Los Angeles Gaffer Day Rate (2026): What LA Gaffers Actually Charge

The gaffer is the chief lighting technician, the head of the electric department, and the cinematographer's closest technical partner on set. They translate the DP's lighting vision into a working plan, run the electric crew, spec and order the lighting package, and decide what gets rigged, powered, and pointed where. In Los Angeles in 2026, the deepest crew market in North America, working gaffers are commonly pulling $650-1,000/day on non-union commercial work and $850-1,400/day on union-signatory features and series, with the senior tier on national campaigns quoting above that.

This guide breaks down what an LA gaffer actually charges in 2026: how the labor number gets built, why the truck and lighting package are a separate line, the split by project type, and where IATSE Local 728 shapes the math.

The quick answer

Tier	Non-union commercial	Episodic / feature (union or non-union)
Entry / new gaffer	$500-750	$650-1,000
Mid-tier (5-10 years)	$750-1,100	$1,000-1,400
Senior / experienced	$1,100-1,800+	$1,400-2,000+

These ranges are for a 10 to 12-hour day in the Los Angeles market in 2026. They are labor only. The lighting package, the grip-and-electric truck, and the generator are separate rental lines, and prep days, overtime, and box or kit fees are billed on top. The number above is the gaffer's time, before the gear gets added.

If you are a coordinator budgeting a shoot, expect the gaffer line to land toward the middle of these bands for a typical commercial day. Music video and indie feature work tend toward the lower end. National commercial, branded content, and streaming series tend toward the upper end.

Why LA gaffer rates land where they do

Los Angeles is the largest production market on the continent and the single most competitive lighting labor pool anywhere. That depth means there is a working gaffer at nearly every price point, but the ceiling is set by the highest-budget commercial and studio work, which concentrates here. A few structural drivers.

Market depth and reel strength. More working gaffers live in LA than in any other city, so entry and mid-tier rates stay competitive. The top of the range belongs to gaffers with national commercial reels and long feature or series credits. Reputation and the quality of recent work, not raw years, are the real price lever.

IATSE Local 728. The Studio Electrical Lighting Technicians local covers gaffers and the electric department on union signatory work in Los Angeles. Studio features and most streaming series run signatory, so Local 728 scale, conditions, and benefit contributions apply. National commercial frequently shoots non-union with senior gaffers quoting at or above union-equivalent, which pulls the whole non-union commercial band upward.

The gaffer's place in the crew. The gaffer sits directly under the director of photography and runs the electric side, working in lockstep with the key grip who runs the grip side. Because the gaffer is a department head who orders and manages a full lighting package, their rate reflects buying decisions and crew leadership, not just hands on the set. Gaffer day rates typically sit a step below DP rates and roughly in line with the key grip.

By project type

Gaffer day rates in LA vary noticeably by what you are actually shooting.

National commercial campaign. $1,000-1,800/day for a working senior gaffer, higher on spots with complex lighting design, large rigs, or heavy schedule compression. National commercial runs the most generous lighting budgets in the city and is where the senior tier earns most of its income.

Branded content and regional commercial. $750-1,200/day. Smaller crews, faster turnarounds, smaller lighting packages. This is where mid-tier gaffers build the reels that eventually move them into national work.

Streaming and episodic. Most series shoot signatory, so Local 728 scale applies. A series gaffer in LA typically lands $1,000-1,400/day plus box rental and, on many shows, a vehicle allowance. Senior gaffers with established DP relationships and multi-season credits exceed this range.

Independent feature. $650-1,000/day, often structured as a flat weekly to fit the budget. Indie features in LA frequently run under non-union waivers, and crew accept slightly lower rates in exchange for shorter days, a strong credit, or a relationship with a DP they want to keep working with.

Music video. $700-1,200/day, and wildly variable. Label-funded videos for established artists pay real money and often carry big lighting rigs. Independent artist videos run leaner and lower. The reel value is frequently part of the draw.

If you want to see how the whole lighting and camera team stacks up, the 2026 film crew day rates guide lays out every department in one place.

