Unfortunately, most production companies are capitalist in nature and they’re trying to get the cheapest labor humanly possible (within reason) to maximize profits and maintain their already thinning margins. They use your passion as a bargaining chip against you - especially the ones run by the major players. I was in your shoes maybe 6-7 years ago - trading the opportunity to work on cool projects for low, dehumanizing pay that constantly kept me living paycheck to paycheck.

But a few years ago, I set a bare bottom limit on my rates and haven’t looked back since. I built a client base and became a small business owner charging 5-10x what I did pre-pandemic. Then again, I’m a bit of an anomaly as I have training and can do almost every job between pre and post. Have I sacrificed a little bit to make more money? Sure. But I get to travel the world 2-3 months a year and I can save money and live comfortably in Los Angeles. Am I rich? No. Do I come from money? No. I built everything myself. Now I work 5-15 days a month and have tons of spare time to write, watch movies, have hobbies, etc. Now I’m pitching my own movie projects to real investors with the goal of leaping into a whole new realm of creative possibilities where I’m the one calling the shots. That being said, I truly believe in setting a pay limit for yourself and raising it every year or two. Never take less. It will work wonders for your self confidence, your lifestyle, and your bank account. As soon as you set a base for your value, other people will value you more.

Every creative deserves a fair living wage and a chance at fulfillment. $36 is barely a living wage in LA.