How much does a filmmaker get paid for this work?

It is all a matter of scale and how good they are at negotiating. The better and more known you become the better the possibility for a better rate of pay, however I hear that some filmakers can negotiate not for a fixed payment but a percentage of the profits from the film - great if it is a success but not so good if the studio doesn't release it, sends it to DVD or if box office takings are not as expected.