TL;DR
London video crew day rates in 2026 range from £300 for a junior PA to £1,500+ for a director with a premium kit package. The typical 5-person crew for a corporate brand film day costs £3,800–£5,200 before locations, catering, or travel. Kit-included deals look cheaper on the surface but carry hidden margins — always ask for a kit-separate breakdown. Non-union rates dominate the UK commercial market; BECTU rates apply primarily to broadcast. Knowing the going rate for each role stops your budget from being quietly padded by £800–£2,000 per shoot day.
Why crew day rates matter more than headline quotes
Most video production quotes arrive as a single number: £22,000 for two shoot days. That number is almost impossible to evaluate without knowing what's inside it. Production companies mark up crew, sometimes significantly. The most common padding is on kit: a DP charges £750/day for their time and £400/day for the camera package, but the studio invoices the camera package at £900/day. Over two shoot days, that's £1,000 gone before any creative decision has been made.
Understanding the market rate for each role lets you read a production budget honestly. You don't need to haggle line by line — that's adversarial and counterproductive — but you do need to know when a quote is fair and when it's being built to absorb contingency that benefits the supplier, not the production.
2026 London crew day rates: full breakdown
| Role | Day rate (kit-extra) | Kit / package | Combined (typical) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director (commercial/brand) | £800–£1,500 | N/A | £800–£1,500 |
| Director of Photography (DP) | £650–£1,100 | £350–£700 | £1,000–£1,800 |
| 1st Assistant Camera (1st AC) | £450–£600 | £50–£150 (focus tools) | £500–£750 |
| 2nd Assistant Camera (2nd AC) | £280–£400 | N/A | £280–£400 |
| Gaffer (Chief Lighting Tech) | £450–£650 | £200–£600 (lighting pkg) | £650–£1,250 |
| Spark (Electrician / Lighting Tech) | £300–£450 | N/A | £300–£450 |
| Sound Recordist | £500–£750 | £150–£350 (kit) | £650–£1,100 |
| Producer (on-set) | £600–£950 | N/A | £600–£950 |
| Production Assistant (PA) | £200–£350 | N/A | £200–£350 |
All rates are freelance, inclusive of standard London market conditions. Rates exclude VAT. Weekend and bank holiday rates carry a 25–50% uplift by convention, though this is negotiated case by case on commercial shoots.
Kit-included vs kit-extra: what the difference actually means
A DP who quotes "£1,200/day all-in" is bundling their labour and their camera, lenses, and accessories into one number. A DP who quotes "£750/day + £450 kit" gives you the same total but lets you verify what camera package you're actually getting. Both structures are legitimate. The risk with all-in rates is opacity: if the production swaps your ARRI Alexa Mini for a Sony FX6, you won't see it in the budget.
On productions above £15,000, ask every crew member who brings kit to quote the two lines separately. This is standard professional practice and no reputable freelancer will object. It also lets you understand what you're actually paying for if a piece of kit fails and needs to be substituted.
Typical crew combinations by production type
- Interview / talking-head (1 day): DP (all-in £1,200), Sound recordist (£700), PA (£250). Total crew: ~£2,150.
- Corporate brand film (2 days, mid-market): Director (£1,000/day × 2), DP + kit (£1,500/day × 2), 1st AC (£550/day × 2), Gaffer + lighting (£900/day × 2), Sound (£750/day × 2), Producer (£750/day × 2), PA (£300/day × 2). Total crew: ~£11,500 over 2 days.
- There is no minimum rate enforcement on most commercial shoots, though market rates are strong and widely understood.
- BECTU rates become relevant if your content is destined for broadcast (ITV, Channel 4, Sky) — in which case your production company should flag this at brief stage, not post-shoot.
- On an international co-production, the union rules of the country of broadcast may apply regardless of where the crew is based.
- Asking crew whether they are BECTU members is not standard practice on commercial shoots and may signal unfamiliarity with the market.
- Specialist skills. A DP who is also a certified drone pilot will charge a premium on the drone day (£400–£900 for the PFCO-certified operator role alone, separate from camera package). A sound recordist certified to work with radio mics on broadcast ISDN networks is rarer and charges more.
