Makeup Artist
Passionate_mua
Posts: 6
Lake Worth, Florida, US
Hi I have been freelancing for some months now but I've only been doing individual clients here and there and bridal parties....
I was recently reached by a producer to be an on set MUA for 2 weeks... I have no idea what to charge. I don't know whether to charge an hourly rate or weekly rate? He also would like to keep me as an on call MUA like the go to person for all their projects... What to do please help a little
Clothing Designer
GRMACK
Posts: 5436
Bakersfield, California, US
Generally, I pay $250/day for those out of LA area, but there are lot there too to chose from. Might only be a couple of looks too. A day can be as short as 4-6 hours too, and maybe only 2 hours actual clock time, but $250 is good for me. Some sets do a single look for $80 and then promptly send them home too. I was surprised a lot of Hollywood MUAH people try for the porn industry since their make-up wears off and they stay on set the entire shoot vs. a single "Good-for-the-day look" and go home. Another way is to go on the annual salaries of MUAH people which looks to be $28K per year here: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm Divide that up to weekly and comes out to about $540 per week (or 5 days). I'd shoot for at least $200 per day, but that's me. If it is an interesting location maybe less than say a studio that gets a little boring - and some location shoots have a chow line of some sort for breaks. Personally, I'd ask what their budget is and what they feel the job is worth. Most will be honest and not say $10 per hour. They might come back higher than you think too as to not wanting to insult you. They know their budget. Good luck!
Makeup Artist
Danielle Blazer
Posts: 846
Los Angeles, California, US
This is for film, correct?
You never charge by the look, face or hour. The only exception would be bridal/event in which case you are charging a flat fee to do the job.
So you will be charging a full day rate. Then you need to figure OT into the contract. Film is a little different out here, and 8 hours is not a full day, usually it's more around 10. Specify how many hours is a full day in your contract. Then you charge hourly for each hour or portion thereof for OT. Then you need to figure in your expenses for materials. This is your kit rental fee. Then materials for special things like if you are doing SFX, you need to figure in the cost for special materials you don't normally keep in your kit. Then any travel expenses, etc.
I would suggest finding an experienced mentor in your area who can advise you on these things. You are likely to get screwed over on the money side of things or have other problems if you don't go about this the right way. Taxes, insurance, contracts, licenses...all these things are complicated and different in every state.
Photographer
KungPaoChic
Posts: 4221
West Palm Beach, Florida, US
GRMACK wrote:
Generally, I pay $250/day for those out of LA area, but there are lot there too to chose from. Might only be a couple of looks too. A day can be as short as 4-6 hours too, and maybe only 2 hours actual clock time, but $250 is good for me. Some sets do a single look for $80 and then promptly send them home too. I was surprised a lot of Hollywood MUAH people try for the porn industry since their make-up wears off and they stay on set the entire shoot vs. a single "Good-for-the-day look" and go home.
Another way is to go on the annual salaries of MUAH people which looks to be $28K per year here: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm Divide that up to weekly and comes out to about $540 per week (or 5 days). I'd shoot for at least $200 per day, but that's me. If it is an interesting location maybe less than say a studio that gets a little boring - and some location shoots have a chow line of some sort for breaks.
Personally, I'd ask what their budget is and what they feel the job is worth. Most will be honest and not say $10 per hour. They might come back higher than you think too as to not wanting to insult you. They know their budget.
Good luck! Wow
I don't know anyone good in my area that charges $250 to be on set
They charge a day rate or a half day rate and it is a lot more than $250 -- and this is not even a union state.
I have not looked at the portfolio of the OP and it sounds like maybe she's a newb but $250 a day sounds awfully low to me.
Clothing Designer
GRMACK
Posts: 5436
Bakersfield, California, US
KungPaoChic wrote:
Wow
I don't know anyone good in my area that charges $250 to be on set
They charge a day rate or a half day rate and it is a lot more than $250 -- and this is not even a union state.
I have not looked at the portfolio of the OP and it sounds like maybe she's a newb but $250 a day sounds awfully low to me. Think about it.
