CREW RATE GUIDE
Colorado Springs / Front Range Market
2026 Edition Outlaw Poet Digital Films | Colorado Springs, CO
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.
HOW TO READ THIS GUIDE
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
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
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
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.
SECTION 9 | TALENT - BACKGROUND / NON-SPEAKING ROLES (NON-UNION)
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.
SECTION 10 | COLORADO SPRINGS HIRING RESOURCES
Colorado Film Crew & Support Services Directory - oedit.colorado.gov State-maintained directory of Colorado crew members, organized by role and region.
NeedaCrew.com National crew marketplace with active Colorado listings.
ProductionHub.com/Denver Denver-area production crew and PA directory.
Film in Colorado - filmincolorado.com State film office job board and casting calls.
Galina's Casting (Facebook Group) Active Colorado casting group with real crew and talent postings.
Colorado Film School Network Pipeline for trained entry-level crew and PAs from the Front Range.
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