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 of paying production crew. We serve as Employer of Record (EOR) for W-2 crew and process 1099 vendor payments for independent contractor crew — handling both classifications through a single platform. Our payroll service covers tax withholding, workers' compensation, general liability, and all state and federal 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.
Austin
TX
Atlanta
GA
Boston
MA
Charlotte
NC
Charleston
SC
Chicago
IL
Cleveland
OH
Dallas
TX
Denver
CO
Detroit
MI
Houston
TX
Las Vegas
NV
Los Angeles
CA
Miami
FL
Minneapolis
MN
Nashville
TN
New York City
NY
Phoenix
AZ
Salt Lake City
UT
San Francisco
CA
Seattle
WA
St. Louis
MO
Toronto
ON
Washington
DC
Philadelphia
PA
San Diego
CA
San Antonio
TX
Jacksonville
FL
Indianapolis
IN
Columbus
OH
Fort Worth
TX
Portland
OR
Memphis
TN
Oklahoma City
OK
Baltimore
MD
Milwaukee
WI
Albuquerque
NM
Tucson
AZ
Sacramento
CA
Kansas City
MO
Pittsburgh
PA
Cincinnati
OH
Orlando
FL
Tampa
FL
Raleigh
NC
New Orleans
LA
Louisville
KY
Richmond
VA
Buffalo
NY
Hartford
CT
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Assignment Desk Payroll cover?
Our payroll service handles both W-2 employment processing and 1099 vendor payments. For W-2 crew, we cover federal and state tax withholding, workers' compensation insurance, general liability coverage, I-9 verification, and direct deposit payments. For 1099 contractors, we process invoices, issue payments, and handle year-end 1099 tax reporting. You receive a single invoice with no hidden fees regardless of crew classification.
Why should I use payroll services instead of paying crew as 1099 contractors?
Misclassifying workers 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 classifying crew under the correct employment structure. Our staff DPs are W-2 employees with full tax compliance and insurance. Our extended crew network operates under 1099 Vendor ICA agreements with proper independent contractor documentation. We handle the classification, compliance, and payment for both.
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 can onboard them as W-2 employees under our EOR infrastructure or process them as 1099 vendors — whichever classification is appropriate. We handle all paperwork, tax compliance, workers' compensation (for W-2), and payment processing. You focus on production; we handle the back office.
See how our payroll teams deliver on real productions. Read Production Stories →