Payment for movie concept art... Advice please!

[abigbat]

Hi guys, looking for some advice here.

I've just been approached by a filmmaker looking to employ me to produce around 5-10 concept paintings for two direct to DVD films. The studio's budget is USD 1.5m.

He's suggesting around £40 ($80) per painting - that sounds rather cheap to me. Based on the detail he's looking for (and we're talking some serious detail), it looks like we could be talking 8+ hours per painting, not to mention all the changes I'll inevitably have to make. What would you say is a good fixed price for the work? I don't want to scare him off but at the same time I don't want to be ripped off!

Any advice you could offer in this matter would be greatly appreciated!

[Justin.]

for a budget that big, $80 per painting is balls. He might as well be taking a piss on you. Figure out how much you are worth, then how long it will take you to do the paintings, and what rights he wants to them. If he wants to use them on posters or shirts or any ad material, tell him you want a considerable amount more than if not. I can't see you scaring off someone with a 1.5 mil budget. Sure there are other movie costs to take into effect, but there are small filmmakers with 10k USD budget that pay an artist way more than 80 bucks per painting.

[Baron Impossible]

So 8 hours at £40 is £5 per hour, less than minimum wage.

If you're looking for commerical experience and something for your portfolio and have other means to support yourself then give it a go, if you like.

If art is your job then I can't possibly see how it's viable.

[abigbat]

Thanks for the advice guys, I really appreciate it. I have since emailed him and am awaiting a reply!

[Jie Kageshinzo]

There are people in dA who are paid at least US$100 for commission artworks, and they're not professional, by any means. :E

[Flake]

Unless you really want to be involved with the project for some reason, 5 quid an hour is a total pisstake.

You would make more than that sweeping floors or pulling pints.
Edit: consider that the guys who sweep up later and the dude in the catering van will be making more than you, let's not even consider the camera, lighting or fx guys that your concepts will be passed onto..

Remember this is a skilled job that you can't just haul any punter in off the street to do. If the guy had the skills to do them himself he wouldn't be asking you to do it for him.

[Elwell]

They could pay ten times that and still be getting a bargain.

[MiniGoth]

This guy needs to be covered in really juicy boogers.

That kind of fee is okay when you're dealing with a budget of ten grand or less(plus you know the desperate sod who just emptied his bank account to come up with that money).

Or a student film.

Give him a good mooning after you sneeze on him.

[Justin.]

Give him a good mooning after you sneeze on him.

Or you could always negotiate a higher price?

[timpaatkins]

ya, at least 60 quid an hour. Don´t forget taxes and all that. Taxman takes about half right? They do here anyway. And if you are anything like me, you'll be spending every waking moment working on those babies, up until deadline. =alot more than 8 hours a piece.

[MiniGoth]

:) Hey Justin - that's always the first step. A lot of people just don't seem to see the time, effort, study, and expertise that they ask of an artist when trying to hire one for the first time.

(I find that more difficult to believe if you talk to a film - strike that, reflecting upon some of the jobs I've had lately...)

Theoretically, it shouldn't have to be your job to educate the 'hirer' on standard rates and what's fair(they should have done their own homework), but it often happens that you do.

When arguing your side(if you choose to do so) have solid examples and refrences.

I hope this goes well for you. Personally, I've been having big problems with 'producers' in the direct to DVD 2million and under universe over the past two years; I think my first post reflected that a bit strongly, apologies.