Hire & rates
James Coote quotes cinematography by the day or by the project. The rate depends on the format (editorial, e-commerce, campaign, commercial), the number of shoot and prep days, and where the shoot is. Email james@intangible.tv with brief, dates and location for a written quote.
How is a DOP day rate built?
A shoot-day fee for the cinematographer, plus prep days (location recce, pre-light, camera tests, meetings with the director and production designer) at a lower rate, plus travel days where the shoot is outside Paris or London. Kit, crew and transport are separate lines on the production budget, not hidden in the fee. Usage fees are not charged for cinematography.
Does the rate change by format?
Yes. A one-day editorial or e-commerce shoot is priced differently from a multi-day luxury campaign with a build, a virtual stage or a large crew, because the responsibility and the prep differ. James will tell you which bracket a job falls into when he sees the brief; the written quote states the day rate, the number of days and what each day covers.
What is included in the fee?
Reading the treatment and references, a call with the director, a lighting and camera approach, the shoot days themselves, on-set colour management with the agreed LUT, and a handover note for the colourist. Not included: camera and lighting rental, gaffer and camera assistants, grip, stage hire, travel and accommodation, which production books or James can arrange and pass through at cost.
Crew and kit
James works with regular crew in Paris and recommends crew elsewhere. Camera and lenses are chosen per project and rented from the rental house that suits the production; he does not push a package he happens to own. Where a production already has a camera deal in place, he works within it.
What to send for a quote
- Brand, agency or production company, and who the director is
- Deck, treatment or moodboard, even rough
- Shoot dates, prep dates if known, and the location or stage
- Deliverables: film lengths, formats, stills shot alongside or not
- Budget range if you have one; it shortens the conversation
Agent or direct?
Direct. Brands, agencies and production companies book James by email. Quotes come from him directly. See cinematographer in Paris, the full profile and selected work.