Deferred pay for crew
- Thread starter Galdo
- Start date
I don't think there is...but then again, I don't do the books.
We tend to pay a set amount (which isn't much at all), and then if the film does well at screenings and DVD sales, we give people another couple hundred. Nothing is in a contract about pay when we are shooting a micro-budget movie...if however we have a bit more money to throw at the film, we will draw up contracts...but usually the most someone will make (lead actor, etc) is around $500 for the entire picture.
I imagine important crew members make about the same.
If you have a budget of 100K...I would recon important cast and crew should make around $100 a day.
EDIT: as far as deferring this payment...I don't know. See below.
We tend to pay a set amount (which isn't much at all), and then if the film does well at screenings and DVD sales, we give people another couple hundred. Nothing is in a contract about pay when we are shooting a micro-budget movie...if however we have a bit more money to throw at the film, we will draw up contracts...but usually the most someone will make (lead actor, etc) is around $500 for the entire picture.
I imagine important crew members make about the same.
If you have a budget of 100K...I would recon important cast and crew should make around $100 a day.
EDIT: as far as deferring this payment...I don't know. See below.
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Ask each department head for their day rate and the rate of their
crew.
If you are asking them to defer 100% of their pay it's advantageous
to offer 20% more. If you are paying a percentage up front (which
you should on a $100k) and deferring the rest budget then you can
meet their day rate or offer 10% above as a demonstration of your
gratitude.
I've done several features in that range in Los Angeles. You don't
need to offer deferred pay at all with that budget. Most crew members
are fine working for less than their day rate.
crew.
If you are asking them to defer 100% of their pay it's advantageous
to offer 20% more. If you are paying a percentage up front (which
you should on a $100k) and deferring the rest budget then you can
meet their day rate or offer 10% above as a demonstration of your
gratitude.
I've done several features in that range in Los Angeles. You don't
need to offer deferred pay at all with that budget. Most crew members
are fine working for less than their day rate.
Union scale is the best jumping off point. So you're paying a day
rate with the rest deferred?
The payout is entirely up to you.
The producer (prodCo) will get their cut (whatever that is) - this
is the Producers Gross. The producer will then decide who to pay
and in what order. Some prodCo's pay themselves after the talent
deferrals and then pay the crew deferrals. Some pay the cast (if
using a SAG contract) first, then the crew and then themselves.
Okay, that never happens....
rate with the rest deferred?
The payout is entirely up to you.
The producer (prodCo) will get their cut (whatever that is) - this
is the Producers Gross. The producer will then decide who to pay
and in what order. Some prodCo's pay themselves after the talent
deferrals and then pay the crew deferrals. Some pay the cast (if
using a SAG contract) first, then the crew and then themselves.
Okay, that never happens....
That's right. Day rate with the rest deferred. In essence, we (producers) decide how much we want to make before paying anyone else (besides investors, of course). Sounds pretty arbitrary.
As you said, it's a good jumping off point. I realize most films to reach that point, but assuming we actually make something, I just want to make sure everyone is taken care of. Thanks again, Rik.
As you said, it's a good jumping off point. I realize most films to reach that point, but assuming we actually make something, I just want to make sure everyone is taken care of. Thanks again, Rik.
YIKES! I can't get professionals for that kind of day rate in Ohio. With a $100K budget, I'd start closer to $200 a day, and key personal get much better rates than that (Like a DP would get $500-$600 a day if they're worth it).
Where are you finding people for $100 a day? I want to make my next feature there....
Professionals? You mean union? Than no you can't. I'm referring to non-union.
You can get just as skilled individuals for $100 a day if you know where to look.
If you NEED someone with a ton of experience and an amped-up rate sheet...that's your call.
More important crew on 100K...$200 a day sounds good.
Our director has been in film and television for 15 years...he's met a lot of talented cats willing to work for free, for $100 a day, or for a production one-time payout. When you have a name for yourself locally...attracting talented newcomers is no problem if you're in an area ripe with eager actors and crew.
For micro-budget films, $100 a day is a god send. You'd be lucky to score that in a local scene.
We were just dealing with a film with 100K budget...and they were going to hire a semi-name DP...I think he was going to make around 5K for the entire shoot. I'm just guesstimating by what they were discussing.
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Well....
It is arbitrary. Everything on a non-union show is: day rate, work hours,
meals, payday. It all depends on what the prodCo is offering. It's the
unions that remove much of the arbitrariness from the process.
I've been on both sides - crew member and producer. As a crew member
I'm always glad when the producer want's to take care of everyone - but
I have never received a dime of deferrals in my entire career. As a producer
I understand why. If (and that's a big word) a movie begins to get money
from the distributor there are so many people and entities that need to
be paid before the deferrals.
As a producer I never offer deferrals - the accounting headache just isn't
worth it. And as a crew member I prefer not to be offered deferrals - I would
rather just get the agreed upon day rate and stop thinking about the
accounting of the final product.
The formula is deferred pay = no pay EVER. Even if you can get crew people (who know what they're doing) to agree to work, expect some of them to defect last minute when something better comes up.