In United Kingdom, published freelance rates for a camera operator are £300–£500 a 10-hour day.
Freelance
£300–£500 a 10-hour day
Sources
3 documents
What camera operator work in United Kingdom pays, according to the documents that set rates there, each quoted as printed. How the pay guide works →
What the published rates say
Day of 10 hours with a meal break
Camera Operator, Target RateBectu · Recommended rates · 1 Apr 2023
£500
Camera Operator, Prof. Minimum RateBectu · Recommended rates · 1 Apr 2023
£400
Camera Assistant, Prof. Minimum RateBectu · Recommended rates · 1 Apr 2023
£300
Day
Camera Operator, TV drama Band 3 (<£7m/h), 10 hr day + 1 hr lunchBectu · Recommended rates · 1 Jan 2025
£673
Camera Operator, TV drama Band 1 (<£1m/h), 10 hr day + 1 hr lunchBectu · Recommended rates · 1 Jan 2025
£563
Hour
Camera Operator, TV drama Band 1, hourly base rate (1T)Bectu · Recommended rates · 1 Jan 2025
£56
Each published rate as a day's pay
Freelance · 6 figures
£300 a 10-hour day
£673 a day
US$ a day at the ECB rate for the month. A month is 12 payments over 260 working days, or 13 or 14 where the agreement says so; a year is 260 days; a shift counts as a day.
| Type of work | What | As printed | US$ a day | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance | Camera Assistant, Prof. Minimum Rate | £300 a 10-hour day | $402.95 | Bectu · Recommended rates · 1 Apr 2023 |
| Freelance | Camera Operator, Prof. Minimum Rate | £400 a 10-hour day | $537.26 | Bectu · Recommended rates · 1 Apr 2023 |
| Freelance | Camera Operator, TV drama Band 1, hourly base rate (1T) | £56 an hour | $601.73 | Bectu · Recommended rates · 1 Jan 2025 |
| Freelance | Camera Operator, Target Rate | £500 a 10-hour day | $671.58 | Bectu · Recommended rates · 1 Apr 2023 |
| Freelance | Camera Operator, TV drama Band 1 (<£1m/h), 10 hr day + 1 hr lunch | £563 a day | $756.20 | Bectu · Recommended rates · 1 Jan 2025 |
| Freelance | Camera Operator, TV drama Band 3 (<£7m/h), 10 hr day + 1 hr lunch | £673 a day | $903.95 | Bectu · Recommended rates · 1 Jan 2025 |
Every figure, as printed
Open a row for the wording in the document and its dates.
Printed
563DocumentBectu Camera Branch rate card for TV drama and film, 1 Jan 2025 · Recommended rates StatusIn force · 1 Jan 2025
Printed
673DocumentBectu Camera Branch rate card for TV drama and film, 1 Jan 2025 · Recommended rates StatusIn force · 1 Jan 2025
Printed
56DocumentBectu Camera Branch rate card for TV drama and film, 1 Jan 2025 · Recommended rates StatusIn force · 1 Jan 2025
Printed
Camera Operator 500 400DocumentBectu outside broadcast recommended freelance rates and terms, April 2023 · Recommended rates StatusIn force · 1 Apr 2023 Target rate: what some members already get; Bectu urges it as the starting point in negotiation. Labour only; travel, subsistence, accommodation and equipment invoiced as extras.
Printed
Camera Operator 500 400DocumentBectu outside broadcast recommended freelance rates and terms, April 2023 · Recommended rates StatusIn force · 1 Apr 2023 Day = up to 10 hours from call time to off-site time incl. a paid 1-hour meal break (term 1.1). Unless otherwise agreed the terms apply in full (12.2). Invoices due within 30 days.
Printed
Camera Assistant 325 300DocumentBectu outside broadcast recommended freelance rates and terms, April 2023 · Recommended rates StatusIn force · 1 Apr 2023
Printed
Camera Operator OB (Buyout) £431 £384.50 £46.50DocumentBBC Scotland freelance and casual rates, agreed rate 2025/26 · Collective agreement StatusIn force Agreed rate = base rate £384.50 + holiday pay £46.50. No unit is printed (probably a day).
Printed
Camera Operator STA/STB £407 £363.09 £43.91DocumentBBC Scotland freelance and casual rates, agreed rate 2025/26 · Collective agreement StatusIn force Agreed rate = base rate £363.09 + holiday pay £43.91. Same role in continuous output: £309.
Printed
£420DocumentBectu Scottish Freelance Branch agreement with QTV, 1 Jul 2024 to 30 Jun 2026 · Collective agreement StatusReplaced or expired · 1 Jul 2025
Printed
£410DocumentBectu Scottish Freelance Branch agreement with QTV, 1 Jul 2024 to 30 Jun 2026 · Collective agreement StatusReplaced or expired · 1 Jul 2024
Printed
£320DocumentBectu Scottish Freelance Branch agreement with QTV, 1 Jul 2024 to 30 Jun 2026 · Collective agreement StatusReplaced or expired · 1 Jul 2024
Questions people ask
In United Kingdom, published freelance rates for a camera operator are £300–£500 a 10-hour day.
Bectu, in 4 documents.
About this data. These rates are compiled from publicly available sources and quoted as printed, with their date. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any figure. For information only: Journalist.net does not recommend or set rates. How we count