Breakthrough Deal For DOP Royalties?

[Guest]

Most of them aren't.

 

You mean don't win an Oscar? Well ya, there's only one winner per year.

 

Of course entertainment is an odd industry to begin with, people insist on getting recognition for anything and everything. Look at these ridiculous credit blocks at the end of TV spots for feature films that list 20-30 people in tiny print.

 

Meanwhile.....surgeon saves person's life with a heart transplant, no one knows who that surgeon is.

 

R,

[Phil Rhodes]

I'm not really very concerned with the plight of people who work on enormous movies. They're largely unionised roles which are generally very well paid.

 

I'm concerned with everyone else.

[Guest]

I'm not really very concerned with the plight of people who work on enormous movies. They're largely unionised roles which are generally very well paid.

 

I'm concerned with everyone else.

 

On going issue in this business. Not all movies can have budgets of 150 million each, so not everyone can make $55.00/hour with a pension and benefits. Most movies made are small indies and the people that work on them are paid as such. Fact of life I am afraid.

 

Plus the people at the top on these giant movies are making so much money, there is still a huge gap between them and everyone else on the crew.

 

R,

[Phil Rhodes]

Again, you seize on the extremes.

 

Nobody (especially the producer) needs to be made rich. Everyone needs a living wage. If you are employing people for more than a few days, if you can't afford to pay s living wage, don't do it.

[Guest]

Nobody (especially the producer) needs to be made rich.

 

Well of course I'm going to have to fundamentally disagree with you there. If the producer pulls together a successful project, well in a free enterprise capitalist economy like the USA, UK, Canada, he has every right to be made "rich" whatever that means.

 

I love how you say "(especially the producer)" what is that supposed to mean? It's ok if it happens to be the DOP that is made rich, but *gasp* not the producer?

 

Of course I've been saying on this forum for years, it is frustrating being the only producer because I'm the only one here that actually understands the film industry. The producer is the single most important person on any project, without him and his skills in pulling financing together there is no movie, period. There are a lot more people available that can DOP, grip, production design a movie, than there are people that can pull financing together.

 

Unfortunately crew show up, work their day, go home. They have zero concept of the years and work it took to pull all the money together. As they stuff down that free food at lunch, they don't stop to think that some guy had to work for two years with zero pay to make it all happen.

 

R,

[Guest]

Everyone needs a living wage.

 

That is obvious. And can be done at the same time the producer makes a few bucks as well. Will his paycheque be higher than everyone else's? Yes, as it should be.

 

I tell crew on my films all the time, people who are paid well via the union and guild rates, this is 5 weeks out of your life, it's two years out of mine.

 

R,

[Justin Hayward]

it is frustrating being the only producer because I'm the only one here that actually understands the film industry.

I think you would really enjoy these books by the film producer Art Linson if you haven't read them already...

 

A Pound of Flesh: Perilous Tales of How to Produce Movies in Hollywood

What Just Happened? Bitter Hollywood Tales From the Front Line

 

They're great. I've read them a couple times.

[Guest]

Yes Justin.....if crew only knew the half of it. :)

 

R,

[Miguel Angel]

I read them too and although I kinda of knew before reading them what happened behind the walls of the actual production days.. they were eye openers.

 

Now that I'm involved in almost all the stages, from pre-production to post-production.. I understand the production side better and I think that that made me a better professional.

 

Although, it is really tough working for a director / producer because sometimes the director side wants one thing that you can do but it costs more money than expected and then the producer side shows up and says: "No!!!" and you can't really argue about those things.

Well, you can, but it is time consuming and sometimes they lead to a dirty path where the director side is annoyed with you too!

 

Any advise on that Richard :D :D

 

Have a good day!

[Guest]

I read them too and although I kinda of knew before reading them what happened behind the walls of the actual production days.. they were eye openers.

 

Now that I'm involved in almost all the stages, from pre-production to post-production.. I understand the production side better and I think that that made me a better professional.

 

Although, it is really tough working for a director / producer because sometimes the director side wants one thing that you can do but it costs more money than expected and then the producer side shows up and says: "No!!!" and you can't really argue about those things.

Well, you can, but it is time consuming and sometimes they lead to a dirty path where the director side is annoyed with you too!

 

Any advise on that Richard :D :D

 

Have a good day!

 

Not really, because I do ALL of the above, LOL.

 

I can have arguments with myself on set, between the producer, director, editor, and writer. The producer, always wins :)

 

R,

[Miguel Angel]

 

Not really, because I do ALL of the above, LOL.

 

I can have arguments with myself on set, between the producer, director, editor, and writer. The producer, always wins :)

 

R,

 

 

Damn! I was expecting a "there is a way" :D :D :D

[Phil Rhodes]

 

 

That is obvious. And can be done at the same the producer makes a few bucks as well. Will his paycheque be higher than everyone else's? Yes, as it should be.

 

Just not two hundred times higher, on a per-hour basis.

 

P

[Justin Hayward]

It's funny, I owe a friend of mine a favor and he asked if I would produce and direct a music video for his band. Of course I'm going to do it, but it's really been hard for me to get the ball rolling, because producing anything feels so freaking daunting these days. I'm much better at telling a producer what we're going to need and them figuring out how that's going to happen. :P

[Justin Hayward]

And speaking of having my "producer" hat on... Phil, would you be interested in flying to Chicago with all your gear and shooting a music video for free? :lol:

[Guest]

Oh really Justin, gee I had no idea. :D

 

R,

[Phil Rhodes]

 

 

Phil, would you be interested in flying to Chicago with all your gear and shooting a music video for free? :lol:

 

Actually, kinda yeah. I haven't shot one in ages.

[Guest]

 

Actually, kinda yeah. I haven't shot one in ages.

 

That's the spirit Phil!! :)

 

R,

[Miguel Angel]

:D :D :D

[Phil Rhodes]

I suspect it might be more cost-effective to get gear locally, though. Sandbags might not be the best things to take on a 747.

 

And a cameraperson, for that matter.

 

We're ten a penny.

 

Literally.

[Robin R Probyn]

Phil.. I would never fly on a commercial flight.. hold out for a Gulf5.. and only Sapphire Gin on board..