Have your responsibilities increased?
Are you performing at the next level up?
Has the market rate shifted?
Are they short on artists / do they need you on next show?
If yes to even 1–2 of these, you have leverage.
🧠 Important: Timing
If the contract hasn’t been drafted yet → perfect time.
If they’ve already sent the new contract → respond before signing.
One Question for You
Are you:
Asking for a modest bump (like $2–5/hr)?
Or a level jump (e.g., mid → senior rate)?
That changes how aggressive you should be.
can i message them on teams or email is better?
Email is better.
Here’s why:
✅ Why Email Wins
It’s formal and documented
It shows you’re taking the conversation seriously
It gives them time to think before responding
It creates a paper trail before contracts are drafted
Teams is fine for quick logistics.
Compensation discussions = email.
🎯 Smart Approach (Best of Both Worlds)
You can do this:
Step 1 – Email
Send a short professional message asking to discuss rate.
Step 2 – Teams
If you don’t hear back in a couple days, follow up casually:
“Hey, just wanted to check if you saw my email about contract renewal.”
That keeps it professional without being awkward.
When Teams Is Okay
If you already have a close working relationship
If your studio culture is super informal
If they specifically told you “just ping me on Teams”
But even then, I’d still summarize any agreement via email afterward:
“Thanks for the chat today — confirming we agreed on X rate for the new contract.”
That protects you.
If you want, tell me:
Is this a big studio or mid-sized?
How comfortable are you with production?