Seeking an Art Director for an Independent low budget feature film

This rate is not just insulting—it’s exploitative. You’re asking an Art Director to take on an extensive workload, including drafting, for pay that doesn’t even meet New York State’s minimum wage when broken down over a 12-hour day. If this is truly all the budget allows, at least be honest and position it as a stepping stone for someone new to the field—not as a professional-level role. For an experienced Art Director in film or high-end productions, this rate is beyond unreasonable. It devalues the expertise, skill, and labor that go into building a production’s visual world. Positions like this set a dangerous precedent, reinforcing the idea that skilled work should be done for next to nothing. If productions continue to demand high-level talent without fair compensation, they’ll find themselves with no one left willing to do the job.

The only online presence for BF Production & M Production I can find is overseas outside of the US. Jessica and Starlet are 110% correct. To add more perspective, In 2002 I was a PA on commercials making $175/day as Production PA and $225/day as Art PA. Yes a 30 sec commercial can have more budget than an indie feature film, but still BF Production in 2025 offering $180/10hrs ($0.36 above NYS minimum wage) for an experienced Art Director in film or high-end productions, with all those requirements, is insane, insulting, unfair, and will never happen. Good luck. To all the PAs out there, in 2025 you should be making at least $300/12 hr day, $220/10 hr day, which included overtime after 8 hours in a day. PAs work hard, long hours, and are valuable to any production.

This is an insane rate for an Art PA let alone an art director who you expect to be taking on this many rolls including drafting. If you can only pay this much make the position for somone green looking to learn/ move up. This is an insulting ask for an experienced art director.