If they get $250/day, that amounts to about $65,000 per year. Do you make that? That's far above the gov. stats above for an average of $28K for a MUAH person (Almost as bad as a photographer too.). I know too many who work other jobs too on the side that pay far less and glad if they could get $250/day. Even local pro togger's here have other income sources.
Heck, even my barber gets maybe 15 people per day - on a good day - for $10 per cut so go figure how much she makes annually, plus she pays rent on her spot, and buys her supplies too. Not a great paying gig overall, ~$39K/yr. (Not counting $800/mo. rent and whatever else she has to pay for like utilities and supplies.) so she does seem to fit the average standards listed above too.
There are a lot in LA and negotiations is key. I've had some try and highball with excuses like "I got a bad car and need a driver, etc." (You can see that one coming!) and I promptly reject them if they even try. Agencies do the same with their talent too, but you need to stay firm unless you want to get run over by them as well. Sure, I'd like $500-$1000/day too, and think I get it? I set the price I'll pay based on the averages and maybe a bit more, hold firm, and will go with someone else if needed. Not that hard if you have a large pool to draw from either.
Makeup Artist
Passionate_mua
Posts: 6
Lake Worth, Florida, US
GRMACK wrote:
Generally, I pay $250/day for those out of LA area, but there are lot there too to chose from. Might only be a couple of looks too. A day can be as short as 4-6 hours too, and maybe only 2 hours actual clock time, but $250 is good for me. Some sets do a single look for $80 and then promptly send them home too. I was surprised a lot of Hollywood MUAH people try for the porn industry since their make-up wears off and they stay on set the entire shoot vs. a single "Good-for-the-day look" and go home.
Another way is to go on the annual salaries of MUAH people which looks to be $28K per year here: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes395012.htm Divide that up to weekly and comes out to about $540 per week (or 5 days). I'd shoot for at least $200 per day, but that's me. If it is an interesting location maybe less than say a studio that gets a little boring - and some location shoots have a chow line of some sort for breaks.
Personally, I'd ask what their budget is and what they feel the job is worth. Most will be honest and not say $10 per hour. They might come back higher than you think too as to not wanting to insult you. They know their budget.
Good luck! Thank tous o much this is so helpful God bless he says he needs me on set from 10am-8pm or so
Makeup Artist
Passionate_mua
Posts: 6
Lake Worth, Florida, US
Makeup Hair by Dani B wrote:
This is for film, correct?
You never charge by the look, face or hour. The only exception would be bridal/event in which case you are charging a flat fee to do the job.
So you will be charging a full day rate. Then you need to figure OT into the contract. Film is a little different out here, and 8 hours is not a full day, usually it's more around 10. Specify how many hours is a full day in your contract. Then you charge hourly for each hour or portion thereof for OT. Then you need to figure in your expenses for materials. This is your kit rental fee. Then materials for special things like if you are doing SFX, you need to figure in the cost for special materials you don't normally keep in your kit. Then any travel expenses, etc.
I would suggest finding an experienced mentor in your area who can advise you on these things. You are likely to get screwed over on the money side of things or have other problems if you don't go about this the right way. Taxes, insurance, contracts, licenses...all these things are complicated and different in every state. He says he needs me on set from 10pm-8pm
Makeup Artist
Passionate_mua
Posts: 6
Lake Worth, Florida, US
KungPaoChic wrote:
.
Personally, I'd ask what their budget is and what they feel the job is worth. Most will be honest and not say $10 per hour. They might come back higher than you think too as to not wanting to insult you. They know their budget.
Good luck! This is the best thing to do thanks a lot I love it
Body Painter
Lisa Berczel
Posts: 4132
New Castle, Pennsylvania, US
Make sure it's a legit offer.
Not having set experience and getting a pitch for a 2 week gig is a *classic* scam going around that is targeting artists who are relatively new in the business.
Photographer
Thomas Van Dyke
Posts: 3233
Washington, District of Columbia, US
Lisa Berczel wrote:
Make sure it's a legit offer... +1 QFT wisdom from a well seasoned industry veteran...
