CREW RATE GUIDE
Colorado Springs / Front Range Market
2026 Edition Outlaw Poet Digital Films | Colorado Springs, CO
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All rates are non-union day rates calibrated for the Colorado Springs / Front Range market. Rates are based on 2026 national industry data at approximately a 0.75-0.80x regional multiplier vs. the Los Angeles baseline. Sources include NeedaCrew's 2026 Film Crew Day Rate Guide, Lunchbox Productions' 2025 crew rate breakdown, and active Colorado casting calls.
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HOW TO READ THIS GUIDE
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Floor Rate: Minimum reasonable offer for this market. Anything below this is exploitative and will affect crew goodwill and quality.
Standard Rate: What a working, experienced freelancer in Colorado Springs expects.
Senior / Kit-Heavy Rate: Experienced pro bringing significant personal gear or expertise.
Kit Fee: Additional daily fee for use of crew member's personal equipment. This is separate from - and in addition to - the day rate.
Day Length: Standard non-union shoot day is 10 hours. Overtime applies beyond that.
Overtime Reference:
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Hours 1-10: Straight time (day rate / 10 = hourly)
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Hours 10-12: 1.5x hourly rate
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Hours 12+: 2.0x hourly rate Always confirm overtime treatment in writing before shoot day.
SECTION 1 | PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT
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1st Assistant Director (1st AD) Floor: $300/day | Standard: $400-600/day | Senior: $700+/day | Kit Fee: N/A Manages set, schedule, and crew flow. Essential for multi-location shoots. Prep days typically billed at half rate.
2nd Assistant Director (2nd AD) Floor: $150/day | Standard: $200-350/day | Senior: $400/day | Kit Fee: N/A Handles call sheets, extras, and logistics support.
Script Supervisor Floor: $150/day | Standard: $200-350/day | Senior: $400+/day | Kit Fee: N/A Tracks continuity, takes, and script coverage. Invaluable on narrative projects.
Production Coordinator Floor: $125/day | Standard: $150-250/day | Senior: $300/day | Kit Fee: N/A Handles logistics, vendor coordination, and communication. Often part-time or remote during pre-production.
Set PA / General PA Floor: $100/day | Standard: $125-150/day | Senior: $175/day | Kit Fee: $25-50 Entry-level. Walkie-talkies, errands, crowd control.
Locations PA Floor: $125/day | Standard: $150-175/day | Senior: $200/day | Kit Fee: N/A Manages location logistics, parking, and permits on-site.
SECTION 2 | CAMERA DEPARTMENT
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DP / Cinematographer (external hire) Floor: $300/day | Standard: $400-600/day | Senior: $800-900/day | Kit Fee: $100-300
Camera Operator Floor: $150/day | Standard: $250-350/day | Senior: $400-500/day | Kit Fee: $75-200 Operating a second camera or specialty rig (gimbal, drone, etc.).
1st AC / Focus Puller Floor: $150/day | Standard: $200-350/day | Senior: $400/day | Kit Fee: $50-150 Pulls focus, manages camera package, slates. Essential on narrative or moving-camera shoots.
2nd AC / Clapper Loader Floor: $100/day | Standard: $150-250/day | Senior: $300/day | Kit Fee: $25-75 Slates, loads media, assists 1st AC.
DIT (Digital Imaging Technician) Floor: $150/day | Standard: $200-350/day | Senior: $400/day | Kit Fee: $100-300 Manages on-set data, backups, and color pipeline. Essential for large-data or raw-format shoots.
SECTION 3 | GRIP & ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT
Gaffer (Lighting Dept. Head) Floor: $200/day | Standard: $250-400/day | Senior: $500/day | Kit Fee: $50-200 Designs and executes lighting. Works from DP's direction.
Best Boy Electric Floor: $150/day | Standard: $175-300/day | Senior: $350/day | Kit Fee: $25-100 Gaffer's #2. Manages electric crew and distribution.
Electrician / Set Lighting Floor: $125/day | Standard: $150-250/day | Senior: $300/day | Kit Fee: $25-75 General electric support.
Key Grip Floor: $175/day | Standard: $250-400/day | Senior: $500/day | Kit Fee: $50-200 Manages camera support, rigging, and all non-electric physical production gear.
Best Boy Grip Floor: $125/day | Standard: $175-275/day | Senior: $325/day | Kit Fee: $25-75 Key Grip's #2.
Grip Floor: $100/day | Standard: $125-200/day | Senior: $250/day | Kit Fee: $25-75 General grip/rigging support.
SECTION 4 | SOUND DEPARTMENT
Production Sound Mixer Floor: $175/day | Standard: $200-350/day | Senior: $400/day | Kit Fee: $150-400
Note: The kit fee here matters most. A professional sound package is a $15,000-30,000 investment. Never ask a sound mixer to roll kit into their base rate.
