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Assistant producer vs freelance photographer

The differences between assistant producers and freelance photographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an assistant producer, becoming a freelance photographer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an assistant producer has an average salary of $45,231, which is higher than the $42,949 average annual salary of a freelance photographer.

The top three skills for an assistant producer include video production, web content and audio clips. The most important skills for a freelance photographer are adobe photoshop, aperture, and adobe lightroom.

Assistant producer vs freelance photographer overview

Assistant ProducerFreelance Photographer
Yearly salary$45,231$42,949
Hourly rate$21.75$20.65
Growth rate8%9%
Number of jobs10,2561,766
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age4039
Years of experience122

What does an assistant producer do?

In the entertainment industry, an assistant producer is in charge of overseeing production operations and coordinating staff, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They typically manage the schedules and hiring procedures, write and edit production materials, arrange meetings with internal and external parties, procure supplies, and develop strategies to optimize production operations. They may also perform clerical tasks such as preparing and processing documentation, obtaining permits, and even disseminating information. Furthermore, an assistant producer may also participate in establishing policies and regulations for a safe and efficient work environment.

What does a freelance photographer do?

A freelance photographer produces photos while under a specific short-term contract. They are primarily responsible for coordinating with the client to learn any requests or preferences, bringing necessary devices and lighting equipment, securing the best location and setting, handling any obstruction during the photoshoot, and delivering high-quality results in a short amount of time. Moreover, a photographer must maintain a healthy working environment with clients or models by building rapport, which will also help establish a client base.

Assistant producer vs freelance photographer salary

Assistant producers and freelance photographers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Assistant ProducerFreelance Photographer
Average salary$45,231$42,949
Salary rangeBetween $32,000 And $62,000Between $29,000 And $61,000
Highest paying CityMiddletown, CT-
Highest paying stateConnecticut-
Best paying companyPlayStation-
Best paying industry--

Differences between assistant producer and freelance photographer education

There are a few differences between an assistant producer and a freelance photographer in terms of educational background:

Assistant ProducerFreelance Photographer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 79%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common majorCommunicationPhotography
Most common collegeHarvard UniversityHarvard University

Assistant producer vs freelance photographer demographics

Here are the differences between assistant producers' and freelance photographers' demographics:

Assistant ProducerFreelance Photographer
Average age4039
Gender ratioMale, 51.5% Female, 48.5%Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 6.3% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 7.0% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage14%11%

Differences between assistant producer and freelance photographer duties and responsibilities

Assistant producer example responsibilities.

  • Facilitate and manage CNN weekend editorial team of freelance editorial producers.
  • Research relevant theme source b-roll video and book relevant interviews and shoots.
  • Used information to compile competitive quarterly reviews using Microsoft PowerPoint.
  • Collaborate with production to streamline and track internal booking calendars.
  • Negotiate copyediting, proofreading, typesetting/layout, and art rendering services at substantial cost savings to the company.
  • Develop story ideas and create highlights and feature packages for specialty shows including SportsCenter, NFL PrimeTime and NBA2Night.
  • Show more

Freelance photographer example responsibilities.

  • Manage HDR and PANO shots for greater Pittsburgh area.
  • Help manage a few bands Facebook pages and websites, including sharing and promoting shows and upcoming relate events.
  • Manage creative projects from concept to completion; including signs, posters, specialize logos and video documentaries for clients.
  • Provide commercial photography to assist company advertising and promotion on social platforms, including Instagram and Facebook.
  • Experience with Nikon D90 and relate equipment.
  • Experience with Nikon D50 D2100 SLR digital cameras
  • Show more

Assistant producer vs freelance photographer skills

Common assistant producer skills
  • Video Production, 17%
  • Web Content, 10%
  • Audio Clips, 7%
  • Production Schedules, 7%
  • QA, 5%
  • Facebook, 5%
Common freelance photographer skills
  • Adobe Photoshop, 30%
  • Aperture, 14%
  • Adobe Lightroom, 7%
  • Photo Shoots, 5%
  • Portfolio, 4%
  • Music Videos, 4%

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