- Equipment ownership. A DP who owns an ARRI Alexa Mini LF (worth £50,000–£80,000) will price their kit higher than one shooting on a rental. The ownership risk they carry is real; the pricing reflects it.
- Relationship and volume. A crew that works together repeatedly will operate faster and produce better coverage than a crew assembled for one job. Regular collaborators often offer slightly reduced rates for ongoing relationships — typically 10–15% below market on an annual basis.
- Short-notice booking. Crew asked to confirm within 48 hours will charge a premium of 15–25% to release other potential bookings. This is avoidable with a 2–3 week booking lead time.
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Union vs non-union: the UK picture
The UK does not have a mandatory union structure equivalent to SAG-AFTRA in the US. BECTU (Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union) publishes rate cards and has strong representation in broadcast television and feature film. In commercial video production — brand films, corporate content, explainer videos — the majority of London crews are working non-union, often on individual contracts or via limited companies.
What this means practically:
What drives rates above or below the bands
Day rates are not fixed. Several factors push individual rates outside the bands above:
How to read a production budget line by line
A proper production budget submitted by a studio will show crew, kit, locations, catering, and post as separate lines. If you receive a quote that shows only "Crew: £9,000" with no breakdown, ask for the schedule of labour. A professional studio will provide this without friction. If they resist, treat the opacity as a risk signal. The line items to check against market rate are: DP total (labour + kit), Gaffer total (labour + lighting pkg), and Sound total (labour + kit) — these three typically absorb 40–50% of a shoot day's crew budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a director cost per day for a London brand film in 2026?
A commercial director on a brand film engagement charges £800–£1,500 per day for production days. Pre-production (development, shotlisting, recce) is typically charged at the same rate; some directors include 1–2 pre-production days in their overall fee at a slightly reduced rate.
Does a DP always bring their own camera?
Not always. On larger productions, the camera package is rented separately from a hire house (Panavision, Procam, Take 2 Film Services) and the DP operates it. On smaller commercial shoots, many London DPs own or have access to a Sony FX6, Canon C300 Mk III, or ARRI Alexa Mini and include it in their kit rate. Always confirm the specific camera and lens package when reviewing a budget.
What is a gaffer and why do they cost so much?
The gaffer is the head of the electrical department on set — responsible for the entire lighting design and execution. The day rate (£450–£650) reflects skilled technical work, but the kit package is where the real cost sits. A gaffer who brings a full lighting package (LED panels, HMIs, grip equipment, rigging) will add £400–£800 per day for kit alone. That kit is what makes the shoot look professional rather than merely lit.
Do we need a 2nd AC on a corporate shoot?
On single-camera shoots with simple setups, a 2nd AC is optional — the 1st AC can manage media cards and basic focus pulling. On multi-camera shoots, or any shoot with a DP who is also operating, a 2nd AC (£280–£400/day) is a worthwhile investment that prevents the entire crew waiting 20 minutes while the 1st AC handles card management and follow focus simultaneously.
Is it cheaper to use a crew from outside London?
Day rates in Manchester and Birmingham run 15–25% below London equivalents. However, if you are shooting in London, you will likely still pay London rates or add travel time. For shoots outside the M25, a regional crew is often the right call for a 1–2 day production. For 3-day shoots with complex post requirements, the London network is worth the premium.
What is a "turnaround" and why does it cost extra?
Turnaround refers to the minimum rest period between the end of one shoot day and the start of the next — typically 10–12 hours on commercial shoots. If a production runs late and the turnaround is violated, crew can and do charge a premium for the next day. Avoid it by building realistic shoot schedules and not over-programming shoot days.
Should we budget for a producer as well as a director?
Yes, on anything above a single-day talking-head shoot. A director makes creative decisions on set; a producer manages logistics (location access, catering, call sheets, crew coordination, client liaison). Conflating the two roles causes both to be done poorly. A producer day (£600–£950) is one of the highest-return line items in a production budget.
Are these rates negotiable?
Market rates are a guide, not a contract. On regular repeat work, crew will often offer 10–15% below market. On a one-off rush job, expect to pay above the band. The most effective negotiation lever is lead time — booking 3–4 weeks out gives crew confidence to hold their standard rate rather than charge a premium for disruption.