Rates & Contract Details
CONTRACTS
A detailed contract must be agreed to and signed between both parties in order for the official hiring of Michael Fels as an employee or as a Freelance Independent Contractor. Michael Fels can create a contract if needed. The contract must include the job description, rate, payment due date(s), method of payment, and must guarantee credit in the projects end credits (unless it is a commercial or Music video). IMDB credit is also required for any short, TV episode, feature film, or webseries. This credit can not be taken away for any reason after signing a contract. You may choose to hire Michael Fels with a flat fee, daily rate, or with an hourly wage.
Students Discounts are also available.
Flat Fee
Michael will work for a flat fee. If hired for a flat fee then Michael Fels will work as needed/when needed to complete the task that he was hired for. Michael is open to negotiation prior to signing the contract. All mutually signed agreements must be followed and are not subject to further negotiation. If a quote is requested then an email will be sent to you within 1 business day.
Minimal Retainer for hourly services
Projects may offer to hire Michael Fels on an hourly basis.
When working hourly, Michael clocks in when work begins and clocks out when work is completed so that your purchased time is used efficiently. You receive an “Hours Logged” document at the end of each retainer period with notes of when work was completed as well as what work was completed per day.
If hired hourly then an initial minimal retainer of five hours will be required. Additional time can be purchased in 1 hour blocks &/or invoiced to the client as 1 hour individual blocks once the task is completed (which ever the client decides.) The mimumum retainer must be paid as soon as possible.
Many preproduction tasks can be completed in the home office i.e via email, phone call, computer programs such as Microsoft office, as well as various websites. If hired hourly and a task is completed in the home office of Michael Fels it will be billed accordingly. If the task requires an in person meeting with the client or a third party then it will also be billed accordingly.
Hourly time of Michael Fels can not be carried over to another project.
Over time
-Over time is incurred after 10 hours of work in 1 day at a rate of time and one half unless other wise agreed to.
Note: If hired in the grip and electric department, it is understood that the day is not finished until the crew breaks down and loads the gear back into the truck or studio unless otherwise agreed.
Acceptable methods of payment
Michael will send an invoice to the client via email. The only acceptable methods of payment are checks from your payroll company, personal checks, certified bank checks (given in person or delivered by mail). In rare occasion payment via the websites Venmo or PayPal will also be acceptable.
Michael Fels does not accept cash, unless it is given in person and is for the reinbursement for expenses less then $25.
Producing/ Directing Department:
Preproduction is to be charged as a flat fee that is mutually agreed upon or Michael Fels can be hired for an hourly wage that is to be negetoiated prior to work starting.
The Production Fee is a flat fee that needs to be negotiated depending on your budget. Transportation costs will be billed in a seperate invoice. Michael Fels transportation costs are also to be paid for by the client no matter if it is a flat fee or a hourly fee (unless other wise agreed to in writing).
Production Management/ Production Coordinator
Preproduction: Hourly or flat fee offer
Production : Starting at $350.00
Casting Director/ Casting Assistant
Casting Direction is to be billed as a flat fee mutually agreed to in writing. Michael Fels is willing to work with your budget to provide these services.
Any Website Fees are to be agreed to and paid to the Casting Director prior to any work beginning on those sites.
Booking a Casting Room/Audition space is to be a separate expense paid for by the Client and not by the Casting Director.
If the client wishes the auditions be taped and sent to them then special arrangements must be made at least 72 hours in advance of the audition.
Script Writing / Script Editing/ Script revision
Script writing, script editing, or script revision services can be provided by Michael Fels for a mutually agreed to flat fee or they can be billed hourly If shipping or printing is required for any reason, the client is responsible for this expense.
Michael Fels is open to negotiations and will work with your budget to perform these services.
Custom made monologue prices etc. are detailed in the writing section of this page.
Gaffer/ Key Grip
$325 per day (minimum rate) / Open to a Flat Fee offer
Best Boy Grip and/or Best Boy Electric
$300 per day(minimum rate)/ Open to a Flat Fee offer
Swing, Grip or Electric
$275 per day (minimum rate) / Open to a Flat Fee offer
Hourly Gaffer, Key Grip, Best Boy, Grip, Electric, or Swing
$30 per hour
Note: If booked on the project in an additional position that is on set (example: 1st AD) and Grip or Electric services are temporarily asked of Michael Fels, such as loading or unloading of gear then this fee can be charged accordingly. Credit and IMDB for the position is also then required .
Location Manager
A Preproduction fee must be negotiated depending on the number of locations and permits you need assistance with. .
$325 per day (minimum rate) for production.
Covid Safety Officer
$325 (minimum) for production and each location scout day.
(Must be brought to location scout sessions).
Preproduction must be negotiated prior to signing a contract.
NOTES : A covid Safety officer is an exclusive position and can not work an additional job on set or they will not be able to do their duties fully and are at risk for a conflcit of interest. Production must pay for all cleaning supplies, tests, PPE, tape, print outs, and gear required to meet safety standards. If you wish the Covid Safety Officer get supplies then an hourly charge will be in place for the time spent getting those supplies. Michael suggests zoom production meetings only.
Disclaimer: Michael Fels is not a medical officer, Doctor, EMT, or Nurse but has passed several Covid courses from the World health organization, Osha, Red cross, and health education services.
Transportation & Expenses Covered
Transportation costs to and from official production meetings, to production, and on behalf of the request of the production/ client is to be covered by the production at the IRS standard rate and is to include tolls unless otherwise agreed to. Expenses incurred by Michael Fels on the behalf of the production and/or reimbursements of any kind are to be paid to Michael Fels within 15 business days of the date of invoice being sent to the production/ client.
Motel/Hotel fees
If the production requires travel and is putting the crew up for the night then any expense associated with this hotel/motel is to be paid for by the client prior to Michael's arrival. (This expense will not be paid by Michael then invoiced for compensation at a later date.) Michael is based in Mount Vernon, NY and drives his personal vehicle as needed. He can travel by train/ subway to certain locations.
Personal Grip and Electric Kit rental/Fee
If the client wishes to rent the personal gear of Michael Fels then $16 per day + Reimbursement for the use of any perishables as well as reinbursment for any damaged &/or lost equipment must also be paid for by the client. Travel expenses of Michael Fels must be covered.
(This personal gear can only be rented as long as Michael Fels is on that day of production.)
Guaranteed Credit
Once hired or employed, credit for the position is to be guaranteed during the end credits of the production and on IMDB to Michael Fels (A Music Video, PSA, or commercial will not have IMDB). This credit is guaranteed and cannot be excluded for any other reason.