i can’t believe that this is true

[David Roth weiss]

Jeremy,

Some guy in Massachusetts probably filled out the survey as a joke, saying that he made $2 million a year, and that skewed the entire category in every way possible.

Maybe it was our own Tim Wilson… He’s got a wicked sense of humor and he knows numbers well enough to pull this off.

Tim, if it was you, it’s time to confess and we’ll give you 5-Cows.

David

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles

POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™

A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.

[Mark Suszko]

Well SOMEBODY had to balance-out all the Craig’s List editors working for just a screen credit and a bag of Taco Bell.

[Mike Cohen]

I don’t know, if you are a freelance editor in NY making $200/hour that could be $416,000/year if you are booked 5 days a week. Not the norm but it would skew things. And it would be awesome! You could buy a lot of Blu-Ray movies for that salary.

Mike

[Mark Landman]

I’ve got to learn not to drink things when I’m reading stuff on the internet. I nearly sprayed Coke all over my laptop when I read that survey this morning.

Mark Landman
PM Productions
Champaign, IL

[Andrew Kimery]

I know more than a few freelance editors in LA that clear six figures and only look to work 9-10 months out of the year.

-A

3.2GHz 8-core, FCP 6.0.4, 10.5.5
Blackmagic Multibridge Eclipse (6.8.1)

[Nick Griffin]

Hey guys, the COW (like many of the professions represented here) consists of a wide range of individuals: Some at the top, some just starting out, some in big towns/national/international markets, some in Podunkville, still trying to get out.

I point this out because I’m not at all surprised by this as an average. I do however agree with David and think that Massachusetts is somehow skewed. Or maybe it’s that New York and California are large enough that the major hubs lose out because of the averaging in of the many small towns.

[Tim Kolb]

Keep in mind that many of us are independent.

I suspect that they may have had some respondents who have confused gross billings with personal net income…

TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,

[Shane Ross]

I will go on record now to say that I clear 6 figures, and I work in NON-UNION documentary TV production. MInd you, I’ll bet those numbers are for TV and FILM editors. Feature Film Editors clear $5000 – $8000 a week. I’ll let you know that the union minimum is $2665/week, and many documentary productions pay that if you are good…but some pay between $1500-$2000/week.

But look at the union minimum (that many non-union TV editors can get) and if you work year round that is $138,580. But most of us have a month or two of not working, so subtrack $10k to $20k…and you still have 6 figures.

But then the cost of living in LA is nutty. 2 bedroom homes…in the VALLEY…go for $500,000!

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Tim Kolb]

Geographic location has something to do with what is an adequate income as well…obviously in Los Angeles, 100K/yr is not an excessive amount of money.

Here in the midwest, 100K is a different number…however, it’s not outrageous as a gross income number. Remember that with 15% social security and another 20-30% in personal income taxes (depending on where you live, and where the tax brackets fall), not to mention that most of us have to spend money on equipment and other business-related expenses in any given year…

TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,

[Mike Cohen]

Great points all around. A national salary average is kind of BS. As Tim has pointed out 100K in New Britain, CT is probably equivalent to 200K in Boston or 300K in NY or LA based upon what you get for your money.

Gross vs Net is also another great point. Depending upon your expenses, 100K is either a lot of money (you live in your parents’ attic and drive a used Geo) or just getting by (wife, 2 kids, mortgage, minivan, annual trip to WallyWorld, property taxes, insurance, payments on your EX3, etc.).

And if you are freelance you are responsible for your own taxes and possibly no group insurance, or no insurance at all which has a cost of risk – so to the younger folks reading this thread, as well as to folks trying to advance their careers, you need to look at the big picture.

As for me, I won’t post my salary (5 figures), but I do a lot more than shoot and edit video, I live in a city with very high property taxes, and next month when I pay off my Saturn I will jump for joy at the extra $300/month, which no doubt will be used to pay my property taxes.

Mike Cohen