Studio chiefs’ annual salaries start at $5 million and often have expensive perks. earn upwards of $75 million, while Dwayne Johnson earns over $50 million, and Jennifer Lawrence earns $35 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
How Do Film Director Salaries Compare to Similar Careers?Ĭurious whether directors earn more than their coworkers? Find out how directors’ rates compare to other film and TV professionals. Take a closer look at some well-known directors and their standard rates. Film Director Earnings by Seniority: Years of Experience and Salaryįor many film directors, prior box office earnings are major salary factors. 2018 Salary Information for Producers and DirectorsĬhron reports that in 2018, directors earned a median annual salary of $71,680.
Film Director Salary by State: Regional Comparisonsĭirectors in New York and California earn the highest salaries. In addition to a base rate, some directors earn a percentage of box office sales or profits. Mean SalaryĪccording to Glassdoor, the average base pay for directors is about $36,000 per year. The median salary for directors is $34.46 per hour, according to Career Explorer. Additional Film Director Salary Numbers Minimum Payĭirectors earn a minimum of about $19,000 per project. Award-winning directors like Ron Howard and James Marsh have earned high rates for their TV productions. Speaking of: Televisionĭirectors can also make it big on the small screen. Night Shyamalan and Peter Jackson have reportedly earned at least $20 million per film for taking on this additional work and creative control. In rare cases, directors also write and produce their films. Gareth Edwards has had decreased earning power since he required a co-director, while Tony Gilroy has been able to demand impressive rates. The Star Wars Make-or-Breakĭirectors who have made movies in the Star Wars franchise find that these films can make or break their earning power.
That means Justin Lin, who has more current hits on his resume, can ask for a higher salary than Michael Bay, whose recent films didn’t do as well. It Doesn’t Matter What You Did 10 Years AgoĪccording to Vanity Fair, having a 10-year-old blockbuster under their belt doesn’t mean directors can ask for high salaries today. Instead, directors like Rian Johnson and Jordan Peele have gained accolades and higher salaries quickly, thanks to surprise box office hits. The Hot Up-and-Comersĭirectors don’t always have to work their way up in the industry slowly. Peter Jackson and James Cameron have a similar status, with box office totals over $6 billion. With box office earnings totaling over $9 billion, Steven Spielberg is a legendary director who earns one of the highest salaries in the industry.