AIMEG Compensation & Credit Framework

Effective Date: May 18, 2026

About this document

The AIMEG Compensation & Credit Framework establishes minimum standards for crediting, compensation, and working conditions on AI-assisted media productions. This document is the authoritative rate and credit sheet for productions seeking AIMEG certification.

Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes as of the date above. It does not constitute legal advice. Producers and creators should consult their own legal and accounting advisors. Rates and terms are subject to annual review by the AIMEG Standards Committee.

Overview

AIMEG-certified productions must adhere to minimum credit and compensation standards that protect the human creative workforce involved in AI-assisted production — including prompters, AI pipeline engineers, creative supervisors, traditional directors, editors, and voice artists whose work is augmented by AI tools.

Unlike traditional guilds where rates are determined solely by budget or medium, AIMEG rates are determined by:

1. Production Budget Tier
2. AI Dependency Level (how extensively AI tools replace traditional roles)
3. Distribution Scope (theatrical, streaming, digital, commercial)
4. Human Creative Oversight Ratio (the proportion of human-directed vs. fully automated creative decisions)

1. AIMEG Production Budget Tiers

Tier 1 — Ultra Low Budget (ULB)

Productions budgeted at $300,000 or less.

• Prompter / Creative Director Day Rate: $350/day
• AI Pipeline Engineer Day Rate: $400/day
• Creative Supervisor Day Rate: $450/day
• Voice Performance (synthetic-augmented): $200/session minimum
• Editor (AI-assisted): $300/day
• Weekly Scale (5-day): 4.5x daily rate

Valid through 12/31/26.

Tier 2 — Low Budget (LB)

Productions budgeted between $300,000 and $2,000,000.

• Prompter / Creative Director Day Rate: $600/day
• AI Pipeline Engineer Day Rate: $650/day
• Creative Supervisor Day Rate: $750/day
• Voice Performance (synthetic-augmented): $350/session minimum
• Editor (AI-assisted): $500/day
• Weekly Scale (5-day): 4.5x daily rate
• Residual Base: 1.5% of net streaming revenue after recoupment

Valid through 12/31/26.

Tier 3 — Standard Budget (SB)

Productions budgeted between $2,000,000 and $10,000,000.

• Prompter / Creative Director Day Rate: $950/day
• AI Pipeline Engineer Day Rate: $1,000/day
• Creative Supervisor Day Rate: $1,200/day
• Voice Performance (synthetic-augmented): $500/session minimum
• Editor (AI-assisted): $800/day
• Weekly Scale (5-day): 4.5x daily rate
• Residual Base: 2.5% of net streaming revenue after recoupment
• Credit Guarantee: "AI Production: AIMEG Certified" end-credit placement

Valid through 12/31/26.

Tier 4 — Major Budget (MB)

Productions budgeted at $10,000,000 or above.

• Prompter / Creative Director Day Rate: $1,500/day
• AI Pipeline Engineer Day Rate: $1,600/day
• Creative Supervisor Day Rate: $2,000/day
• Voice Performance (synthetic-augmented): $750/session minimum
• Editor (AI-assisted): $1,200/day
• Weekly Scale (5-day): 4.5x daily rate
• Residual Base: 3.5% of net streaming revenue after recoupment
• Credit Guarantee: Opening title card "AI Production: AIMEG Certified"
• Collective Bargaining Eligibility: Full AIMEG negotiation representation

Valid through 12/31/26.

2. AI Dependency Level Multipliers

AIMEG recognizes that not all "AI-assisted" productions use AI to the same degree. The following multipliers adjust base rates based on the AI Dependency Level (ADL), which must be declared at production registration.

Note: ADL-4 productions must contribute an additional 2% of gross revenue to the AIMEG Creator Residual Pool, distributed quarterly to member creators based on certified production volume.

3. Distribution Category Rates

Theatrical Release

For films with an initial theatrical release (minimum 200 screens or qualifying festival premiere):

• Base rate determined by budget tier above
• Theatrical Bonus: +25% on all day rates for theatrical release window (first 90 days)
• Residuals: 3% of theatrical net receipts (after distribution fees and marketing recoupment)

Streaming / OTT

For productions released directly to streaming platforms:

• Base rate determined by budget tier above
• Streaming Residuals: Per-tier residual base (see above) triggered when production reaches 50% recoupment
• Performance Bonus: Additional $0.05 per completed view after 1M views, capped at $50,000 per creator per production

Digital / Social / New Media

For productions budgeted under $1,000,000 released on digital platforms (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, etc.):

• Micro Budget (under $50K): Negotiable minimums. Recommended prompter day rate: $200/day.
• Digital Standard ($50K–$300K): 20% of Tier 1 rates
• Digital Premium ($300K–$1M): 35% of Tier 1 rates
• Revenue Share: 5% of gross platform revenue distributed pro-rata to certified creative roles

Commercial / Branded Content

For AI-assisted commercials and branded content:

• Day Rate Minimum: $800/day for prompter/creative director
• Usage Fees: Scale by media buy and territory
  • National broadcast (Class A equivalent): $1,200 per 13-week cycle
  • Regional / cable: $600 per 13-week cycle
  • Digital-only: $300 per 13-week cycle
• Buyout Cap: Maximum buyout of $15,000 per creator per spot

4. Pension, Health & Welfare (PH&W)

AIMEG-certified productions must contribute to the AIMEG Creator Welfare Fund:

• Contribution Rate: 18.5% of covered earnings for all credited creative roles
• Distribution: 60% health/welfare benefits, 40% pension/retirement
• Eligibility: Creators who accumulate 600+ credited hours in a 12-month period qualify for full benefits

5. Credit Standards

AIMEG mandates the following credit placements based on tier and ADL:

Opening Credits (Major Budget + ADL-3/4 only)

• "AI Production: AIMEG Certified"
• Prompter / Creative Director
• AI Pipeline Engineer
• Creative Supervisor

End Credits (All certified productions)

• Full AIMEG certification mark
• All credited AI-era roles (prompters, pipeline engineers, creative supervisors)
• Human creative oversight acknowledgment
• ADL disclosure

IMDb / Festival Submissions

• AIMEG-certified productions receive an official AIMEG certification ID
• Festival submissions must include AIMEG ID for eligibility in AI-produced categories

6. Enforcement & Dispute Resolution

• Productions must register with AIMEG before principal photography / generation begins
• AIMEG reserves the right to audit production budgets and payroll records
• Disputes are resolved through AIMEG arbitration within 90 days
• Willful non-compliance results in decertification and industry notification

Last Updated: May 18, 2026
Next Review: July 1, 2026
Contact: standards@aimeg.net