Art Department Rate Calculator 2025-26

Minimum refers to 1-2 years' experience at that grade. No one should accept less when taking on the responsibility that comes with that grade. These are the base rates, based on the minimum rates crew members have been paid in these roles over the last year, adjusted for inflation.

Recommended minimum refers to 3+ years' experience at that grade. These are guide rates for anyone with at least 3 years' experience in the role. Crew members should negotiate upwards of these rates according to skill level and experience.

This depends on which contract you're working under. For features over £30m, your contract is based on the PACT-BECTU MMP Agreement, where contracted hours are 11+1 (11 hours work, 1 hour lunch) for off-set crew.

For TV Drama productions following the PACT-BECTU TV Drama Agreement, hours are 10+1. You could also be scheduled on a Semi-Continuous Working Day (SCWD: 9.5+30) or a Continuous Working Day (CWD: 9) if agreed between your HoD and production.

Productions that don't follow either agreement are free to negotiate their own terms. Nevertheless, it's widely agreed that the Art Department is a self-scheduling department and traditionally works 9+1 for the rates on the rate card.

The BECTU Art Department committee provide a guide for minimum box rentals and allowances that crew should claim. This should depend on the value of your kit, and many members claim higher rates. Note that "computer allowance" is for a basic laptop or desktop — if you have computer equipment of high value, claim "Specialist Kit Rental" at a higher rate.

Each year, the BECTU Art Department Branch holds a rates survey and collects results. In lieu of survey data this year, the 2025/26 rate card changes are based on a 2.60% increase over the previous year, in line with the Construction Branch's annual inflation increase. Certain roles have seen an augmented increase of up to 5.5% in support of commitments to establish parity between select departments and roles.

Inflation was 3.8% in the last 12 months — crew should remind productions when negotiating that anything less than a 3.8% increase on your rate after a year is a real terms pay cut. See the parity chart on the rate card download, available on the Bectu Art Department website.

Art Department, Set Decoration and Graphics do not do "Prep and Wrap" (unpaid hours at the beginning and end of the day). The Art Department is not listed as a prep and wrap department on the MMP Agreement or the TV Drama Agreement.

Set Dec rates can be found on the Bectu rate card download page or on the Filmbase Set Dec rates page. Graphics rates are on the Bectu rate card download page, or listed on the Graphics Union website. The BECTU Art Department Committee also publish a low budget rates action plan.

The bands on the rate card are dictated by the Bectu-PACT TV and Film agreements. The film agreement, the Major Motion Picture (MMP) Agreement, is for films with budgets over £30 million. There are currently no agreements for films under £30 million, but the Bectu Art Department committee have identified 3 other commonly used bands: Motion Picture (£5M-30M), Feature Film (£1M-5M) and Low Budget (under £1M). The Bectu-PACT TV agreement specifies 4 budget bands, used to group rates for TV.

The rate cards are the work of the Bectu Art Department Branch Committee and can be downloaded from the Bectu Art Department website. If you have questions about these rates, contact the committee at info@bectuartdepartment.co.uk.

These rates are inclusive of holiday pay at 12.07%. PAYE and self-employed crew members are paid holiday pay at the end of the contract. Crew members who are LTD will not have holiday pay separated out. The Bectu Art Department is currently questioning the legality of holiday pay being paid at the end of a contract.

• Works with the Construction Manager and Production Manager to estimate the costs of set construction and Art Department labour during pre-production
• Analyses the shooting schedule and plans the building and striking of sets
• Oversees the entire day to day running of the Art Department
• Ensures the production stays on schedule and on budget throughout pre-production and shooting
• Helps select crew members for the department
• Liaises with the ADs to ensure the schedule is workable
• Liaises with Set Decoration, Props, Graphics and all other departments
• Ensures the designer's creative vision is followed through

• An experienced Art Director who often handles several of the largest sets on the film, facilitating the Production Designer's creative vision to give the film its unique visual identity
• Oversees production and scheduling of a number of sets, depending on the scale of the film, through issue of drawings
• Project manages production of sets through construction, usually requested by the Production Designer or Supervising Art Director
• Analyses the script to identify special set considerations that may need longer lead times or special effects, liaising across departments
• Manages a team of draughtspeople drawing up plans for use by Art Directors when working with construction managers and their teams
• Answers questions and approves work in progress on the workshop floor throughout construction
• Works with the Production Designer to create colour and patina reference boards
• Works closely with the Head Painter to carry the Production Designer's vision through onto the sets
• Liaises with the location manager to survey locations and draw plans for other departments to reference, and supervises construction when locations are being prepared and dressed
• During filming, continues to oversee construction, dressing and striking of the remaining sets
• After the film wraps, ensures all sets are struck and locations cleared