Sarah to answer your initial query please allow me to share what I do in this situation... a.k.a. how I bid a commercial assignment... Having to deal with this frequent i.e. I work for advertising agencies out of NYC who do not want/need to incur the travel/lodging (Per Diem) expense of sending a full team to accomplish a project's requirement for their Washington DC clients. Before I even think of putting numbers out there I tackfully ask what is allocated for makeup on the aforementioned... Trust me there are diplomatic ways to couch this query... and I typically close my query with "I'm excited for this opportunity and would like to work within your client's budget for this intriguing assignment." That way you don't come off as a mercenary... Yet you instantly know if the assignment might be worth your time/effort.
Sarah the business side of makeup artistry is complex... even verbiage matters... What you ask/say and how/when in the negotiation is critical to the outcome....
Dani B wrote:
I would suggest finding an experienced mentor in your area who can advise you on these things. Dani's wisdom is possibly the most on point here... Every market is different as is every facet of commercial makeup artistry... In fact movie/film is likely the only time a "Kit Fee" should be charged in addition to your day rate... Hourly isn't typically an option here... nor is weekly... as for being "on call"? Very few commercial artist are going to be keen on this arrangement without compensation. Might not be wise to go there unless you are absolutely disparate for paid work... and if you do, then the contracting entity will know they can likely low ball you... experience is a brutal teacher...
Bottom Line? There is no set/standard monetary amount that is appropriate or germane here... those who claim so are at best speaking from the perspective of their market at any given point of time... And yes time matters... Trying to recruit a hair stylist or a bridal makeup artist for a Saturday gig in June is akin to mission impossible...
btw, my rates for makeup artistry increase considerably in May/June... Bridal or not...
Hope this helps...
All the best on your journey...
Photographer
Michael Bots
Posts: 8020
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
The Yearly Salary for a Makeup Artist http://work.chron.com/yearly-salary-mak … -4856.html "As of 2011, nearly half of all makeup artists found employment in the motion picture and video industries. Those working in movies also tended to earn the most, averaging more than $88,000 per year. Makeup artists working in theater and other performing arts earned annual salaries very close to the national average for this occupation, about $61,000 per year" Makeup Artist Salary (median and average are not the same thing) http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job … ourly_Rate Crew Rates in the USA for Non-Union Crew http://www.lineproducing.com/index.php/non-union-crew --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (hourly rates calculated above from annual, would be based on a 2,000 hr work year - you don't necessarily get that many hours - you may only work half those hours - that doubles the hourly rate) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Look up the producer on imdb.com and see what he has done and who he has worked with. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Most important -- Find out - Union or Indie? If there are any SAG members staring the production should be union scale Indie - everything is negotiable. Here are the rates a "pro" production should be used to *** you want page 51 --> "Maryland" rates apply for Florida about $30+ hr / $360+ for 12hr day Indie productions would be less (20% - 35% - depends - the $250 mentioned above) overtime pay is double time after 12 hours read --- THEATRICAL AND TELEVISION MOTION PICTURE AREA STANDARDS AGREEMENT OF 2012 Term of Agreement: August 1, 2012 - July 31, 2015 https://www.usa829.org/Portals/0/Docume … 2-2015.pdf link is PDF
Makeup Artist
Lapin Jacqueline
Posts: 44
New York, New York, US
Passionate_mua wrote:
This is the best thing to do thanks a lot I love it Yes! Always ask what's their budget first.
Hair Stylist
rick lesser
Posts: 1116
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US
I also find it odd that the OP was asked to do a film for two weeks with little experience and the hours seem off as well? Not to take anything away from you but you have little work to show and nothing that would show you have any experience to have someone want to hire you for film. Sorry. I would make sure you did your homework on this person and production company. If nothing else do a background check on them. There is a company www.findoutthetruth.com I use them when I am not sure. They can do them for about $10.00. I have to laugh at us making $250 a day and $66,000 a year. (Like we are working everyday) Or even the average of $81,000 Please. I'm lucky to make that in my dreams. I live Florida where it is tuff to make $40,000 a year. Work here is spotty at best. No one wants to pay. If I didn't have a private clientele I would be driving a truck for a living. I am competing with hundreds for a half a dozen jobs. This has been going on for years. I also know that this is the norm here so don't blast me. While my day rate is much more then $250 (which my accounts gladly pay ) we here are stuck fighting for rates and have to take what we can get at times just to get the job. Every job is a negation. R-
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