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Okay you big meanies! Ian, the 'art' of charging and getting what you deserve is tricky for the most experienced of us. Many of us that have been doing steadicam for a lot of years have an agent who helps negotiate our rates. I personally love what I do and for the most part would say yes to almost any rate offered to me, which is why I always defer to my Agent (who has no problem telling clients what I'm worth).... That being said, I can give you some ball park figures and you can figure out what rates make the most sense... On a high budget feature film (say Star Wars 7) an 'A' camera / steadicam operator can make between $250 and $300 an hour with a ten hour minimum per day and perhaps $10,000 per week for steadicam rental. Now that is an operator who has probably done 20+ years as a steadicam operator and worked on multiple academy award winning, box office smashing feature films and brings 2 fully loaded steadicam PRO rigs worth about half a million dollars. (If you are currently the 'A' camera / steadicam operator on Star Wars 7, feel free to correct my numbers). Another very skilled steadicam operator may do a hit, network television show (is there such a thing?) and may make as much as $100/hr and $5000 a week for rental???? Yet another operator may do a big Nike or Gatorade commercial and get $2500/10 and $2000 for his rig..... And any of those guys may do a 'favor' for a DP or director or producer and do a music video for $1500 bucks cash all in if they have nothing else going on. When I first started (in 1998), before I got an agent, I was happy to get $850/10 and $750/day for my steadicam PRO and Preston. That was my 'good' commercial rate... Keep in mind I pretty much sucked in 1998. Guys who work for networks like Telemundo and use the networks 'in house' steadicam get something like $750 for 10 to operate the steadicam. I've heard you can hire a steadicam operator with a glide cam or something like that to shoot your wedding for about $1000 (maybe less). I hope that at least gives you a ballpark idea... Finally, I didn't start doing steadicam until I was 24 so your already 4 years better than I was when I started. And yes, take the steadicam class, it is the single best investment you can make in your career.