Boom Operator Floor: $125/day | Standard: $150-250/day | Senior: $300/day | Kit Fee: $50-150 Works under the sound mixer. Handles boom mic and assists with wireless lav placement.
SECTION 5 | ART DEPARTMENT
Production Designer Floor: $200/day | Standard: $300-500/day | Senior: $600+/day | Kit Fee: N/A Oversees all visual elements of the set. Most relevant for narrative and short film projects.
Art Director Floor: $150/day | Standard: $200-400/day | Senior: $500/day | Kit Fee: N/A Works under Production Designer.
Set Decorator / Dresser Floor: $100/day | Standard: $125-250/day | Senior: $300/day | Kit Fee: N/A
Props Master Floor: $100/day | Standard: $125-200/day | Senior: $250/day | Kit Fee: $25-75
SECTION 6 | WARDROBE & HAIR/MAKEUP
Costume Designer Floor: $150/day | Standard: $200-350/day | Senior: $450/day | Kit Fee: N/A
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Wardrobe Assistant Floor: $100/day | Standard: $125-200/day | Senior: $250/day | Kit Fee: N/A
Hair & Makeup Artist (HMU) Floor: $125/day | Standard: $175-300/day | Senior: $400/day | Kit Fee: $75-150 Kit fee covers personal tools, brushes, and products.
SFX Makeup Artist Floor: $175/day | Standard: $250-400/day | Senior: $500+/day | Kit Fee: $100-250 Specialty work (prosthetics, blood effects, aging). For narrative projects as needed.
SECTION 7 | POST-PRODUCTION (EXTERNAL HIRE)
Editor (external) Hourly: $75-100/hr | Half-Day: $200-350 | Full Day: $350-600 OPDF's in-house edit rate is $87/hr.
Colorist Hourly: $75-125/hr | Half-Day: $250-400 | Full Day: $400-700 For a dedicated color pass on higher-end deliverables.
Audio Post / Sound Designer Hourly: $65-100/hr | Half-Day: $200-350 | Full Day: $350-600 Dialogue cleanup, sound design, final mix.
Motion Graphics / VFX Artist Hourly: $75-125/hr | Half-Day: $250-400 | Full Day: $400-800 Title cards, lower thirds, compositing, VFX.
Photographer (BTS / Production Stills) Hourly: $100-150/hr | Half-Day: $200-350 | Full Day: $350-600
SECTION 8 | TALENT - SPEAKING ROLES (NON-UNION)
Non-union talent rates for Colorado Springs / Front Range productions.
Principal Actor - Lead | Floor: $100/day | Standard: $150-300/day | Senior: $400+/day
Principal Actor - Supporting | Floor: $75/day | Standard: $100-200/day | Senior: $250/day
Day Player (minor speaking role, 1-5 lines) | Floor: $50/day | Standard: $75-150/day | Senior: $200/day
Voice-Over Talent | Floor: $75/session | Standard: $100-200/session | Senior: $300+/session
On-Camera Spokesperson | Floor: $100/day | Standard: $150-300/day | Senior: $400+/day
Important: All speaking talent must sign a Performer / Talent Agreement before filming. Minors require a Minor Performer Parental Consent & Release plus a parent or guardian on set.
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SECTION 9 | TALENT - BACKGROUND / NON-SPEAKING ROLES (NON-UNION)
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Standard Background / Extra | Floor: $75/day | Standard: $100-125/day Featured
Background | Floor: $100/day | Standard: $125-150/day
Special Skills Background | Floor: $125/day | Standard: $150-200/day
Background (Micro-Budget / Short Film) | Deferred or $50-75 | Standard: $75-100/day
Deferred pay acceptable only with a signed deferred compensation agreement.
Active Colorado non-union background rates on 2026 productions: $100-175/day for 8 hours (source: filmincolorado.com). Background actors sign a short-form Photo/Video/Model Release before filming. Minors require the Minor Performer consent form even for non-speaking roles.
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SECTION 10 | COLORADO SPRINGS HIRING RESOURCES
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Colorado Film Crew & Support Services Directory - oedit.colorado.gov State-maintained directory of Colorado crew members, organized by role and region.
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NeedaCrew.com National crew marketplace with active Colorado listings.
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ProductionHub.com/Denver Denver-area production crew and PA directory.
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Film in Colorado - filmincolorado.com State film office job board and casting calls.
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Galina's Casting (Facebook Group) Active Colorado casting group with real crew and talent postings.
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Colorado Film School Network Pipeline for trained entry-level crew and PAs from the Front Range.
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SECTION 11 | FIELD NOTES: BUDGETING
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Prep days are billed at half rate.
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Independent contractors earning $600+ in a calendar year receive a 1099-NEC.
Sources: NeedaCrew 2026 Crew Rate Guide | Lunchbox Productions 2025 Crew Rate Breakdown | Film in Colorado casting data | Colorado Facebook film crew postings
Document Version: 1.0 | Effective: June 2026 | Outlaw Poet Digital Films, LLC
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