These are the
minimum rates
in the Local 839 contract, calculated for the
standard forty-hour week.
Anyone working under our union's jurisdiction has the unrestricted right to negotiate rates of pay above these minimums; in fact, we estimate that the great majority of people employed at Local 839 shops make more than these minimums. We have compiled a survey of the
"going rates",
i.e. what union members are actually paid.

NOTE: A majority of artists and technicians working under Local 839 jurisdiction use computers to some extent in their work. Most of them are categorized under their equivalent artistic or technical category, rather than in a job classification exclusive to their use of the computer as a tool of the trade.

Thus, for example, a majority of CGI animators work under the animator rate, digital painters/opaquers under the painter rate, etc.

Some examples of unique CGI categories and minimums are noted below. Many of the following have been negotiated in sideletters with individual employers, as noted.

Local 839 is engaged in an ongoing effort to organize CGI categories at union and non-union shops. The fact that your job title or category is not explicitly listed on this page does not mean you are not under Local 839's jurisdiction. Contact us if you have any questions.
 
 
 
 

ANIMATION
KEY RATE

$1,520.02 
Production Board (see also unit rates below)

 1st 6 months

$1,429.50 

 2nd 6 months

$1,463.31 

 Journey

$1,520.02 
---
21-012...Animator
21-032...Background
21-042...Layout
21-052...Model Designer
21-022...Animation Story Person(see also unit rates below)
21-801...Staff Comic Strip Story Person and/or Artist
Visual Development

1st 6 months

$31.076 

$1,243.04 

2nd 6 months

$31.811 

$1,272.44 

Journey

$33.044 

$1,321.76 

 (Subject to right of Producer to request extension -
limited to one six month extension)
---
21-112...Key Assistant
Animator

 $31.616 

 $1,264.64 
---
21-102...Assistant Animator
21-122...Assistant Background/Assistant Layout
21-132...Assistant Model Designer
21-802...Assistant Staff Comic Strip Story Person and/or Artist

 1st 6 months

 $26.138 

$1,045.52 

 2nd 6 months

 $26.816 

$1,072.64 

 Journey

 $28.104 

 $1,124.16 

(Subject to right of Producer to request extension --
limited to one six-month extension)
---
21-142...Breakdown

 1st year

 $23.847 

$953.88 

 Journey

 $24.541 

$981.64 
---
21-152...Inbetweener

 1st 6 months

 $22.026 

$881.04 

 2nd 6 months

 $22.698 

$907.92 

 Journey

 $23.572 

$942.88 
---
21-202...Apprentice Layout, Model Designer, Background and Production Board

 6 months

 $23.820 

 $952.80 

(Subject to right of Producer to request one six-month extension)
---
21-232...Blue Sketch

 1st year

 $23.342 

 $933.68 

 Journey

 $24.046 

 $961.84 
---
21-312...Story Sketch

 1st year

 $29.106 

 $1,164.24 

 Journey

 $29.571 

 $1,182.84 
---
21-322...Apprentice Animation Story Person and/or Apprentice
Story Sketch

 1st year

 $23.885 

 $955.40 

 Journey

 $27.875 

 $1,107.00 

(Subject to right of Producer to request extension --  limited to one six-month extension)
---
21-332...Assistant Director

 1st 6 months

 $24.871 

 $994.84 

 2nd 6 months

 $27.237 

 $1,089.48 

 3rd 6 months

 $29.607 

 $1,184.28 

 Journey

 $30.983 

 $1,239.32 
-
21-335...Sheet Timer

 1st 6 months

 $24.871 

 $994.84 

 2nd 6 months

 $27.237 

 $1,089.48 

 3rd 6 months

 $29.607 

 $1,184.28 

 Journey

 $30.983 

 $1,239.32 
---
21-242...Scene Planner

 1st year

 $28.029 

 $1,121.16 

 Journey

 $29.243 

 $1,169.72 
---
21-252...Animation Checker

 1st 3 months

 $23.342 

 $933.68 

 Next 9 months

 $24.046 

 $961.84 

 Next 6 months

 $26.138 

 $1,045.52 

 Next 6 months

 $26.871 

 $1,074.84 

 Journey

 $28.104 

 $1,124.16 

INK AND PAINT (Inking, Special Effects,
Painters)
21-412...Assistant Supervisor (Ink and Paint, Xerox, Color Model
or Paint Lab

