I would also like to hear from the people who do freelance work or work for hire projects and such. Not all of us feel like working for a big studio and would like to get some experience before making the plunge into Corporate America.



I would like to know what to be able to charge for a project so I won't loose my first real projects from under or over charging a customer. Thank you in advance and have a nice day.

Are there any professionals here that will share with us what kind of work they have done, and how much they were paid for it? I realize that is somewhat personal, but if there is anyone who does not mind, it would be greatly apriciated to know what range of salary is possible for different types of jobs.

My boss has been checking this out and says the general rate for freelancing in 15 to 18 an hour with estimated time. I would like to know how close this is to reality seeing as how he is going to base our new salary off of this #. I would REALY like to refrence this to other salaries around. If anyone would give a rough # and location I would realy apriciate it - Thx - and if you dont feel comfortable posting here just message me - thx again



Sincerely,

Trying Not To Get Screwed





The work to be done will be a 23 episode series PBS. My job will be one of 4 lead animators in a team of 12-15. Im sure ill also do some creative and management of workflow also. Sry i left this out earlier.

Edited by nanoform on 07/30/01 10:39:57 AM.

As Will was saying about working in a studio, the same holds true for freelance. It depends on the type of job. Are you doing a simple flying logo? Or complex character animation? Going for realism or cartoony will do? How much screen time? Full CG or integrated with live action? Do they need it in a hurry? Are you also doing any pre-production (like storyboards)?



If you give a little info on the type of work you'll be doing (you can leave out specifics) you can get a more accurate answer.



((( DePingus )))

In reply to:

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My boss has been checking this out and says the general rate for freelancing in 15 to 18 an hour with estimated time. I would like to know how close this is to reality seeing as how he is going to base our new salary off of this #. I would REALY like to refrence this to other salaries around. If anyone would give a rough # and location I would realy apriciate it - Thx - and if you dont feel comfortable posting here just message me - thx again



Sincerely,

Trying Not To Get Screwed





The work to be done will be a 23 episode series PBS. My job will be one of 4 lead animators in a team of 12-15. Im sure ill also do some creative and management of workflow also. Sry i left this out earlier.

Edited by nanoform on 07/30/01 10:39:57 AM.

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You are getting seriously screwed. Freelancing always pays more hourly than ft.

<h6>Frodo</h6>

About freelancing, generally speaking freelance should pay about 40-50% more than full time because it is short term work, no job security, no benefits, and is more about get it done then having an actual normal work schedule.



Will

A general rule of thumb is that freelance pays more than staff because there are no benefits or security involved. Freelance is more project specific (normally) and compensation can be negotiated several ways. I've known people that billed hourly, daily, weekly or one full price for the project.



Still, something important to remember with regards to salaries. Just because the going rate for 3d work let's say is USD $25/hour here or there it doesn't mean that's what you should automatically charge regardless of your skill. I've known people that were charging $300 a day for work I wouldn't pay minimum wage for. Then again, personally I've done a week's worth of work on a feature film for under $1000 because I really wanted the project. You decide.

In reply to:

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The work to be done will be a 23 episode series PBS. My job will be one of 4 lead animators in a team of 12-15. Im sure ill also do some creative and management of workflow also.

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Children's television animation series (no, Simpsons, Family Guy, Southpark, etc do not count in this category) has the lowest budgets of all animation. Typically, animation budgets run anywhere from US$70k per episode and up (with US$150k being the median), plus the preproduction, post production, above the line (exec. producers, producers, directors, creators), and talent (ie. voices) for children's series (which is why prime time animation may have much bigger budgets). When you consider a 20 or 30 second commercial spot might have the same budget as a whole episode of kid's TV animation, production artists (i'm not talking about key animators, but inbetweeners and clean-up artists) don't make nearly as much money as people think they do here in the US or anywhere else in the world. However, 15-18/hr is about what I got when i first started in animation about 8 years ago as a compositor/3d animator for a non-children's TV series. If you're joining them as a lead/head animator with a team of people under you, it seems a bit low for US wages, but the cost of living and local economics has to be considered (eg. I hear you can live like a king on $6000/yr in India...never been so I'm not sure).



The last time I did any freelance (about 5 years ago), I was making (if i remember correctly), about $2500 per week for commercials and music videos (of which my agent took a bunch). But as Will pointed out, I didn't have the benefits of a studio job, or the security of a staff position (work a month straight, then do nothing for a while until I started to stress about money, rinse, cycle, repeat).



