tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731677775148546456.post3709251958532763550..comments2024-01-18T02:25:32.588-08:00Comments on The Working Writer's Screenplay: What a producer needs to know.Jim Makichukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00012662767388461252noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731677775148546456.post-91916687911533920282009-11-24T15:32:42.691-08:002009-11-24T15:32:42.691-08:00Interesting questions;
1. Yes, there are those w...Interesting questions; <br /><br />1. Yes, there are those who seem "gifted" the kind who just have a knack for getting money. They are maybe 10%, the other 90% have usually short shelf lives, maybe 5-10 years. Weinsteins are in the 10 yr mode, started off great and now running out of money. Scott Rudin is still big, he's had great movies and awful ones but still hangs in there somehow. Also a mulit-millionaire.<br /><br />2. Ironically the producer rarely gets the blame for a bad movie, but the director and writer and actors do. You never see a producer mentioned in the reviews. Sometimes if producer has too many flops it will be harder for him to raise money.<br /><br />3. Longevity? Nothing in this business has longevity, but about 10% manage to make a lifetime career. <br /><br />4. Salary is as much as they can barter for, they don't have unions or guilds so it's a free market. A standard is around 3-5% of the budget for movies under $5 million, less for bigger movies plus percentages which can add up to a fair amount.<br /><br />They rarely if ever get the same salaries as actors and directors and even writers. (on Target I made more than the producer and director who was the same person).<br /><br />Producers have one clause that's not nice, if movie goes over budget they sometimes have it taken out of their salaries.<br /><br />Producing is a job for salesmen unless you're crazy like me and have a drive that wants to get a certain movie made. Yeah, that passionate word again. It's an adjective for "working for nothing".<br /><br />But I will get WGA guild minimum which is around $42,000 which means I'll be the second highest paid to the star. But if you consider that's for 2 jobs, one of which I work for free for nearly a year, it's not all that much.<br /><br />But that's also because of the very low budget, less than $1 million.Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-731677775148546456.post-5216393364978018412009-11-23T18:08:02.215-08:002009-11-23T18:08:02.215-08:00... I wonder if there are producers in the industr...... I wonder if there are producers in the industry that are 'known' for being able to find money that no one else can? You know, guys with a rep?<br /><br />And do they suddenly lose that reputation when a movie they convinced someone (or lots of people) to invest a lot of money in, becomes a losing proposition? <br /><br />In other words, is it a career that has any potential longevity? Or are they by nature, fast, furious, and short?<br /><br />And just what is their salary? A percentage of what the movie makes? Or a percentage of the investment they bring in? <br /><br />Inquiring minds want to know :)nicole alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06280912987672668313noreply@blogger.com