 1st 6 months

 $23.941 

 $957.64 

 2nd 6 months

 $24.560 

 $992.40 

 Journey

 $25.426 

 $1,017.04 
---
21-422...Inker

 1st month

 $20.669 

 $826.76 

 Next 6 months

 $21.859 

 $874.36 

 Next 6 months

 $22.490 

 $899.60 

 Journey

 $23.321 

 $932.84 
---
21-442...Ink Checker

 1st year

 $23.702 

 $948.08 

 Journey

 $24.157 

 $966.28 
---
21-452...Special Effects

 1st year

 $23.702 

 $948.08 

 Journey

$24.157 

 $966.28 
---
21-453...Head Special
Effects

 $24.871 

 $994.84 
---
21-500...Color Modelist

 1st 6 months

 $22.736 

 $909.44 

 2nd 6 months

 $23.375 

 $935.00 

 Journey

 $24.283 

 $971.32 

21-501...Color Stylist

 1st 3 months

 $23.342 

 $933.68 

 Next 9 months

 $24.046 

 $961.84 

 Next 6 months

 $26.138 

 $1,045.52 

 Next 6 months

 $26.871 

 $1,074.84 

 Journey

 $28.104 

 $1,124.16 

21-522...Painter

 1st month

 $20.669 

 $826.76 

 Next 6 months

 $21.532 

 $861.28 

 Next 6 months

 $22.189 

 $887.56 

 Journey

 $23.142 

 $925.68 

21-542...Xerox Processor

 1st 3 months

 $20.669 

 $826.76 

 2nd 12 months

 $22.591 

 $903.64 

 Journey

 $23.142 

 $925.68 

21-552...Key Xerox Processor

 $23.450 

 $938.00 

CHECKERS
21-562...Xerox Checker

 1st year

 $23.702 

 $948.08 

 Journey

 $24.157 

 $966.28 
---
21-572...Animation Stock Librarian

 1st 6 months

 $22.617 

 $904.68 

 2nd 6 months

 $23.219 

 $928.76 

 Journey

 $24.157 

 $966.28 
---
21-632...Production Final Checker/Mark-Up

 1st 6 months

 $22.617 

 $904.68 

 2nd 6 months

 $23.219 

 $928.76 

 Journey

 $24.157 

 $966.28 

21-633...Head Final
Checker

 $24.871 

 $994.84 
---
21-652...Paint Checker

 1st 6 months

 $22.026 

 $881.04 

 2nd 6 months

 $22.698 

 $907.92 

 Journey

 $23.572 

 $942.88 
---
21-672...Picture Set-Up

 1st year

 $23.342 

 $933.68 

 Journey

 $24.122 

 $964.88 
---
21-682...Scan Checker

 1st 6 months

 $21.424 

 $856.96 

 2nd 6 months

 $22.047 

 $881.88 

 Journey

 $22.891 

 $915.64 
---
21-692...Cel Service

 1st 6 months

 $21.317 

 $852.68 

 2nd 6 months

 $21.904 

 $876.16 

 Journey

 $22.642 

 $905.68 
---
21-722...Mix and Match

 1st year

 $22.301 

 $892.04 

 Journey

 $23.234 

 $929.36 
---
21-742...Paint Technician

 1st year

 $24.182 

 $967.28 

 Journey

 $25.064 

 $1,002.56 
---
21-792...Letter Artist

 1st 6 months

 $26.138 

 $1,045.52 

 2nd 6 months

 $26.871 

 $1,074.84 

 Journey

 $278.104 

 $1,124.16 
---
21-222...Trainee

 1st 6 months

 $20.973 

 $838.92 

 2nd 6 months

 $22.032 

 $881.28 

 3rd 6 months

 $23.094 

 $923.76 

 Animation Director (Disney)

 1st 6 months

 $36.515 

 $1.460.60 

 2nd 6 months

 $37.377 

 $1,495.08 

 Journey

 $38.830 

 $1,553.20 
 
 Timing Director (Disney)

 1st 6 months

 $34.962 

 $1,398.48 

 2nd 6 months

 $35.788 

 $1,431.52 

 Journey

 $37.176 

 $1,487.04 

 

UNIT RATES

 
SHORT SUBJECTS -- 4 to 7 minutes (TV or Theatrical)
Health and Pension hours 
Synopsis and outline

