Just out of curiosity, is anyone who IS managing to find work during this time adjusting their rates up or down? I have seen arguments for both. Personally I feel it's important to remain consistent, but interested to hear other perspectives...
Anyone adjusting rates?
by Simon Haward on 14th Apr 2020 Answers
To add your answer, please
I think that’s a terrible idea. Companies wouldn’t go back up again once this is over. We’ll all be shot in the foot if people start doing that. We’ve been campaigning for fair wage for a long time now. Don’t be reducing your rates. If you’re lucky enough to be working from home you are still working. And remember if companies are asking people to make programmes at this time they have been commissioned and have budgets so it doesn’t help anyone to sell yourself short and offer less of a rate. Please don’t start doing this
Totally agree Kate. Just playing devil's advocate. It theoretically only takes one person to lower their rate to take all the work from others. I think after all this the responsibility will fall on those hiring to make sure that they are paying a fair wage. You can't trust individuals, especially in such desperate times.
I'm working and still on the same rate. Not adjusted up or down.
This would set a terrible precedent. I already find myself having to argue about rates for some shoots with managers asking if i can take some money off bits of kit or shaving something from my day rate. If we start dropping the working rate after this is all over I can see myself being asked to shave money off the new lower rate I am working for. Where would it end?
Never a bad idea to try for more. If in potential harms way it defo makes sense. Never offer to work for less as that's the thin edge of the wedge....they will always expect you to work for the lower rate. Same goes for half days. Never done that, never will, or every job will be a half day. Simples.
When this is over, there will likely be a rush on production. If anything, that'll be the time to push your rates upwards (assuming you're worth it!)
No, I wouldn't. I'm pretty sure that they would have a budget set per programme and if we did reduce rates it would be a shocker if we then go back to our normal rates when or if things go back to a normal standard. I am hoping that the production companies are accessing properly and are checking their budgets before advertising for skilled workers.
I heard from a Development Producer friend of mine that C4 were now offering 30 - 50k per hour for factual programmes because they are under such financial pressure. If that is true (and I don't know that it is) then none of us will have any choice but to accept lower rates. NOW, before I get shot down I am not saying we should do that. It would be a terrible idea. But we need to consider that after all of this, there may be a world wide economic depression and our industry will not immune to the consequences of that.
No, and people thinking of doing so should join the Television Freelancers Task Force group on Facebook.
It's a pressure group set up to try and enforce some change for the better in our working conditions (paid overtime for production/editorial staff, for example) once all this is over. It currently has 6500 members - the more we have committed to collective action, the stronger we are.
Josh I've heard those budget figures too - however even they should reflect normal rates. They're trying to do a lot of reversions on the cheap, so using footage that's already been shot and edited to whip out content. And archive films - I'm sure looking for cheap archive sources or fair dealing. And many of the programmes using new footage are using user generated material shot by the contributors - so a lot cheaper to shoot but also there will be a shelf-life with that type of approach. Viewers will not continue to watch mobile phone footage only, they may as well watch Youtube if so. Longer terms the broadcasters can't rely on UGC only or they'll self-destruct - they need to provide something different from YouTube. So sadly there are way fewer jobs right now for the above reasons BUT those who are hired on them should not necessarily be being offered lower rates at the moment... The £30-50k tariff should reflect what they need to make that (cheap) episode within the normal industry rates. Worst case scenario, if anyone is offered less and financial circumstances means they feel they absolutely have to take it, perhaps suggest you do a 4 day week instead of a 5 day week?? So ask for your normal rate but offer fewer days. This is not ideal and not a long term solution but at least the production company pays properly for what it can afford without a race to the bottom re rates. Longer-term, when things start lifting this is going to be an issue that needs addressing by the Broadcasters and Production Companies together, it needs industry-wide strategising.
I think rates will be going down, before COVID it was tough. Think it'll be hard to charge for your kit at home, they'll expect it for free. Think also that post houses will suffer even more. We need to get behind BECTU perhaps, and trust that they will help. My issue is I've been editing for over 25 years and not seen much evidence of this being likely to happen. When you mention BECTU rates production companies laugh...
Please do NOT lower your rates. If you do, you will make it difficult out for the rest of us. We stand and work together. Companies budget for proper staff so must pay proper staff. If the few start offering lower rates, companies will think that is acceptable and no one will have a choice. So please don’t lower your rates we deserve to be paid fairly
We are simply kidding ourselves if we think we can go on the same as before.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-52474911
Absolutely not.