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Day rate to hourly calculator
Find out what your day rate is really worth per hour. Enter your rate and the hours it's based on to see your straight time, overtime and double time rates.
How your hourly rate is calculated
Most crew are hired on a day rate that covers a set number of hours, usually 10 or 12. That’s your guarantee. Overtime starts after 8 hours, not after 12, so your day rate already pays for some overtime. That’s why your real hourly rate is lower than your day rate divided by your hours.
Most productions follow the same structure:
Straight time (1×): the first 8 hours
Overtime (1.5×): hours 8 to 12
Double time (2×): every hour after 12
To find your base rate, count your guarantee in pay hours. On a 12-hour guarantee, the first 8 hours count as 8 and the next 4 count as 6 (4 × 1.5). Your day rate covers 14 pay hours, so divide it by 14.
Guarantee
Pay hours
Divide your day rate by
8 hours
8
8
10 hours
11
11
12 hours
14
14
Worked example: $650 on a 12-hour guarantee
$650 ÷ 14 pay hours = $46.43 base hourly
Straight time: $46.43/hr
Overtime: $69.64/hr
Double time: $92.86/hr
Every hour past 12 is worth $92.86. A 14-hour day pays $650 plus two hours of double time, for $835.71.
Why the guarantee matters as much as the rate
Two offers can quote the same day rate and pay very differently. What matters is how many hours the rate covers.
$650 on a 10-hour guarantee is $59.09 base hourly. A 12-hour day pays $827.27.
$650 on a 12-hour guarantee is $46.43 base hourly. The same 12-hour day pays $650.
That’s $177 more for the same day, just from the guarantee. When a production offers a flat rate, ask what it’s based on. If they want 12 hours, either the rate should go up or you should know you’re taking a cut on every long day.
6th and 7th days
On a 6th consecutive day, every hour starts at 1.5× and goes to 2× after 12. On a 7th, every hour is paid at 2×. At $650 on a 12-hour guarantee, a 12-hour 6th day pays $835.71 and a 12-hour 7th day pays $1,114.29.
These follow common union-style rules. Non-union and low-budget deals vary, and some states (California, for example) set their own daily overtime and 7th-day rules. Check your deal memo.
Common day rate mistakes
Dividing your day rate by 12. This overstates your hourly rate and undercounts your overtime. On a 12-hour guarantee, divide by 14.
Counting lunch as worked time. Lunch is off the clock. A 13-hour day with a 30-minute lunch is 12.5 paid hours.
Billing a short day at a partial rate. If you wrap at 9 hours on a 12-hour guarantee, you’re still owed the full day.
Missing the 6th or 7th day. Premium days are easy to forget when you invoice a whole week at once.
Rounding hours down. Many productions pay in tenths or quarters of an hour. Bill what you actually worked.
Get your whole day calculated
Log your call, lunch and wrap times. Slater works out your overtime and meal penalties and puts it all on your invoice.
Frequently asked questions
01
How do I calculate my hourly rate from a day rate?
Divide your day rate by the pay hours in your guarantee, not the hours themselves. On a 12-hour guarantee, divide by 14. On a 10, divide by 11. On an 8, divide by 8.
02
When does overtime start on a film set?
On most productions, overtime (1.5×) starts after 8 hours and double time (2×) starts after 12. Your guarantee doesn’t change when overtime starts. It changes how much of it your day rate already covers.
03
What are pay hours?
Your guarantee counted at its overtime value. A 12-hour guarantee is 8 hours at 1× plus 4 hours at 1.5×, which equals 14 pay hours.
04
Is lunch paid?
Usually not. Lunch is off the clock, so it comes out of your call-to-wrap time. A walking lunch, where you eat on the job, is paid.
05
Do I get paid my full day rate if we wrap early?
Yes. If you work fewer hours than your guarantee, you’re paid the full guaranteed amount.
06
Does this include meal penalties, kit fees or box rental?
No. The calculator covers your rates only. Slater calculates meal penalties from your actual times and adds kit fees and gear rentals to the same invoice.
07
Is this accurate for my contract?
It’s based on the most common structure. Union agreements, local rules and individual deal memos all vary, so always confirm your pay terms with production.