How much do actors earn in Ukrainian cinema? Komarovsky reveals the figures
Oleksiy Komarovsky spoke about this in an interview with the YouTube project “Case”.
Renowned Ukrainian director and producer Oleksiy Komarovsky revealed the figures which, according to him, actors in Ukrainian cinema currently receive for a single day’s filming.
According to Komarovsky, for lead actors or supporting actors, fees can range from 10,000 to 40,000 hryvnias per shift.
He specifically emphasised that these figures do not apply to bit-part actors or those taking part in crowd scenes. For them, as he explained, the pay is significantly lower.
The producer also stated that there are actors in Ukraine who earn up to 2,000 dollars for a single day of filming. However, he did not name any specific names.
Thus, it follows from his words that in the upper segment of the Ukrainian film market, there are already rates that differ significantly from average earnings in the theatre sector and in lower-paid acting categories.
In his interview, Komarovsky explained that he did not wish to name specific films or individuals, but outlined the pay range itself.
He said that this specifically refers to lead and supporting actors, rather than ‘extras’ or crowd scenes.
Separately, the producer added that there are performers on the Ukrainian market who can already expect a fee of up to $2,000 per day of filming. He did not specify exactly who falls into this category.
What is being said about salaries in the theatre
Against the backdrop of these statements, the article also mentions another public stance on artists’ earnings – this time in the theatre sector.
Theatre and film actress Lilia Rebrik has previously expressed dissatisfaction with the low incomes of theatre artists. According to her, theatre salaries remain “unjustifiably low”.
She stated that she cannot imagine how one could live on a theatre salary alone, and emphasised that many artists have to seek work in other fields and combine stage work with roles in films and TV series.
Rebrik also emphasised that working exclusively in the theatre does not provide sufficient income to cover basic needs. That is why, she said, actors are increasingly turning to cinema, where fees are higher and there are more opportunities for professional development.
Thus, Komarovsky’s statement regarding film pay rates has once again brought to the fore the issue of the significant financial divide within the Ukrainian cultural sector – between film production, TV series, theatre, bit parts and crowd scenes.
As reported by ThePublic, despite growing demand for Ukrainian content, up to 71% of Ukrainians still consume Russian-language content, and almost a quarter do so daily. This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna during the presentation of a study on Ukrainians’ media consumption.
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