Payroll — Professional Video Production Services
Compliant production payroll — simplified
At a Glance
Assignment Desk provides professional payroll in 24+ US cities. All crew are W2 employees with full equipment packages, workers' compensation coverage, and same-day availability. Book payroll for corporate, broadcast, documentary, sports, and commercial video productions nationwide.
About This Service
Assignment Desk Payroll services eliminate the complexity and legal risk of paying production crew. We provide full W2 payroll processing for video production companies, agencies, and corporate clients who need to pay crew members compliantly without the overhead of setting up their own payroll infrastructure. Our payroll service covers tax withholding, workers' compensation, general liability, and all state and federal employment compliance.
Production companies often face the challenge of hiring crew across multiple states with different tax laws, workers' compensation requirements, and employment regulations. Assignment Desk handles all of this through our established multi-state payroll infrastructure. We process timesheets, issue payments, file taxes, and maintain insurance coverage — giving you a single invoice and zero compliance risk.
Whether you need payroll services for a single crew member on a one-day shoot or an entire production team across a multi-week, multi-state project, Assignment Desk Payroll scales to your needs. Our payroll team works with your production coordinators to ensure crew are paid accurately and on time, every time.
Equipment & Tools
Common Use Cases
Available in 24 Markets
Book payroll in any of our nationwide markets. Click a city to learn more about our local crew and services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Assignment Desk Payroll cover?
Our payroll service covers W2 employment processing, federal and state tax withholding, workers' compensation insurance, general liability coverage, direct deposit payments, and full employment compliance including I-9 verification. You receive a single invoice with no hidden fees.
Why should I use payroll services instead of paying crew as 1099 contractors?
Misclassifying W2 workers as 1099 contractors carries significant legal and financial risk — IRS penalties, back taxes, state labor board violations, and liability exposure. Assignment Desk Payroll eliminates this risk by properly employing crew as W2 workers with full tax compliance and insurance coverage.
Can you handle payroll for crew in multiple states?
Yes. Assignment Desk has established payroll infrastructure in all 50 states. We handle state-specific tax withholding, workers' compensation requirements, and employment regulations — so you can hire crew anywhere without setting up your own multi-state payroll.
How do crew members submit timesheets?
Crew submit digital timesheets through our online system after each shoot day. Timesheets are reviewed and approved by the production coordinator, then processed by our payroll team. Crew receive payment via direct deposit on a regular pay schedule.
Can I use Assignment Desk Payroll for crew I source myself?
Yes. Our payroll service is available for crew you source through your own network. We onboard them as W2 employees under our payroll infrastructure, handling all employment paperwork, tax compliance, workers' compensation, and payment processing. You focus on production; we handle the back office.
See how our payroll teams deliver on real productions. Read Production Stories →