I'm doing a documentary for a production company in LA to document the Behind the Scenes for their feature film. They just sent me the contract, which states they will pay me X dollars when the doc is in principal photography, and then I will get X more dollars when it goes into post.
I am thinking that there should be a claus that states how long the feature film (that I'm documenting) will take from principal photography all the way through post. Let's say that number is 15 weeks (conservative, I know). After that period of time has passed, if they are still not done with post and I am still filming for the doc, they should pay me X amount per week until their post work is done.
The amount they are paying me up front for principal photography is decent money, but only if stretched over a period of about 12 weeks. After that, things will start to get tight on the money end. The money in post is the same, but I won't see it until all my filming is done and the doc is pretty much finished.
Do you think I'm fair about asking for a weekly sum if their film takes longer than expected to complete? I only say this because I know how films go, and since this is an indie production (albeit a multi-million dollar indie), things could get delayed, investors could drop out, money could run out, etc. There are no guarantees in the film business. Also, since my doc hinges on their film, I have no control whatsoever over the pace they move to get their film done.
Please let me know what you think. Thanks.
I am thinking that there should be a claus that states how long the feature film (that I'm documenting) will take from principal photography all the way through post. Let's say that number is 15 weeks (conservative, I know). After that period of time has passed, if they are still not done with post and I am still filming for the doc, they should pay me X amount per week until their post work is done.
The amount they are paying me up front for principal photography is decent money, but only if stretched over a period of about 12 weeks. After that, things will start to get tight on the money end. The money in post is the same, but I won't see it until all my filming is done and the doc is pretty much finished.
Do you think I'm fair about asking for a weekly sum if their film takes longer than expected to complete? I only say this because I know how films go, and since this is an indie production (albeit a multi-million dollar indie), things could get delayed, investors could drop out, money could run out, etc. There are no guarantees in the film business. Also, since my doc hinges on their film, I have no control whatsoever over the pace they move to get their film done.
Please let me know what you think. Thanks.
