By Randi Altman

It began 8 years ago as a Blue Collar Post Collective (BCPC) initiative, but now the annual US Post Production Rates Survey has taken on a life of its own. In fact, this year it has its own website so it’s easier to find.

Katie Hinsen, who co-founded the BCPC in early 2014, is the administrator of this initiative, which she says is the most comprehensive survey of the post community in the US. This year the initiative is being supported by 15 organizations (including postPerspective) that have pledged to help spread the word and get the community to participate.

According to Hinsen, “This survey initiative not only allows for industrywide pay transparency but also tracks diversity and equity, as well as how world events, like the pandemic and strikes, affect our community. This year we will be able to measure the impact of the strikes because folks are asked about changes in their employment between July and November.”

The annual survey tracks data on pay rates, demographic distribution, trends and DEI data for post production pros across the United States. Surveytakers remain anonymous, and the survey results show a snapshot of who we are, how we work and what we are paid.

The 2023 survey is open through the month of November for submissions. It’s an anonymous survey for those working in the US post production industry in any capacity. Reports and data from previous years are available at www.postproductiondata.com. And the 2023 report will be available in December.

We reached out to Hinsen, a longtime friend of postPerspective’s, about the survey and what it means to the industry. But first we got some background on how it all began.

How did the BCPC come about and why?
I co-founded BCPC with the simple goal of allowing below-the-line folks working at post facilities in New York the chance to meet each other and make friends. It grew so fast, and we realized quickly that we could have a real positive impact, so Janis Vogel and I set up the nonprofit organization as a mechanism for folks to launch initiatives that support emerging talent in post… and to generally make our industry a better place.

The organization grew into a worldwide movement and has allowed members to set up programs like resume workshops, funding for folks to attend conferences, social events, mentorship programs and direct mutual aid during the pandemic shutdowns.

Did you always know you would do a salary survey? What led you to this?
The most common question folks would ask on BCPC forums was, “How much should I be paid”? A lot of people coming into the industry, or moving into a new job role, were seeking out that information from the community.

It’s a hard question for people to answer publicly. I thought that the easiest solution would be an anonymous survey, where people could more comfortably report what they earn and enable others to benefit from that transparency. The first survey was in 2016, and it was overwhelmingly popular. I continued administering it annually, improving it over the years with feedback from the community.

How does it help those who are new to the industry? Or even veterans looking for new work?
I can see that at least one person accesses the most recent raw data almost every day of the year. I also get a lot of feedback from those who know I’m involved. Individuals let me know that they use the raw data whenever they’re interviewing for a new job, empowering them to ask for a rate they feel is right for them.

Hiring managers tell me they also use the data to find out what the going rate might be. Organizations that want to work on improving DEI measures have been using the reports to inform them of where and how to target their efforts.

This survey has taken on a life of its own, with many excited when the new one comes out.
That’s right. In fact, I had planned to bow out this year and not continue the work. I have not been involved with BCPC since I handed it over to a new generation of leadership a few years ago. I kept doing this work anyway because of its importance to the wider community. But it relies on people knowing when the survey is available to take so that I can get the data I need for the work to be useful. Not only am I now effectively out of the post industry, but I have much less of a social media presence than ever.

After I announced that I would be not continuing the project, I had an overwhelming response of support from organizations wanting to help the work continue. It showed me just how much this means to the industry as a whole, and I’m glad that I am enabled and supported to keep serving the community in this small way each year.

How many respondents do you need to make this work?
There’s no upper limit, but for the data to begin to be meaningful in terms of averages and trends, it’s important that we collect more than 2,500 responses. More importantly, we need to collect enough responses that the whole diversity of experience working in post is represented. Every person who contributes helps someone in a similar position.

Given that post production is so broad, encompassing many different departments and roles and also existing everywhere, with people working on content from houses of worship and social media to Hollywood films and television – it takes thousands of responses to begin to truly represent the world of post today.

Would something like this have helped you in the start of your career?
Absolutely, and many of my senior colleagues say the same thing. We all want to be the person we needed when we were starting out, and by contributing to this project, we can pay it forward in a really meaningful way.

I have always been inspired by the people who empowered and shared with me when I was starting out. I would not be where I am today were it not for those people, who were so generous with their time, wisdom and honesty. Today’s industry is quite different in that it is more fractured, and folks more often start out without a strong support network to guide them. That’s why I am passionate about building that support within today’s community, and this program is a key part of that.

Click here to take the survey.