Re: How does your crew charge?

Thanks much for the feedback, guys! Awesome info and right along the lines of what I was thinking.

I've been rethinking our payment model lately. I used to think that a well-paid crew was a happy crew and am finding that this isn't always the case (especially after talking with some colleague pro-co owners in NY and LA).

It's interesting... turns out it's all about setting standards and expectations up front. For example, we tell crew that we pay NET 30 from the date of their invoices. However, checks almost always go out same day, received by the crew within 2 days. If something happens and checks take a week, we start getting frantic phone calls and emails demanding payment. Other production companies in the area usually pay NET "whenever" and only get phone calls when payment is hovering around 90 days. It makes me want to start lowering expectations by holding the check until day 29.

I've learned that good crew is good crew no matter what the paycheck is. Crew will charge what you're willing to pay and a producer who pays anything billed is a sucker.