourly wage of $37.984 or $363. The salary range for a filmmaker job can be from $42,296 to $51,3245, $53,830 to $83,4702, or $18.37 to $99.454 per hour. An entry level filmmaker (1-3 years of experience) may earn around $52,4943 per year, while a senior level filmmaker (8+ years of experience) may earn around $92,4723 per year. A filmmaker may also receive a bonus of $2,9603 or more1 per year.". - payscale.com, salarylist.com, salaryexpert.com, etc.
Depending on your full-time or part-time position, side jobs can bloom to become your full-time initiative. Various on LinkedIn have pushed forth their initial steps were a side job outside of their main income then transformed that side job into their main job (resigning from their previous)
Keep the focused mindset into any path you decide to embark a part of.
Grateful for your roads.
God Bless,
John German
Brent Beebe
2
Answers
Updated
Brent’s Answer
Stick with screenwriting. You can do that as well as a day job, no problem.
Rent or buy screenwriting books. Not too expensive.
Then write scripts. Expect the first dozen to be practice.
Join a writing group to get feedback.
Illicit professional writers as teachers (highly recommended).
There’s lots of ways to learn how to write scripts, but learn how to build from the ground up. Probably best advice I can give other than this…
Always finish the first draft before doing rewrites. Otherwise, you’ll take forever finishing the first script.
Start there.
Rent or buy screenwriting books. Not too expensive.
Then write scripts. Expect the first dozen to be practice.
Join a writing group to get feedback.
Illicit professional writers as teachers (highly recommended).
There’s lots of ways to learn how to write scripts, but learn how to build from the ground up. Probably best advice I can give other than this…
Always finish the first draft before doing rewrites. Otherwise, you’ll take forever finishing the first script.
Start there.
Marshall Main
Director, Manager, Videographer
75
Answers
Raleigh, North Carolina
Updated
Marshall’s Answer
Isla - It really depends on your role, what the project or job is, your experience and the market. It will also depend on if you are Union or not. Union roles are set to a specific number for below the line roles that ties to jobs and as you move "above the line" you will start to negotiate. PAs will make basically Minimum wage ($125-150/day [12hr]).
What will be important will be that you can make rent and eat. If you are a freelancer, you work may be good or may be dry. Most areas that have regular work do have seasonal dry spells. As far as having a side hustle, it really depends on what you are doing.
If you are working as a corporate DP or Videographer for example, your income will be known month to month because it's a 9-5 job with benefits etc. If you are freelancing, your income is unknown outside the current jobs you have on your calendar (which can fall through, so nothing is ever set in stone). If you want to become a freelancer, I would recommend take some classes on starting a business, you will need to be an LLC or SCorp for legal reasons and to protect yourself and taxes [very important]. Its really important to understand the paperwork side of running a business (which is what freelancing is - you are the company and the product [a filmmaker]). Either way you go, being financially smart (sticking to budgets, spending money where it should be spent/ invested) will serve you will. Any classes you can take on investing and understanding the process of calculating return and cost over time will serve you well. You will also want to have legal backup in case you need to hold a client accountable or protect yourself from a client's mistakes or things that happen out of your control [the RUSH tragedy as a very sad example].
Any job you take if you are setting your rate, be sure to set things in writing [contract]. I also always got half payment upfront and negotiated payment beyond that for delivery - depending on the project. Learned the hard way on my first gig (never got paid but had to pay my crew out of my own pocket).
What will be important will be that you can make rent and eat. If you are a freelancer, you work may be good or may be dry. Most areas that have regular work do have seasonal dry spells. As far as having a side hustle, it really depends on what you are doing.
If you are working as a corporate DP or Videographer for example, your income will be known month to month because it's a 9-5 job with benefits etc. If you are freelancing, your income is unknown outside the current jobs you have on your calendar (which can fall through, so nothing is ever set in stone). If you want to become a freelancer, I would recommend take some classes on starting a business, you will need to be an LLC or SCorp for legal reasons and to protect yourself and taxes [very important]. Its really important to understand the paperwork side of running a business (which is what freelancing is - you are the company and the product [a filmmaker]). Either way you go, being financially smart (sticking to budgets, spending money where it should be spent/ invested) will serve you will. Any classes you can take on investing and understanding the process of calculating return and cost over time will serve you well. You will also want to have legal backup in case you need to hold a client accountable or protect yourself from a client's mistakes or things that happen out of your control [the RUSH tragedy as a very sad example].
Any job you take if you are setting your rate, be sure to set things in writing [contract]. I also always got half payment upfront and negotiated payment beyond that for delivery - depending on the project. Learned the hard way on my first gig (never got paid but had to pay my crew out of my own pocket).
Marshall Main
Director, Manager, Videographer
75
Answers
Raleigh, North Carolina
Updated
Marshall’s Answer
Isla - It really depends on your role, what the project or job is, your experience and the market. It will also depend on if you are Union or not. Union roles are set to a specific number for below the line roles that ties to jobs and as you move "above the line" you will start to negotiate. PAs will make basically Minimum wage ($125-150/day [12hr]).
What will be important will be that you can make rent and eat. If you are a freelancer, you work may be good ro may be dry. Most areas that have regular work do have seasonal dry spells. As far as having a side hustle, it really depends on what you are doing.
If you are working as a corporate DP or Videographer for example, your income will be known month to month because it's a 9-5 job with benefits etc. If you are freelancing, your income is unknown outside the current jobs you have on your calendar (which can fall through, so nothing is ever set in stone). If you want to become a freelancer, I would take some classes on starting a business, you will need to be an LLC or SCorp for legal reasons and to protect yourself and taxes. Its really important to understand the paperwork side of running a business(which is what freelancing is - you are the company and the product [a filmmaker]). Either way you go, being finically smart (sticking to budgets, spending money where it should be spent/ invested) will serve you will. Any classes you can take on investing and understanding the process of calculating return and cost over time will serve you well.
Any job you take if you are setting your rate, be sure to set things in writing [contract]. I also always got half payment upfront and negotiated payment beyond that for delivery - depending on the project. Learned the hard way on my first gig (never got paid but had to pay my crew out of my own pocket).
What will be important will be that you can make rent and eat. If you are a freelancer, you work may be good ro may be dry. Most areas that have regular work do have seasonal dry spells. As far as having a side hustle, it really depends on what you are doing.
If you are working as a corporate DP or Videographer for example, your income will be known month to month because it's a 9-5 job with benefits etc. If you are freelancing, your income is unknown outside the current jobs you have on your calendar (which can fall through, so nothing is ever set in stone). If you want to become a freelancer, I would take some classes on starting a business, you will need to be an LLC or SCorp for legal reasons and to protect yourself and taxes. Its really important to understand the paperwork side of running a business(which is what freelancing is - you are the company and the product [a filmmaker]). Either way you go, being finically smart (sticking to budgets, spending money where it should be spent/ invested) will serve you will. Any classes you can take on investing and understanding the process of calculating return and cost over time will serve you well.
Any job you take if you are setting your rate, be sure to set things in writing [contract]. I also always got half payment upfront and negotiated payment beyond that for delivery - depending on the project. Learned the hard way on my first gig (never got paid but had to pay my crew out of my own pocket).