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Show avg annual salary. $18.37 Bottom 20%. $37.98 Median. $99.45 Top 20%. Film directors earn an average hourly wage of $37.98. Salaries typically start from $18.37 per hour and go up to $99.45 per hour. 50% above national average Updated in 2021.
- California
The average pay for film directors in California is around...
- Texas
Salaries typically start from $17.35 per hour and go up to...
- New Mexico
The average pay for film directors in New Mexico is around...
- Tennessee
Salaries typically start from $15.06 per hour and go up to...
- Washington
Salaries typically start from $20.66 per hour and go up to...
- Utah
Salaries typically start from $17.94 per hour and go up to...
- Job Market
There are currently an estimated 134,700 film directors in...
- Oklahoma
Salaries typically start from $14.11 per hour and go up to...
- Ohio
The average pay for film directors in Ohio is around $28.81...
- Idaho
The average pay for film directors in Idaho is around $22.83...
- California
- The Legends: Well-Known Directors
- The Hot Up-And-Comers
- It Doesn’T Matter What You Did 10 Years Ago
- The Star Wars Make-Or-Break
- The Unicorn
- Speaking of: Television
- Film Director Earnings by Seniority: Years of Experience and Salary
- How Do Film Director Salaries Compare to Similar Careers?
- Movie Star
- Stunt Person
With box office earnings totaling over $9 billion, Steven Spielberg is a legendary directorwho earns one of the highest salaries in the industry. Peter Jackson and James Cameron have a similar status, with box office totals over $6 billion.
Directors don’t always have to work their way up in the industry slowly. Instead, directors like Rian Johnson and Jordan Peele have gained accolades and higher salaries quickly, thanks to surprise box office hits.
According to Vanity Fair, having a 10-year-old blockbuster under their belt doesn’t mean directors can ask for high salaries today. That means Justin Lin, who has more current hits on his resume, can ask for a higher salary than Michael Bay, whose recent films didn’t do as well.
Directors who have made movies in the Star Wars franchise find that these films can make or break their earning power. Gareth Edwards has had decreased earning power since he required a co-director, while Tony Gilroy has been able to demand impressive rates.
In rare cases, directors also write and produce their films. M. Night Shyamalan and Peter Jackson have reportedly earned at least $20 million per film for taking on this additional work and creative control.
Directors can also make it big on the small screen. Award-winning directors like Ron Howard and James Marsh have earned high rates for their TV productions.
For many film directors, prior box office earningsare major salary factors. Take a closer look at some well-known directors and their standard rates.
Curious whether directors earn more than their coworkers? Find out how directors’ rates compare to other film and TV professionals.
Major stars like Robert Downey Jr. earn upwards of $75 million, while Dwayne Johnson earns over $50 million, and Jennifer Lawrence earns $35 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
An experienced stuntperson can earn $1 million per year, but most make a standard rate of $889 per day.
Mar 23, 2024 · They set a basic minimum salary for directors, providing a safety net. In 2021, the DGA set the minimum wage for a director at $28,080 for a week of a film's production—roughly $1.4 million per year. This figure, however, applies primarily to directors in prime time TV and big-studios rather than indie films.
Aug 10, 2023 · According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), film directors make an average of $76,400 per year. The pay film directors receive from their projects often varies, depending on their prior experience as a director, the type of film they're making and how large of an audience they expect their film to attract.
Oct 5, 2020 · California film directors earn an average of $121,950 per year. Directors in Los Angeles, Long Beach and Glendale California earn the highest salary of $129,980. New York is the second highest paying state for film directors, paying an average of $118,090 annually. Holding third, fourth and fifth place are District of Columbia, Connecticut and ...
Apr 22, 2024 · The estimated total pay for a Film Director is $146,537 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $98,537 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $48,000 per ...
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Aug 16, 2023 · This phase isn’t just about earning money; it’s about forging connections, honing their craft, and establishing a reputation that will carry them forward. The salaries for new and lesser-known directors typically range from a few hundred thousand dollars to a few million dollars per film.
