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Commercial Boom Op Rate


Bob Marts

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Not to discourage you.... But down here in the SouthEast, I have yet to have a boom op on either the national commercials I have done or the reality TV.

I hope it is better in LA... But at the same time, I got undercut on a feature that a friend was trying to get me on, by an LA mixer willing to do the project for $600 / day including gear.

I got paid LA scale for another project, plus a gear rental... And that has been the highest rate I've cleared to date. This can be depressing at times.

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Thanks, guys, for your input. Here in Seattle, most boom ops make no more than 500/10 & I thought 550 would be more comparable to what other department departments make. It took a long time for producers around here to sign and a lot were quite shocked at the scale wage for a sound mixer. Not exactly the same as non-union, and I think many producers don't care to offer more to the boom op than is dictated to make up the difference.

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National spots, usually LA or NY companies, and if they have a boom op at all.

:)

Thats right, weren't we on candle stick grass the other day together, but I didn't see you with a boom op : )

Anywho I had no idea that position even existed. I've always one man banded (well boom boy counts for something doesn't he?). Well if anyone needs a boom op for comercials hit me up! ;D

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Wow, that is crazy. Here in the Dallas market, an ENG sound mixer (bag setup, recorder, boom) one-man band averages $450-$600 and that includes gear. I usually get $450-$500. Of course, this is not a sound cart setup or anything, I actually don't know what the rate here is for that.

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Wow, that is crazy. Here in the Dallas market, an ENG sound mixer (bag setup, recorder, boom) one-man band averages $450-$600 and that includes gear. I usually get $450-$500. Of course, this is not a sound cart setup or anything, I actually don't know what the rate here is for that.

How much gear? If you are doing an all-in gig with a mixer, recorder, multiple wireless, boom, camera hops, and IFB for that rate you're only shooting yourself in the foot...and all the other sound mixers out there.

Production Sound Mixing for Television, Films, and Commercials.

www.matthewfreed.com

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That's a typical rate here in Dallas, I know a couple of other sound mixers, and they charge around $500 with gear. This would typically be a mixer, 2-3 wireless mics and a boom.

How much gear? If you are doing an all-in gig with a mixer, recorder, multiple wireless, boom, camera hops, and IFB for that rate you're only shooting yourself in the foot...and all the other sound mixers out there.

Jacques you should be charging at least 400/10 for labor and 200 for 2 wireless boom and 3channel mixer so 600/10 should be your bottom number. It is frightening recently the amount of jobs I have gotten calls for that are 600/12 or flats with 4 wireless recorder camera link and many IFB. I always tell them no professional with that amount of gear would work at that rate however people must be doing it don't shot yourself in the foot

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