Wage Survey for Scripts and Storyboards,
September 1998

"Going Rates"

Category

responses

minimum

median average*

maximum

median change since 1997*

Features
Scripts

6

$12,000.

$17,500.

$61,000

+1,250.

    Premise

1

$2,500.

    Outline

1

$3,500.

    First draft

1

$15,000.

    Second draft

1

$15,000.

Storyboards, per page

2

$600.

--

$1,000.

-$100.

    Per act

1

$2,500.

    Per feature

1

$30,000.

Television Storyboards
11/2 mins., per board

1

$2,800.

    4 mins., per board

1

$1,700.

7 mins., per board

7

$3,000.

$6,000.

$6,000.

+$1,500.

10-30 mins., per board

5

$2,600.

$4,000.

$9,800.

+$ 500.

Television Writing
Story editing, per 1/2 hr.

8

$4,000.

$6,500.

$12,500.

+$2,500.

Bibles

7

$5,000.

$6,250.

$30,000.

+$1,250.

Outlines

2

$600.

--

$1,000.

11-min. premise

1

$200.

4- to 7-mins.

2

$2,500.

--

$3,500.

- $150.00

7- to 11-mins.

13

$2,333.

$3,000.

$6,000.

- $75.00

30-min. episode [cable]

1

$7,500.

30-min. episode [syndicated]

11

$6,000.

$6,500.

$7,000.

+$150.

30-min. episode [network]

12

$1,050.

$4,250.

$7,500.

+$2,250.

Primetime special rewrite

1

$10,000.

30-min. special

1

$11,000.

* The "median averages listed for the 1997 and 1998 surveys represent the middle rates when the results were listed in order from lowest to highest. These numbers should be viewed in the context of the minimums and maximums, and the percentage of response.

Categories not listed had no replies, or all replies were working at scale.

These rates should be compared with the minimums in the union contract.

Click here to see the survey of average salaries.