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At Wrapbook, we pride ourselves on providing outstanding free resources to producers and their crews, but this post is for informational purposes only as of the date above. The content on our website is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal, accounting, or tax advice. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances.
As a producer, one of the first questions you’ll face is whether to bring on a DGA director. The Directors Guild of America (DGA) represents some of the best working directors in the industry, but hiring one means following a set of union rules—starting with paying the minimum rates outlined in the DGA Rate Card.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the updated 2025–2026 DGA Rate Card so you know exactly what to budget for your director, assistant director, or unit production manager. These numbers reflect the minimums, but keep in mind that many DGA members are paid well above them.
For reference, the 2025 DGA Rate Card for films, television, and pilots is valid through June 30, 2026, while the Commercial Rate Card runs from December 1, 2024, to November 30, 2025.
DGA rates establish the baseline pay you’re required to meet when hiring directors, assistant directors, or unit production managers. They set the floor for compensation, but producers should know these rates aren’t limited to a flat daily or weekly fee.
Unlike SAG rates, DGA agreements also guarantee time for pre-production, shooting, and post. In most cases, producers pay a lump sum that covers the entire process—but if additional days are required, you’ll move into daily or weekly overages.
On top of base compensation, producers are responsible for contributing to the DGA’s pension and health plans, often referred to as “fringes.” These mandatory percentages add a significant cost on top of scale pay, making it essential to factor them into your budget from the start.
Before you dive into the DGA Rate Card, make sure you’ve sketched out at least a basic budget for your project. You don’t need specialized software, but having a clear sense of your production costs is essential for determining your DGA obligations. The DGA will require you to submit this budget to confirm eligibility before you can move forward with hiring a director. If you need a starting point, Wrapbook’s film budget template can help.
Beyond base pay, producers must factor in additional costs. The 2025–2026 DGA Rate Card requires a 19.5% contribution to pension and health plans—a 0.5% increase from the previous agreement. These contributions, known as “fringes,” are non-negotiable and represent a significant portion of your payroll.
For theatrical and television projects, unit production managers (UPMs) and assistant directors (ADs) may also be subject to training and qualification list fees, which vary by work zone (New York, Los Angeles, or a third area). Always confirm the applicable rates directly with the DGA.
On full theatrical productions and established TV, producers are also responsible for 8.583% in vacation and holiday pay (4% for vacation, 4.583% for holidays). Vacation pay is typically disbursed weekly, while holiday pay is accrued.
Because the rules vary widely across categories and budget tiers, it’s always best to double-check the latest contract language with the DGA.
If you’re producing a feature, the DGA Theatrical Agreement is your go-to reference. This rate card sets minimums for films across different budget levels. Like SAG agreements, these minimums are tied directly to your project’s budget.
Because directing a feature requires extensive prep, shoot, and post work, DGA rates are typically expressed as weekly salaries with guaranteed minimum work periods. In this context, a “week” is defined as five days. If your production extends beyond that, you’ll also need to account for state-mandated overtime pay.
If you’re producing a studio feature with a budget of $11 million or more, this is the section of the DGA Rate Card you’ll rely on. It sets both the minimum number of guaranteed weeks for prep, production, and post, as well as the weekly pay scale for directors.
This contract also applies to short films and documentaries, regardless of budget level.
For unit production managers and assistant directors, rates are:
If your budget falls just under $11 million, your project is considered a “low-budget” DGA production. The requirements for prep time, guaranteed shooting weeks, and cutting allowance remain the same—but the director’s pay is reduced.
Under this tier, the weekly salary is 10% lower than the Basic Theatrical Agreement, and that reduction also carries through to compensation for days worked beyond the guarantee as well as daily employment rates.
UPM and AD rates for this budget range are:
For projects with budgets between $3.75 million and $8.5 million (levels 4A and 4B), directors earn 25% less than they would under the Basic Theatrical Agreement. The minimum work weeks, however, remain unchanged—directing a feature still requires the same commitment regardless of budget size.
It’s also worth noting that the DGA Rate Card only establishes minimum weeks, not the actual duration of a project. For instance, Richard Linklater’s Boyhood (2014) had a budget of about $4 million yet was filmed over 12 years, far beyond the contractual minimum.