$709.64 

 22 
Storyboard only

$984.08 

 30 
Story In Script Form

$1,695.29 

 50 

SHORT SUBJECTS -- 7 to 11 minutes (TV or Theatrical)
Synopsis and outline

$719.59 

 23 
Storyboard only

$1,191.69 

 36 
Story In Script Form

$2,347.02 

 72 
 
HALF-HOUR SUBJECTS (TV or Theatrical)
Synopsis and outline

$1,280.10 

 45 
Storyboard only

$2,262.97 

 75 
Story In Script Form

$4,498.40 

 155 
 
HALF-HOUR SUBJECTS (TV or Theatrical) -- "New Animation Writers"§
Synopsis and outline

$1,173.89 

 45 
Storyboard only

$4,125.15 

 155 
 
ONE HOUR OR MORE SUBJECTS (TV or Theatrical)
Synopsis and outline

$1,895.74 

 70 
Storyboard only

$3,375.37 

 113 
Story In Script Form

$6,733.90 

 230 
 
ONE HOUR OR MORE SUBJECTS (TV or Theatrical) -- "New Animation Writers"§
Synopsis and outline

$1,738.43 

   70 
Storyboard only

$6,175.15 

   230 

§ During the term of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the applicable minimum for all new animation writers (i.e, those persons not previously employed in the Unit Writer and Storyboard Classification or Animation Story Person/Animation Writer Classification) shall be the 8/29/99-7/31/00 half-hour or one-hour or more minimum rate, whichever is applicable (the "Novice Rate"). In the event a script written by such a writer is produced, said Animation Story Person/Animation Writer shall be paid the difference between the Novice and the Journey-person rates.

CGI/DIGITAL RATES

 Production Technical Director I (Disney)
 Technical Director(DreamWorks)
 CGI Animator/Modeller I (Disney/DreamWorks)

1st 6 months

$31.076 

$1,243.04 

2nd 6 months

$31.811 

$1,272.44 

Journey

 $33.044 

$1,321.76 
---
 Production Technical Director II (Disney)
 Key Assistant Technical Director (Disney)
 CGI Animator/Modeller II (Disney/DreamWorks)

 $31.616 

 $1,264.64 
---
 Production Technical Director III (Disney)
 Assistant Technical Director (Disney)
 Assistant CGI Animator/Modeller I (Disney/DreamWorks)

 1st 6 months

 $26.138 

 $1,045.52 

 2nd 6 months

 $26.816 

 $1,072.64 

 Journey

 $28.104 

 $1,124.16 
---
 Production Technical Director IV (Disney)
 Junior Assistant Technical Director(Disney)
 Assistant CGI Animator/Modeller II (Disney/DreamWorks)

 1st year

 $23.847 

 $953.88 

 Journey

 $24.541 

 $981.64 
---
 Production Technical Director V (Disney)
 Apprentice Technical Director (Disney)
 Assistant CGI Animator/Modeller III (Disney/DreamWorks)

 1st 6 months

 $22.026 

 $881.04 

 2nd 6 months

 $22.698 

 $907.92 

 Journey

 $23.572 

 $942.88 
---
 Digital Scene Planning (DreamWorks)

 1st year

 $28.029 

 $1,121.16 

 Journey

 $29.243 

 $1,169.72 
 Scan Checker -- see above
---
 Digital Check(DreamWorks)

 1st 3 months

 $23.342 

 $933.68 

 Next 9 months

 $24.046 

 $961.84 

 Next 6 months

 $26.138 

 $1,045.52 

 Next 6 months

 $26.871 

 $1,074.84 

 Journey

 $28.104 

 $1,124.16 
---
 Digital Painter (DreamWorks)
 [2D] Compositor (Disney)

 1st month

 $20.669 

 $826.76 

 Next 6 months

 $21.532 

 $861.28 

 Next 6 months

 $22.189 

 $887.56 

  Journey

  $23.142 

  $925.68 
 
  CGI 3D Compositor I (Disney)
 

   $31.616 

   $1,264.64 

 CGI 3D Compositor II (Disney)

 1st 3 months

 $23.342 

 $933.68 

 Next 9 months

 $24.046 

 $961.84 

 Next 6 months

 $26.138 

 $1,045.52 

 Next 6 months

 $26.871 

 $1,074.84 

 Journey

 $28.104 

 $1,124.16