Who EARNS what in Kenyan showbiz

Pay rates in showbiz are dependent on many factors, some of which include how well-funded the projects are and the popularity of the artistes. GRAPHIC | FILE

What you need to know:

  • BUZZ consulted Kenyan producers, actors and those with inside information on the pay rates of industry players and entertainers.
  • Kenyan A-list movie actors earn about Sh100,000, while actors with significant supporting roles are paid about Sh70,000 per movie. Since there are many supporting cast members in a movie, those with lines make Sh15,000 and those without take home Sh2,000. 
  • Video producers trying to make a name for themselves usually do it for free, or charge between Sh10,000 and Sh50,000. Experienced video producers charge between Sh150,000 and Sh200,000, and that is just the production fee. 

Television actors

Newcomers to a television show can expect to earn about Sh10,000 an episode. A-list television actors with leading roles, on the other hand, take home up to Sh25,000 per episode.

Supporting cast members make between Sh10,000 and Sh15,000, while extras with lines get around Sh7,000 to Sh10,000. Extras without lines get Sh2,000 and, on a good day, Sh5,000. 

Film actors

Kenyan A-list movie actors earn about Sh100,000, while actors with significant supporting roles are paid about Sh70,000 per movie. Since there are many supporting cast members in a movie, those with lines make Sh15,000 and those without take home Sh2,000. 

Television/film cameramen

The flat rate for freelance television cameramen is usually Sh10,000. But the experienced ones can earn up to Sh20,000. Film cameramen, just like those in TV, earn about Sh10,000 a day and this could go up depending on one’s experience in the business. 

Gaffer

In a well-funded production, a gaffer — in charge of the lighting plan — can take home Sh15,000 a day. 

Sound

In most cases, the sound man comes with all the equipment and a small crew and is paid at a full package rate — which comes to about Sh40,000 a day. He will then pay his people who, for example, include a boom swinger at a rate of Sh7,000 a day. A lone sound man can make up to Sh15,000 a day. 

Television scriptwriter

Depending on the duration of a show, seasoned scriptwriters can make up to Sh30,000 per episode for a 22-minute show, and not less than Sh50,000 for a 45-minute programme. 

Television show creator

Assuming the show is commissioned, the creator is paid a percentage, usually two to five per cent, while a movie creator gets more, about 10 per cent to 15 per cent. 

Television director

He or she is paid about the same amount as a television scriptwriter, which is Sh30,000. The fee also depends on the duration of the episode.     

Television producer

Is in charge of the project and, most of the time, does not earn a salary. He gets paid only if the programme makes a profit. If it doesn’t, then his bills do not get paid. 

Executive producer

He basically comes up with the idea and the money, then employs a producer to execute everything. 

Deejays

Resident deejays of relatively well-known clubs get paid between Sh30,000 and Sh40,000 a week. Those in high-end clubs make about Sh45,000 a night. Newcomers or those who play in local clubs take home about Sh10,000. The fee for experienced and popular deejays is about Sh70,000 a night for one-off gigs and could go up if it is an out-of-town show. 

Video producer

Video producers trying to make a name for themselves usually do it for free, or charge between Sh10,000 and Sh50,000. Experienced video producers charge between Sh150,000 and Sh200,000, and that is just the production fee. If you take into consideration all the logistics, it might come to half a million shillings. Anything extra, like models, come out of the artiste’s pockets. 

Musicians

A-list bands do not take less than a million shillings for a major client, while a single entity could pocket about Sh500,000. B and C-list artistes make between Sh150,000 and Sh200,000. 

Comedians

An A-list comedian pockets around Sh350,000 at major gigs probably sponsored by big corporates. Relatively popular comedians do no fare as well, but can earn Sh150,000. 

Publicists

The rates are usually agreed upon between an artiste and the publicist. One-off gigs could earn a publicist up to Sh60,000 while those with monthly salaries make between Sh20,000 and Sh30,000. But sometimes publicists do pro bono jobs in return for future favours from artistes. 

Social media influencers

Depending on the number of followers one has, a “bigwig” influencer could make anything from Sh5,000 to Sh10,000 a day just to send out a couple of tweets or Facebook posts. Those with lesser followers can earn Sh5,000 a week. Those with serious clout, for example, charge up to Sh50,000 to post and promote stuff on their Instagram accounts.