Attila Árpa discusses daily fees and financial instability for actors

Hungarian television actors can earn daily fees ranging from about 150 000 to 300 000–350 000 forints per day for episodic series work, figures that can exceed equivalent Hollywood production rates, according to statements by actor and director Attila Árpa. While these rates can start around 150 000 forints and climb to 200 000–250 000 or even 350 000 forints per day, the profession’s financial stability remains undermined by long gaps between assignments.

Daily Earnings Versus Employment Gaps

Appearing on the Neshama TV program Én és a pénz hosted by Csaba M. Kiss, Árpa outlined the financial realities behind domestic film and series production. Meglepő módon egy hollywoodi filmben a napidíj sokszor kevesebb, mint amit egy magyar sorozatban kap egy színész. Az alsó hang kb. 150 ezer forint/nap, felmegy 200-250 ezerre, ma már talán 300 000-350 000 forintot lehet elkérni per nap – explained Attila, noting that Erről az összegről viszont fontos tudni, hogy ez napi gázsi, tehát ha azt mondod, hogy valaki egy nap kap 350 ezer forintot, az jól hangzik, de mi van akkor, ha ez három nap, és utána három hónapig semmi? Márpedig a mi szakmánk sokszor ilyen as reported by BorsOnline.

Financial Losses and Lack of Grants Hit Argo

Beyond actor remuneration, the broader production landscape involves severe financial hurdles, as highlighted by the creator’s experience with the film Argo. The project received 90 million forints from RTL alongside additional contributions from sponsors and personal funds, yet suffered from a lack of grant support, missing retroactive normative backing due to financial abuses on the producer side, and overall financial loss.