• Facilitates the Production Designer's creative vision for their sets
• Oversees production and scheduling of work for a number of sets, depending on the scale of the film, through issue of drawings
• Project manages production of sets through construction, usually requested by the Production Designer or Supervising Art Director
• Analyses the script to identify special set considerations that may need longer lead times or special effects, liaising across departments
• Manages a team of draughtspeople to draw up plans for use with construction managers and their teams
• Answers questions and approves work in progress on the workshop floor throughout construction
• Works with the Production Designer to create colour and patina reference boards
• Works closely with each "Head of" role in Construction to ensure the Production Designer's vision carries through into the sets
• Liaises with the location manager to survey locations and draw plans for other departments to reference, and supervises construction when locations are being prepared and dressed
• During filming, continues to oversee construction, dressing and striking of remaining sets
• After wrap, ensures all sets are struck and locations cleared

• Works alongside the shooting crew to manage Art Department concerns of each set while it is being filmed
• The only member of the Art Department with the shooting crew full time, representing both Art Department and Set Decoration during the shoot
• Responsible for maintaining the Designer and Set Decorator's vision while facilitating the needs of the Director, DOP and all other departments
• Needs a wide understanding of all departments' needs and must be able to action all shooting requirements for all sets
• Works in partnership with the Stand-by Prop Department to facilitate shooting crew requirements
• Has a complete understanding of the script for a full overview of the whole story and every set, keeping up to date with all script changes
• Must be able to problem solve within a very tight time frame, with full knowledge of how each set works, its abilities and limitations
• Works with a Stand-by Construction team including Chippie, Painter, Rigger, Stagehand, Plasterer and Greens, needing working knowledge of these trades
• Has close dialogue with the Designer, Set Decorator and Art Director of each set to maintain their creative vision while understanding the practicalities of a shooting crew using the set
• Must understand cameras, lenses and film lighting
• Maintains set continuity by watching every frame shot and checking dressing is correct as per the scene
• Creates script breakdowns covering story, dressing, greens, action vehicles, SFX requirements, cast, timelines, set requirements and VFX requirements (Art Department concerns only), including graphics, kept in line with script revisions

• Responsibilities vary depending on the size of the production
• Helps the Art Director with research, surveying locations, model making or producing sets
• On large productions with multiple sets, may take responsibility for some of the smaller or medium sized sets
• Sketches ideas, refines them and works on 3D models
• During shooting, some Assistant Art Directors may work as Stand-By Art Directors, monitoring video playback to see what the camera is shooting and how this impacts set requirements

• Ensures the smooth running of the Art Department during pre-production, filming and wrap, by providing administrative support to the Head of Department
• Organises meetings, hiring of crew, department breakdowns, build schedules and labour flows under the direction of the HoD
• Liaises with other departments and ensures communication between the Art Department and all other departments
• Creates and helps maintain filing systems for assets and clearance
• On wrap, archives all files and assets

• An experienced Draughtsperson able to provide complicated technical drawings that serve as a template for the construction department
• Drawings are either drawn by hand or in CAD software such as Sketch-Up, Cinema 4D and Vectorworks, among others
• Supervised by the Art Director for the set they work on

• Provides technical drawings that serve as a template for the construction department
• Drawings are either drawn by hand or in CAD software such as Sketch-Up, Cinema 4D and Vectorworks, among others
• Supervised by the Art Director for the set they work on

• Closely supervised by the Art Director or more senior team members
• Draws specific construction details across a range of sets, such as window or door detailing, providing technical drawings for the construction department
• Drawings are either drawn by hand or in CAD software such as Sketch-Up, Cinema 4D and Vectorworks, among others
• Often required to make accurate scale models of sets, enabling the production designer and director to visualise camera positions and movements
• Supervised by the Art Director for the set they work on

A junior role requiring creativity, strong organisational skills and an interest in design. May be given tasks by, and report to, the Art Department Coordinator, Production Designer or Supervising Art Director. Responsibilities vary greatly depending on the budget of the production.

• Assists with research, mood boards and concept presentation
• Helps to source and purchase materials for the Art Department
• Constructs scale models for sets, or assists the model maker
• Liaises with other departments to ensure information is distributed to and from the Art Department
• During filming, helps the Stand-By Art Director and Art Department Coordinator with last-minute requests or changes to sets
• May be asked to draw by hand or use art software packages

Works closely with the Production Designer to create the visual language for the whole production, using traditional and technological approaches to create designs in 2D and 3D through drawing and painting.

• May be asked to create either quick or detailed drawings and paintings of environments, characters, buildings, vehicles and props, including thumbnails and wireframes
• Efficiently interprets briefs and works independently
• Clearly communicates ideas and responds positively to feedback, adapting and refining work accordingly
• Confident using specialist creative programmes
• Researches topics and reference points for use in designs
• Meets strict deadlines for creation of work

Provides visual representation prior to filming to map out an effective production blueprint for the Director, often taking reference from the Production Designer to inform design in the boards. Creates a collection of visual scenes showing the director how the project may be shot.

• Storyboards can represent camera angles, lighting themes, colour, clothing and motion or blocking set-ups
• Provides an easy-to-interpret breakdown of all included scenes, which may give the production staff further ideas on how to develop the production
• Produces hand-drawn or computer-generated storyboards quickly
• Must often be prepared to adapt boards "on spec" with very short notice