If you've already created the scripts, the assets, and an easy to use system for creating cutscenes, how much would you charge someone to make simple cutscenes using that system?

For example, let's say that all the user has to do is write something like this for every line of dialogue with actions,

dialogue = "Take this!"

mugshot = 2

dialogue_action = 4

end_of_dialogue_action = 1

screen_effect = 4

..Using a cheatsheet, like

---dialogue_actions---

1 = wave

2 = shake head

3 = surprised

4 = punch speaker

etc..

Ideally I would do a lot of the important cut-scenes myself in more depth, but it would help to have someone do cutscenes for side-quests or unimportant npcs, so that my time could be better spent on other things without sacrificing the quality of side-content.

For comparison, once I hire an artist I'll be paying them around $20-25 per hour, and that's for an experienced pixel artist. So what kind of wages should I expect to pay for some of the more "secondary" jobs that are time consuming, but not really difficult?

Yeah, that's more less what I figured I'd be paying.

As long as I make the system easy to use, or even make an editor, work should go pretty quick, and a just few hours will go a long way. $15 is pretty reasonable when you can consider it not only paying for work, but buying yourself time to work on other things.

If you've already created the scripts, the assets, and an easy to use system for creating cutscenes, how much would you charge someone to make simple cutscenes using that system?

For example, let's say that all the user has to do is write something like this for every line of dialogue with actions,

dialogue = "Take this!"

mugshot = 2

dialogue_action = 4

end_of_dialogue_action = 1

screen_effect = 4

..Using a cheatsheet, like

---dialogue_actions---

1 = wave

2 = shake head

3 = surprised

4 = punch speaker

etc..

Ideally I would do a lot of the important cut-scenes myself in more depth, but it would help to have someone do cutscenes for side-quests or unimportant npcs, so that my time could be better spent on other things without sacrificing the quality of side-content.

For comparison, once I hire an artist I'll be paying them around $20-25 per hour, and that's for an experienced pixel artist. So what kind of wages should I expect to pay for some of the more "secondary" jobs that are time consuming, but not really difficult?

Something else to consider is whether you want to employ somebody to do the work, or subcontract it.

Employment implies complications like taxes/employee rights etc.

In reality you probably mean to subcontract it, in which case you could pay piecework (set price per X completed.)

Not necessarily a wage (Y per hour for doing X.)

Subcontracting often puts you in more control, but obviously, your subcontractor may jump if the works too hard.

it may be worth looking at one of the online free lance websites?

Or possibly, offer the work to your subcontracted artist at a lower rate? They may swap a lower rate for security of work.

Ultimately it comes down to simple supply and demand with regard to the rate you decide!