Script writers payment

iHartVideo

iHartVideo

Well-known member
Hey all,
A question about payment to a writer.

I've found a good story (not in script form) that I would like to try to shoot as a short. I've contacted the writer and he's interested but has said he wants 15% of the gross.

I don't expect we would make any money but, just in case, I want to nail down the financial side. Given the amount of personal financial investment I would risk, plus my efforts I think that's high. I won't bother shooting it at 15% of gross.

Are there any 'standard' rates for something like this? Is 15% fair? Too high? Am I out to lunch or is he?
 
He's out to lunch. You'll probably not make anything from the short film, it will mostly be used to get you work in the future and show off your skills and continue to develop your abilities to move on to long-form projects.

If I were you, I'd offer a token up-front payment, letting him know that the short will probably never make any money. Because if he has unrealistic expectations, he'll more than likely take it out on you if the project doesn't make money.
 
Thanks for the reply.

I'm not willing to pay anything up front because I'll have enough expense just shooting it.
I'd never pay a % of gross... maybe of net, that way I get reimbursed on expenses first. What's a reasonable payment on net?
 
I don't want to go nuts *in case* it makes money.
I know odds are slim, but I want to have my stuff in order before offering anything.
 
iHartVideo said:
I don't want to go nuts *in case* it makes money.
I know odds are slim, but I want to have my stuff in order before offering anything.
Click to expand...
If you want his story, you are going to have to offer him something.

If you're not willing to pay anything upfront, you're going to have to pay him more on the back-end.
 
Top dollar gross deals rarely happen, even in hollywood. Adjusted gross deals happen all the time. Did he specify? 15% of AGR is still pretty high, but at least then you break even and all gross deals get paid out first. If you want to protect your investment, and still want the script, see if you can get the deal into an adjusted gross revenue deal.
 
What is your short film budget? Offer 10% of the budget. For a feature film at least, my understanding is 10% of the budget, up to a point, is usually for the script and script doctoring. But be honest about the budget. If I had a really nice short and the filmmaker/producer/director only plans to put $100 into the film, well the $10 is pointless because it smells of craptastic at $100 film budget. More important to me giving away a short script I wrote would be seeing my 'Written by" byline credit on a film that has some quality put into it.
R
 
made 9 features so far as a producer... never paid 10% of the budget to the writer... more like 2 to 3%.... working on my directorial debate and not even paying myself 10% for my script...
 
I am quickly getting the sense that there is no standard.

We've agreed to 15% of gross once expenses are recouped. The reality is that we'll make $0 so I really don't expect it to be an issue either way.
 
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