• The general consensus from the panel was that rates have not dropped.
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• There have been a few instances of Art Department crew members struggling to get rate card rates on lower band productions, but this is not unusual. 
• 
  
• Nevertheless, rates have not risen enough to match inflation recently.
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• Additionally, there is more pressure to reduce prep and strike times, as well as department sizes. 
• 
  
• Construction noted that this leaves no room for error and more possibility of problems or accident. There are more instances of building on stages whilst shooting is going on. Turnarounds are right down to the wire. 
• 
  
• The Art Department rep mentioned that he had recently achieved the minimum rates for all of his crew on a band 2 feature. 
• 
  
• Construction and Lighting technician branches confirmed that all their crew are getting the rates set out on their department rate cards.

“There’s so much development in UK studio space. People are investing for the long-term. Productions have gone to Eastern Europe and come back. US crews have the benefit of being able to speak the same language over here. If you look at the last 20 years, this is an empty threat. The industry knows it is bedding down here in the UK for a long time.”

"It was Prague 15 years ago. Nobody goes to Prague now. It was the Isle of Man for a few years. Nobody goes there now. It's a bit of a fad thing. But the expertise will always be here and in the States. Sure, we’re one of the most expensive places to make a film. But that's because you get the best people. That's a fact.”

The 2023 and 2024 Spring Budgets saw the UK Government remodel the tax break, increasing the rate slightly to 34% for HETV and films in 2023, and then giving lower-buget, British productions a boost in 2024 by introducing a 40% tax credit for films up to £15m.

Meanwhile the Government announced in March 2023 that the UK is on track to double its film stage space by 2025, with studios expanding and new ones opening across the country.

“Construction and Lighting Technicians DO get paid the rate card rates.”

“Rate cards are only as strong as the members following up.”

“The Art Department rate card is based on real rates that were reported by more than 1000 Art Department crew members. Adjustments were made to improve parity of pay between comparable roles, and also for inflation.”

“Supervisors and Designers need to get on board with the rate card and stand firm on the rates...they should also be doing the negotiating for their crew....youngsters shouldn’t be negotiating themselves.”

“The more we push our rate card forward, the more familiar producers will be with it and the more likely we are to get better rates. We shouldn’t be hiding what we’re earning.”

You can find all the Bectu ratecards on the Bectu website here

Use our Filmbase Rates Calculator to work out your Bectu rates:
Art Department Rates Calculator
Set Decoration Rates Calculator
Props Rate Calculator

Major Motion Pictures >£30M
The Lighting Technicians have a Bectu rate card that has been agreed with PACT (the Producers' trade association). This means that all Lighting Technician crew working on feature films with budgets of over £30M, where the production company is a member of PACT, will be paid the rates on the card. There is also an annual increase agreed with PACT.

Any features in this budget band that are produced by the SVOD companies (Subscription Video on Demand, ie Netflix, Amazon etc) are not covered by this agreement. However, the Lighting Technicians Brand rep said these companies do pay the rates on the rate card. They need to pay the same rate as everyone else in order to get the crew.

Feature Films <£30M
There is no rate card for features under £30M. However, if a company offers less, the branch members all talk to each other and are told to be aware that a company is offering less.

TV Drama (all bands)
There is an agreed rate card for Lighting Technicians crew on TV Dramas. Annual increases are agreed with PACT.
The Lighting Technicians' rate cards can be downloaded here.
Note: these rates are for the Electricians and the Chargehands. The Best Boys, Gaffers, Rigging Gaffers etc negotiate for themselves at a higher level.

Major Motion Pictures >£30M
Construction have a Bectu rate card that is agreed with PACT. In general, all other budget productions, including low budgets and the SVODs, also pay these rates. There is an annual increase that is agreed with PACT.
The Construction rate card can be downloaded here

The Props Bectu Branch has an advisory rate card that is based on a survey of members rates. It can be found on the Bectu website: https://bectu.org.uk/get-involved-in-the-union/ratecards/

The Art Department Bectu Branch also has an advisory rate card. This is based on surveys of members and non-members, and yearly inflation increases. It is also aligned with the Construction roles.
It can be found on the Art Department Bectu website: https://www.bectuartdepartment.co.uk/

“It’s very difficult when people are negotiating individually, in a bubble...we were in that position...there is no quick fix for this, but we got to the point where we were putting productions in jeopardy by not starting.”

The Lighting Technicians collected a year’s worth of rates data, then gave some of the main broadcasters and PACT six months' notice. "They realised that they would have no Sparks working on their shows unless they came to the negotiating table."

“It went down to the wire. They were about to start shooting. I got a phone call on the Friday and we had an emergency meeting on the Sunday. The crew was supposed to start shooting the following Sunday, with Sparks going in on Monday to start rigging the stage.”

This was put on hold until an agreement was reached.

The Sparks have a branch phone with which they let all Bectu Branch members know, via text message, if a production is paying below the rate card. Members can chose not to take the job.

“It’s not a quick thing. It took years to get to the negotiating table and get the rates agreed.”

Now the Lighting Technicians have fixed rates and a payrise every January.

After years of dissatisfaction with rate variations and failed attempts to negotiate, the Construction department came together as one and agreed that all Construction crew would give a week’s notice to whatever production they were on.

“The Producers hadn’t wanted to talk to Construction in years. But suddenly they couldn’t wait to get round the table and it was resolved in seven days.”

With the power of department unity and mass union membership, over the next three years, Construction negotiated a different working week and achieved a rate increase with a PACT-agreed rate card.

“Lighting are the strongest branch, because they’ve got the largest majority of their members in Bectu.” (Nearly 2000 people nationwide)

“Bectu is not a subscription service. You pay to be part of a group and you get involved in that group.”

“For every member we’ve got in Bectu, the stronger the voices and the easier it is to get things your own way.”

“Unity gives us the strength.”

“We are Bectu. Bectu is made up of us. The Art Department Committee are people who work in the Art Department who want to make a change.”

“If people really want to action a change, you’ve got to become a member of Bectu and the more of us that are there, the more likely we are to make change, the more we’ll push our ratecard.”