how much money should i get!?

[brownshoes77]

i hope i am posting in the right section. i got a call today from the head engineer at a pretty large pretty well known east coast studio asking if i would like to asst engineer for a 24 day project for somewhere between 500-1000 dollars. this would be my first legit gig, since i run a non legit studio out of my house. i really want to do it, especially since i have yet to get a degree or tack any real big studio experience onto my resume, but i feel i might be getting screwed with money...i kind of figure fuck it, whens the next time me with my complete lack of credentials will get an offer to work full time at an incredible studio. but anyway, i'm not sure what is standard for an asst engineer to be paid for 3 weeks of work. anybody know who has been in a similar situation?

thanks much


ian

[jebjerome]

but i feel i might be getting screwed with money...

What d'ya mean -- that's almost 42 dollars a day?!? Jump on it!

Jus' funnin'. If you'd do it for free anyway and have nothing better to do, then do it.

[brownshoes77]

well, i would do it for free but the thing is my bills arent taking a vacation any time soon, and NYC is an hour and 45 min drive for me. so its a lot of money spent on gas, and then trying to stretch the rest to cover insurance/cell phone/rent. eek.

[treble king]

I'd start higher (I can't do this for less than x dollars), then let them hem and haw you down to something that will cover your expenses (mostly). That is if you think you'd learn enough to make it worthwhile over the long haul.

I get offered design jobs for crap money sometimes; if I think the exposure is worth it, I'll do them. Resum? padding never hurt no one, 'cept for hookers.

[cgarges]

Perhaps offer to do it for $1000 plus a fair exchange in studio time based on minimum wage.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[MoreSpaceEcho]

well, i would do it for free but the thing is my bills arent taking a vacation any time soon, and NYC is an hour and 45 min drive for me. so its a lot of money spent on gas, and then trying to stretch the rest to cover insurance/cell phone/rent. eek.

an hour and 45 each way? would you be driving back and forth every day? that's gonna be a fortune in gas + tolls alone.

[philbo]

I'd think you should charge your expenses associated with the job (travel, meals & hotel) plus a fair hourly rate, like maybe $25 to $35 / hour, stressing that you're willing to negotiate the wage but not expenses.

If that strikes them as too steep, at least you've set the bar for negotiating it a bit.
________
BMW NAZCA C2 HISTORY

[kayagum]

It's your time, and your money.

One formula that works (if you have a day job) is, charge by what you make by the day job x 2. (E.g. $50K/yr = $25/hr @ 50 wks / yr). If you accept less, think what you're getting. If learning in a NY studio is worth it to you for the difference, then go for it. Otherwise, no.

[RockyTCR]

are you willing to spend 14hrs a day for 24 days for a grand? I bet someone else is,which is the tough part of the situation. I could be a great opportunity, sounds like a good in to me...Milk it for all that it is worth.

[brownshoes77]

wow, thanks for all the advice, i just figured out i can take the train round trip for 20 dollars plus parking is 3 dollars instead of gas/tolls/beating up my poor car. plus i can stay in the suite adjacent to the studio with the other engineers, so most nights i could crash there. and you're definitly right, someone else is definitely willing to do it, most wanna-be engineers (like myself) would 's' a 'd' for a chance like this one. by the way the job is at www.watermusic.net and we'd be recording for virgin records. oh the gear, oh the rooms.

ian

[stereopathetic_banjo]

i'd say if you have the means, full on go for it. as much as i love recording, sitting at home doing your thing can dull ones senses, and an opportunity to get out of the norm is pure inspiration, at least to me. sounds like a wonderful scenario with great potential for connections. plus, ween recorded there! good luck!
-travis

[slochldrnplayin]

i'm not sure what is standard for an asst engineer to be paid for 3 weeks of work. anybody know who has been in a similar situation?

If it's a well know place and it's for that long, then chances are they have some sort of budget. I would hope the engineer would pay an assistant at least $15/hr. plus work out some kind of deal on travel arrangements. $1000 for three plus weeks of assisting doesn't sound like fun.

[@?,*???&?]

$9 to $15 an hour. No more, no less. I'm not sure what your $500 to $1000 figure is. Is that what the client is paying?

Low rate gigs usually pay for their own assistant. Those around $800 to $1000 a day, the studio pays the assistant. Regardless, you're not famous if your do this, but your assistance will be necessary.

Do your best documentation. Keep your mouth shut. Work methodically and stay ahead of the session. Oh yeah, don't eat all the snacks too- those are for the client!

[Sean Shannon]

Get an hourly rate if you can. $10 an hour for an inexperienced assistant is acceptable. Just my thought on it, and that's what I pay new guys. Then again, I'm in FL. If you do 10 hour days for 24 days and get $1000, you'd be at $4 an hour. Or bite the bullet for the credits and experience if you can afford it and take the grand.