Overseas "Expedition" Shoots

[Austin Reeves]

I need a little help from the Freelance gods here. I'm working on landing two possible overseas shoots, each being about 1-2 weeks long. For example, one will take place in Africa.

I've done plenty of freelance work before, but they have all been day rate'ed stuff and all have been local. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO BILL THESE GUYS?!?!

Of course I'll need them to cover travel and expenses, and there will be a group of us together, so accomidations are not a problem, but what about raates? Do you guys just charge like a week rate = 4 days' dayrate, or what?

How do you bill for overseas work?!?

Any ideas as to what I should be looking at would be greatly appriciated.

Liveshot

 

[wtv]

This is always a tough problem, some clients I work for I can get away with charging full day rates for the travel days, another client I have just finished with I charged half day rate for the travel and another one I don't charge at all, in other words it all depends on what the client is willing to put up with.

No much of an answer I know, but the only way that I have worked out what to do is through time and experience.

I always charge 7 days for 7 while shooting and most people I know do the same.

Good luck

 

[(Sin)ical]

Go 1/2 day on the travel...and look at it for what it is....a 1-2 week gig overseas. Just go with day rate for you and your crew...and there's 5-10 days of pay. Just out of curiosity, are you going to Liberia? If that's the case, think about how hot the area you'll be working in when setting your day rate.

 

[Austin Reeves]

I just wanted to say thank you for the information gentlemen. Right now, I have my day rate and will base that on a number of days out in the field. I like the idea of the half dayrate for traveling.

I think you're right in that it boils down to what the client is willing to do. Thanks again gentlemen.

Liveshot

 

[Ken]

You might want to make sure that your Per Diem...ie money for food and incidentals...is not part of your day rate and is an extra fee. Usually $50 per person per day to cover all your meals.

 

[Tippster]

Originally posted by Ken:
You might want to make sure that your Per Diem...ie money for food and incidentals...is not part of your day rate and is an extra fee. Usually $50 per person per day to cover all your meals.

Wow, $50/day should go a loooong way in Africa! Get it if you can!

My company has set per-diem rates for each country /region you're working in. In the US we get $50/day, yet when I was in Cancun for the WTO I only got $35, same thing for Canada. Sure, Mexico is generally cheaper than the US, but a margarita at my hotel cost $80 pesos - about $8.00 US!!

 

[wtv]

$50 in Africa, right, in West Africa this will about buy you a dink and a meal at the (International style) hotel, all of Francophone Africa is very expensive, Anglo Africa, it will go a bit further but hey, you certianly won't get rich on the per-diem unless you eat in the local joints and then beware......

Happy shooting

 

[Austin Reeves]

Yeah the per diem rate for each country is a great idea I think. Anybody ever seen like a "standardized" list for per diems per common countries?!?

Liveshot

 

[quicklad]

Remember that a "half-day"rate is NOT 50% of your day rate. I usually charge 60%-70% of my labor rate (if I can get gear rental I'll go for that too - but I usually don't try) as my half-day rate.

I had one client who considered shorter travel days as "half" travel days - and wanted to pay me essentially a half half day...the client soon learned better.

My justification for the rate is that I am paid for my time - and while my butt is on a plane - I can't make $$$ working for someone else. But I do think giving the client a break is fair considering the prevailing practice and depending on the length of the gig. For one-two weeks, getting a dayrate for every shooting day (and not 4-day weeks), I wouldn't sweat too much about the exact travel day rate.

Have fun in Africa,
Eric