23 episodes, 20 min/per i assume, with 12-15 animators...in TV scheduling, doesn't seem very possible to me, unless you're making something like rolli polli ollie. We're going into production on 26 episodes of a 20 minute series soon, and we'll be staffed with about 75 3D artists....so, watch your back for them overtime hours, negotiate that out and make sure overtime is clarified before you start working or else it could end up ugly for you and your employer.



Good luck.



-Don

In reply to:

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23 episodes, 20 min/per i assume, with 12-15 animators...in TV scheduling, doesn't seem very possible to me, unless you're making something like rolli polli ollie. We're going into production on 26 episodes of a 20 minute series soon, and we'll be staffed with about 75 3D artists....so, watch your back for them overtime hours, negotiate that out and make sure overtime is clarified before you start working or else it could end up ugly for you and your employer.



Good luck.



-Don

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this also depends on how much preproduction work your able to do...and which animation package your going to use.

generally if your using a 3d package with NLA...then you can reuse a lot for later. which would mean a lot of work at the beginning...and less for later.



____________

-M-K-

ambient-whisper

All right, well I'll try to keep this in "good question" syntax:



How much can a modeler and/or animator expect to make working on games in SoCal? Say, starting fresh out (first job) with university degree in fine art / computer art and has experience with polygons and game mechanics and texturing, as well as a good understanding of motion and animation?



Jon

Depends on the company and level of the job. With no production experience you're pretty much going to be starting at entry level, but the quality of your demo material could change that as could demand at the company. I've seen fresh modelers start at $40k and go up from there. Still, most game places I've been to or know of tend to want a broad skillset in the artist.

In reply to:

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My boss has been checking this out and says the general rate for freelancing in 15 to 18 an hour with estimated time. I would like to know how close this is to reality seeing as how he is going to base our new salary off of this #. I would REALY like to refrence this to other salaries around. If anyone would give a rough # and location I would realy apriciate it - Thx - and if you dont feel comfortable posting here just message me - thx again



Sincerely,

Trying Not To Get Screwed





The work to be done will be a 23 episode series PBS. My job will be one of 4 lead animators in a team of 12-15. Im sure ill also do some creative and management of workflow also. Sry i left this out earlier.

Edited by nanoform on 07/30/01 10:39:57 AM.

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The typical rate for a freelancer is about 50-75 per hour doing the portions you mentioned. This is absolutely not a stretch and a standard where I live. That would be the great lakes area, but is typical everywhere I have worked. Just to let you know, we charge as a company 125 per hour, and that is considered a great rate. This sounds steep but isn't really at all. Consider editing or compositing time running 300-500 per hour. You are screwing yourself for 12-15 an hour. You can do better than that managing a mcdonalds.



"What do you mean it's not in the quote!?" - my favorite customers

In reply to:

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My boss has been checking this out and says the general rate for freelancing in 15 to 18 an hour with estimated time.

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I know of people who started of as interns....

It has ranged from non-pay... to up to $24 an hour

So in my opinion... $15-18 isn't much depending on what you

do exactly. If you model a 20 polygon hand for the internet,

it is obviously a different level from modeling a claw for

a Raptor in Jurassic Park.



Most freelancers I know charge no lower than $40 an hour.

They all also have 3+ years experience. The most I have ever

heard of someone getting paid was $2,500 for a week

for 3 weeks straight. But that guy also worked 85 hours for

each week he worked. Freelancing is tough. Especially during

the time when you see all these companies who just

laid off 200 artists. That is your competition. Not fun is it?

But it can also work for you. If you really kick ass, different

places will always call you. And call you back for later

projects. It can be stressful as a freelance because you

might be kickass, but there just aren't any projects going on

for a month or 2.

http://www.awn.com/MPSC839/839INDEX.HTM



This is a great sight about salaries - it shows union minimum wage for big compaines - and also shows actual pay based on survey. Hope this helps some people out. Remember though this is assuming that you are good enough to get into a postion of this caliber.

$15 to $18 an hour is a joke in ANY real profession...



$15/hour (40 hour work week, 52 weeks a year) = $31,200/year !!!



As a 3D animator, you should be techinically skilled in computers and software. You should be schooled in the ways of visual arts (graphic design & film). This field requires way too much skill and proficiency in many different areas to be paid that kind of crap-ass money (assuming of course you have the skills in question).



((( DePingus )))