Wage Survey for Scripts and Storyboards,
September 1999

"Going Rates"

These charts are available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

Category

responses

minimum

median average*

maximum

median change since 1999*

Features
Theatrical script

1

$90,000

+$50,000

First draft

2

$6.500.

 

$10,000.

n/a

Second draft

1

$5,000.

 

n/a

Direct-to-video scripts

3

$15,000.

$20,000.

#30,000.

-$25,000.

Storyboards, per page

1

$350

     
Television Storyboards
1 to 8 minutes

4

$1,100.

$2,500.

$6,000.

-$300.

11 to 22 mins.

4

$5,000.

$6,250.

$12,000

n/a

30 minutes, per page

3

$200.

$300.

$350.

n/a

   Per act

1

$5,400.

 

+$1,700.

   Per 30 mins.

1 

$2,500.

 

-$1,250.

Television Writing
Story editing, per1/2hr.

7

$3,000.

$10,000.

$12,000.

0

Bibles

7

$5,000.

$12,000

$25,000

+4,500.

11-min-pilot

1

$4,500.

n/a

30-min.pilot

6

$8,000.

$12,500.

$15,000

+$2,500.

7- to 11-mins.

4

$2,750.

$4,250.

$5,000.

+$1,250.

30-min. episode [cable]

2

$3,000.

$6,250.

-$2,600.

30-min. episode [network]

5

$4,500.

$6.500.

$6,500.

-$750.

30-min. special [syndicated]

4

$6,500.

$6,500.

$6,500.

0

* The "median averages listed 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.