The DGA rates for UPMs and ADs though vary whether it’s level 4A ( $3.75MM–$5.5MM) or 4B ($5.5MM–$8.5MM):
At Level 3 (for films budgeted between $2.6 million and $3.75 million), the DGA takes a different approach. Unlike television agreements, this tier doesn’t specify a program rate, prep period, or additional rates beyond the guaranteed commitment.
Instead, you must guarantee your director 13 weeks of work with a minimum total compensation of $75,000. For second unit directors, the minimum is $1,500 per day.
For unit production managers (UPMs) and assistant directors (ADs) at this budget level, the weekly minimums are:
If your film’s budget falls under $2.6 million, the DGA does not set a fixed minimum rate for directors. Instead, compensation is negotiable between producer and director under the 2025–2026 DGA Rate Card.
However, you’re still responsible for paying 19.5% in fringes on top of whatever rate you agree to. In addition, the director must be given the same number of days in post-production to supervise the edit as were spent on principal photography.
For unit production managers (UPMs) and assistant directors (ADs), minimums vary by tier:
In television, DGA rates depend on where an episode falls within a series. For established shows, the creative foundation has already been set, so directing an episode typically involves fewer decisions than directing a pilot.
Because of this distinction, the DGA separates episodic television rates from pilot rates. If you’re producing an episode of an existing series, the following minimums apply.
Because the major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC) have long-standing agreements with the guilds, they operate under their own rules and generally offer higher rates for directors than cable productions.
When calculating DGA director rates for network television, you’ll need to know both your episode length and your budget. The DGA Rate Card categorizes these as “dramatic programs,” but that term simply refers to scripted narrative shows—comedies fall under the same rates. Reality programming is excluded.
If your project isn’t for ABC, CBS, FOX, or NBC, it falls under the cable/non-network category. DGA director rates here are generally lower than network rates, reflecting the smaller budgets typical of non-broadcast productions.
Aside from cost, the structure is largely the same. Prep time and guaranteed shooting periods closely mirror those of network television, and “dramatic” continues to mean scripted narrative programming (including comedies, but excluding reality).
Directing a pilot is far more demanding than directing an episode of an existing series. As the first installment, it sets the tone, style, and structure for everything that follows—requiring directors to make exponentially more creative and logistical decisions. It’s also why pilot directors often receive an executive producer credit.
To reflect this added responsibility, the DGA Rate Card provides higher compensation and extended prep time for pilots. As with episodic television, the exact minimums depend on where the pilot airs (network vs. cable/non-network) and the program’s length.
For network pilots, DGA director rates are set at a flat fee that scales with the program’s length. These rates are consistently higher than cable to reflect the larger budgets and higher expectations of broadcast networks.
Unlike standard episodic television, pilot agreements also include a greater number of guaranteed prep and shooting days. If production extends beyond those built-in days, producers must pay additional compensation at a rate of several thousand dollars per day.
The key distinction between network and cable pilots is compensation. While both agreements provide the same number of included prep and shoot days, cable/non-network rates are lower across the board—both for the flat fee and for additional days worked beyond the guarantee.
Keep in mind, these figures represent only the DGA minimums. In practice, many directors—particularly high-profile names—negotiate well above scale. A-list talent isn’t signing on to direct pilots for the minimums outlined in the DGA Rate Card.
Commercial shoots can range from a few hours to several weeks, but the DGA’s commercial agreement keeps things straightforward. Regardless of scale, directors are covered under a clear set of minimums that apply to both daily and weekly employment.
These rates are outlined in the 2025 DGA Commercial Rate Card, which remains in effect through November 30, 2025.
Even for seasoned producers, navigating DGA rates can be complex. The best practice is to always confirm details directly with the Directors Guild of America, as contracts and requirements evolve.
The rates outlined here are valid through June 30, 2026 for theatrical, television, and pilot agreements, while the Commercial Rate Card runs through November 30, 2025. Since these numbers will change again in the next cycle, check back for updates to ensure your budgets remain accurate.
If you’re also budgeting for talent, be sure to review our updated SAG rates for 2025. And if you’re looking for a streamlined way to manage entertainment payroll and production accounting, explore how Wrapbook can help—watch our demo today.
