Do the leads deserve royalty on any potential earnings?

If you have success making a film series, or any kind of online series, etc, and you have a main actor, should he receive royalties other than his pay for the filming?

Or should director/creator keep 100% of any earnings made from the work and continue to pay the actor an agreed amount?
 
You negotiate with the actor to pay them a lot more for the next season if you have something successful.

Don't give away royalties that weren't ever discussed.
 
An interesting topic; do they “deserve” profit participation...

sfoster touched on contracts and future projects. Jax mentions contracts.
But does an actor deserve it?

I think they do. If there is no wording in the contract I believe offering profit
participation after the fact can show what kind of person the producer is. I
believe those who worked towards the profitable success of a project deserve
a piece of the action.
 
I
believe those who worked towards the profitable success of a project deserve
a piece of the action.

I agree.

As a hypothetical, imagine a low budget film that pays its actors and crew a flat $100/day rate for 1 days of shooting - not the worst, but not great.

If the film goes to festival and gets picked up by a distributor and ends up making $50million, I would expect those who worked on it to be compensated accordingly, rather than it all going to the Producer.

I certainly would have no qualms in doing so with my own movie...

In my view, that’s very different to a movie with a large budget paying an actor $1million and then going on to make $1billion+ at the box office, but to some there maybe no difference..

Perhaps the difference in my mind is appropriate compensation - of which $100/day is in favour territory, whilst $1million is an actual rate.
 
If the film goes to festival and gets picked up by a distributor and ends up making $50million, I would expect those who worked on it to be compensated accordingly, rather than it all going to the Producer.
For discussion, let's not even go that far.

A low budget film series or any kind of online series that pays the
lead actors $250/day and after 16 months sees a profit of $100,000.
Seems like paying out part of those profits to the lead actors would
be the right thing to do even if it wasn't stipulated in the contract.
Even if it's two large that can show respect and appreciation to the
actors.

I believe they deserve at least that.
 
It's easy to throw around imaginary money...
It's harder to give up things in your life, bet your one-time shot at a life savings and risk everything.

You're taking all the risk, idk how much any of you know about starting a business but cash is king.

I would totally be willing to give someone royalties if they wanted to work for less... but if they didn't have the faith in me to curb their rates why on earth would I give them handouts just because all of my dire risk paid off?

What are you going to do.. give away a bunch of money and then cripple your next production?
Boy are you going to feel like a jackass when you go to them for season 2 and they ask for more money than you can afford.. because you gave it all away. "But what about that bonus??" you ask them "sorry man it's just business I have so much work now coming my way after the successful show we did. I have a family to support i hope you understand. if you could pay me more i'd do it. peace out."
 
I would totally be willing to give someone royalties if they wanted to work for less...

In the examples given, the actors are only being paid a token rate. If you’re paying your actors an appropriate rate, then sure. But how many low budget productions are?

Actors and crew also make sacrifices (including on their rate - majorly) for low budget productions as well. If the film is wildly successful, why not allow them to have some small share in that success? Whether it’s a small cash payment out of the proceeds or a fully paid gig on the next production...

Crew it’s easy to give gigs on the next one, actors a lot harder unless it’s a second season or similar. So why not, in a show of good faith and thanks (and to elevate your own reputation if nothing else) allow them a small part in that success?

I’d certainly have a lot more respect for the Producer that booked me on a better paid gig, or sent me a $1k cheque, or even - as a cinematographer - helped introduce me to another producer looking for someone to shoot their next film as a thanks for my work on a successful film than one who takes advantage of my good will in giving my time, expertise and equipment for virtually nothing and uses it to carve a career for themselves only and I never hear from them again.
 
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A law firm will ask a successful salaried lawyer of the firm to become partner. Not only to reward them, but so they don't get away. Make sure your talent doesn't get away. Treat them right. I actually think it feels good to reward people.
 
If the film is wildly successful, why not allow them to have some small share in that success?

You say why not in good faith give them money for free?
I say why not in good faith didn't they give me their time for free??

If someone has no faith me in and I had to bribe them to do what I wanted, that doesn't deserve royalties because my financial risk paid off.

CASH IS KING GUYS
Ask an actor to invest money in your film or free time and then they get royalties

Crazy bastards :lol:
If they're working for scraps that's a different story. cutting their rate, turning down other job offers, sure I would give them a bonus
A bonus in that situation sounds very fair to me, I always try to behave fairly.

Just remember guys you have to be fair for yourself to. Money and risk is the major determining factor here.
 
Why should the producer make all the money? Let's say people tune in BECAUSE of the actor. That's like people listening to a song BECAUSE of the band and not the PRODUCER. I think you are looking at it from a weird angle.
 
Why should the producer make all the money?

This is a really weird question, I don't know why I'm so misunderstood.
I even put it in all caps and you still don't understand where I'm coming from.

Like I said before, CASH IS KING. And RISK.
That's why the producer should make all the money, because they SPENT ALL THE MONEY and those actors wouldn't give you the time of day if you weren't paying them the money to do so.

Someone that doesn't give a shit about me and needs to be bribed to help me isn't going to get free money out of my pocket. The angle I'm looking at this from is as a businessman.

And Also if someone is famous enough that people will watch my movie bc of them.. that person won't be working for $100 and no royalties. That would be absurd for an agent to negotiate so poorly.
 
It seems the biggest difference between me and the rest of the people posting is the amount of respect i have for someone that is risking their cash and the value I place on that investment.

I think its huge huge huge. It's so significant, I think it's more significant than you do apparently.
 
It sounds selfish. And sure there are times to be selfish (and warranted) but if you have a viral hit, and people watch due to the actors, don't be a stingy dick. :lol:
 
Lets try a story

Dreamer wants to make a film.. works his ass off full time, paying rent, car insurance, food, etc but works for years and saves. Worries about getting older and not doing anything with their life, keeps saving.

Wants to make a film but no one will help.
No one gives a shit about their dream. Everyone wants to chase their own dream instead.

Dreamer is never going to amount to anything, getting older. Keeps saving.
Finally they have enough to pay people hundreds of dollars a day, finally they have a life savings and they risk it all, betting their whole youth so that people will show up to auditions and take an interest in their project.

Use your life savings to pay these these strangers more money than you make.
You risk everything to pay them, probably not going to get shit

It's probably going to go nowhere and you just lost your savings and became a joke
Hey remember that idiot that spent his life savings on a movie that got 0% on rotten tomatoes?

Hah what a joke that person is.
Oh but maybe it'll pay off. Maybe.. and if it does, you think these strangers deserve the cheese you risked everything for?

Wow man thats great for you it sounds like you've had a charmed life with a lot of friends.
 
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