How much should i be Making$$

[Paula Smith]

One thing not mentioned is, what are they paying everyone else? If everyone else doing the same thing you are doing is being paid $35K and they’ve been there a lot longer, you can’t expect them to pay you the same amount regardless of what you think you are worth. It’s what they think you are worth.

Also, 6 months anywhere does not look that good on a resume. You should have at least two years worth of paid employment. Otherwise, it looks like a glorified internship.

I also live in the Midwest and the wages and cost of living are lower than in LA or NY. MUCH lower than in LA or NY.

I would suggest you look at the average wage for the type of work you are doing with your experience (6 months) in your city. That’s really the only gauge you can use. You can’t expect to make the same as someone with 2 years experience in LA.

And, continue to build your skills and your demo reel.

[Brendan Coots]

“$30k? That’s about $15 an hour. Minimum wage is about $15k now. Common laborers make anywhere from $15k to $20k. Who owns the equipment you shoot/edit with? Whose mics? Someone has to pay for repairs, new equipment, software, you name it. Whose pocket will that come out of.

$30k, in my book, is a joke – unless there’s things like full health/dental insurance… “

When someone has six months experience in ANY industry, especially one like this that requires real skills to get by, they are lucky to be one step beyond intern. $15/hr in SF is a joke, but elsewhere it is more reasonable given the experience level.

Also, unless I misread the original post, the poster stated that his employer provides all of the equipment.

I would never suggest that someone sign up for indentured servitude, but when you lack experience and a firm demo reel, and more importantly lack competing offers, in this economy you would be wise to take what you can get and plan for the future. The alternative is to sit there with your arms firmly folded and go broke waiting for what you “deserve.”

Brendan Coots
Splitvision Digital
http://www.splitvisiondigital.com