What the day rate does and does not include

This is the part that trips up most first-time producers hiring a gaffer. The quoted day rate is the gaffer's labor for a standard 10 to 12-hour day. It does not include the gear, and the gear is where the real money is.

The lighting package. The lights, stands, cable, distro, dimmers, and control are a rental line item, not part of the gaffer's fee. The gaffer specs the package and orders it, often through a rental house they have a relationship with, but you are paying for that gear separately. On a commercial with a serious lighting design, the package can dwarf the labor line.

The grip-and-electric truck. Many working LA gaffers own their own truck and a house package of lights and cable that lives on it. When that is the case, the truck and its package are billed as a separate rental line, distinct from the gaffer's labor. A gaffer-owned truck can be a good deal, because you are renting a known, ready-to-roll package from the person who knows it best rather than sourcing it cold from a vendor. Always ask for the truck-and-package rate as its own number so you can compare it against a rental-house quote.

The generator. On any location shoot pulling more power than the practical circuits can handle, you are renting a generator. That is its own line, separate from both the labor and the truck.

Prep days. Rigging days, pre-lights, and package prep are typically billed at a prep-day rate, commonly 50-75% of the shoot-day rate.

Overtime. Hours past the agreed day trigger overtime, typically time-and-a-half and then double time, with union signatory work following Local 728's specific and more generous structure. LA days run long, so build an overtime buffer into every budget.

How to hire a gaffer in LA without overpaying

The most common budgeting mistake is anchoring on a single number. A gaffer engagement is a negotiation across the labor rate, the truck-and-package rental, prep days, and overtime terms, and the total is what matters. Three practical moves.

Match the tier to the deliverable. A regional spot does not need a national-reel senior gaffer. Overpaying for a tier you will not see on screen is the fastest way to blow a lighting budget.

Get the truck and package as separate numbers. Ask any gaffer who owns a truck to break out the labor, the truck-and-package rental, and the generator as three distinct lines. That is the only way to compare a gaffer-owned package against a rental-house quote and know which is cheaper for your shoot.

Book availability, not just rate. In a market this deep, the constraint is rarely finding a gaffer at your price. It is finding a good one who is free on your dates and partners well with your DP. Lock availability first.

Post your project on NeedaCrew and get matched with verified, available gaffers in Los Angeles who fit your budget and your shoot dates: post a project. You can also browse working gaffers in Los Angeles directly. If you are a gaffer working in LA, list yourself on NeedaCrew so producers can find you when the dates line up.

How it fits your crew budget

The gaffer is one line in a lighting and electric budget that also includes the DP above them, the key grip beside them, the electric crew below them, and the gear that makes up the largest single cost. Budget the department as a unit, not as isolated day rates.

For the full picture, see the 2026 film crew day rates guide hub, compare the Los Angeles DP day rate the gaffer works under and the Los Angeles key grip day rate that runs the grip side, or check the Atlanta gaffer day rate if your production is mobile and chasing an incentive market.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average gaffer day rate in Los Angeles in 2026? There is no single average, because the range is wide. A working mid-tier gaffer typically lands $750-1,100/day on non-union commercial work and $1,000-1,400/day on union-signatory episodic and feature. Entry gaffers quote lower, and senior gaffers on national campaigns quote well above these bands.

Does the gaffer rate include the lights and the truck? No. The lighting package, the grip-and-electric truck, and the generator are separate rental lines. Many LA gaffers own their own truck and house package and bill it as its own number, distinct from their labor. Always ask for the truck-and-package rate separately.

How much is a gaffer truck rental in LA? It varies with the size and contents of the package, so there is no single figure. The important thing for budgeting is that it is a rental line separate from labor. Ask the gaffer to quote the truck and its package as its own number so you can compare it against a rental-house quote.

Is a Local 728 gaffer more expensive than a non-union gaffer? Not always on the headline number, but signatory work carries union scale, conditions, and benefit contributions that affect total cost. On national commercial, senior non-union gaffers often quote at or above union-equivalent anyway.

How do I hire a gaffer in LA fast? Post your project on NeedaCrew with your budget and shoot dates. You get matched with verified, available gaffers in Los Angeles, so you are choosing from lighting technicians who are actually free when you need them.