How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

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  • How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

    Hey guys, I wrote a script on spec for a producer. It was originally meant to be a low budget $1 Million film but now the producer has another investor who is interested so now I am told the budget will go to $2 Million.

    When the new budget is signed, that's when my producer will make me an offer. My question is how much can I expect? When we first met the producer asked me if I was in the WGA. I'm not and for them that was a good thing because I imagine they don't want to pay the writer too much (lol). I'm also glad I didn't sign when the budget was just $1 Million (assuming now I may get a little more). Anyone know what a Non-WGA writer would generally bring in on a $2 million film?
    Last edited by Aros; 04-29-2014, 04:10 PM.

  • #2
    Re: How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

    I've asked a similar question before and was told to check out the WGA schedule of minimums. This should give you a general idea I guess.

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    • #3
      Re: How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

      In addition to the schedule of minimums, 3-5% of the budget is a normal range for low-budget stuff.

      Get an entertainment lawyer. A lot of times that stuff is highly dependent on how the budget is defined. (eg, below the line budget? excluding contingencies, bond, and insurance? etc).

      A $2m film is probably spending $1m below the line during production. (eg 20 full union crew shoot days at $50k a day). The second million is above the line costs, the largest chunk of which will be your cast. But there's no reason for you to get lowballed at that budget range. Insist on the WGA minimums (which is still saving them 15% over what they'd be paying if you were in the guild).

      It's normal when signing deals like this to design the contract to have some flexibility in case the budget changes. Usually it's a percentage of the budget with a cap and a floor.

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      • #4
        Re: How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

        I've kind of been wondering about this kind of thing too. I've been talking to a couple of Indie Producers who want me to write a script for a film where they've got a 200K budget. It's not WGA, so expecting low-budget WGA minimum (which, IIRC, is around $35,000) on a 200K budget obviously isn't realistic. Accordingly, would one only expect an offer of 6-10K (3-5% in this case)? Just bracing myself if it will be worth it or not (obviously other factors go into the decision as well).

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        • #5
          Re: How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

          I had a deal where the budget was initially going to be $2 million, but now it's looking like $5 million -- even close to $10 million. Fortunately, I had a very good entertainment attorney negotiate a deal where I get a substantial bonus if the budgets hits $5 million or more. All I can say is to do nothing until you get an attorney. Good luck.

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          • #6
            Re: How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

            Non sigs can pay whatever they want... and always try to pay as little as possible.

            You want between 2 and 3 percent of the budget... when they do their line items there's usually five percent for screenplay, development, and pre production costs. The largest chunk of that should go to the screenplay and rewrites, but producers always want to sneak in their dry cleaners and dog walkers and anything else that puts more money in their pocket.

            Recently on another board someone posted a producer looking for a specific genre and willing to pay up to $750! Um, no thank you. The problem with non sig companies is that they are growing (they make almost all of the MOWs now) and filling the space left by studios when they focused mostly on tentpole stuff. Lots of crappy jobs out there... and *not* covered by WGA minimums.

            Bill
            Free Script Tips:
            http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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            • #7
              Re: How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

              Originally posted by wcmartell View Post
              Non sigs can pay whatever they want... and always try to pay as little as possible.

              You want between 2 and 3 percent of the budget... when they do their line items there's usually five percent for screenplay, development, and pre production costs. The largest chunk of that should go to the screenplay and rewrites, but producers always want to sneak in their dry cleaners and dog walkers and anything else that puts more money in their pocket.

              Recently on another board someone posted a producer looking for a specific genre and willing to pay up to $750! Um, no thank you. The problem with non sig companies is that they are growing (they make almost all of the MOWs now) and filling the space left by studios when they focused mostly on tentpole stuff. Lots of crappy jobs out there... and *not* covered by WGA minimums.

              Bill
              I've seen postings willing to go as high as $300 for a feature-length script.

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              • #8
                Re: How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

                I am *obsessed* with the producer I met at AFM who makes 10 films a year for $10k each. You read that right. He owns his own equipment and has a warehouse he uses for locations and makes movies for the price of a *used* car. Now, what does the writer get paid for that?

                Bill
                Free Script Tips:
                http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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                • #9
                  Re: How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

                  The problem with non sig companies is that they are growing...
                  This is sadly very true. Worse, many signatory companies are creating non-signatory subsidiaries which they run projects through to save a few bucks.
                  NOTES / COVERAGE
                  15,000+ Screenplays
                  [email protected]

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                  • #10
                    Re: How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

                    Originally posted by EvilRbt View Post
                    This is sadly very true. Worse, many signatory companies are creating non-signatory subsidiaries which they run projects through to save a few bucks.
                    And the WGA does nothing.

                    When I worked at Safeway Grocery we went through a couple of strikes, (Retail Clerks Union) but our union had agreements in place with all of the other unions that if we went on strike they wouldn't work for the struck company until the dispute was resolved. So, um, no *deliveries* of merchandise to a picketed store. The company had to send managers to truck driving school in order to keep the shelves stocked! Things were resolved much faster because managers driving trucks didn't work out so well. It wasn't a deal with management that created this great bargaining tool, it was a deal with other unions.

                    Now, imagine in the WGA made a deal with SAG that SAG members would not work on non WGA films (and vice versa)?

                    Bill
                    Free Script Tips:
                    http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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                    • #11
                      Re: How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

                      The low budget indie world is like the wild west. Pay is all over the place and nothing is certain. I'm currently employed in that arena and, from what I've seen, a writer w/o feature credits would be doing well to get 3%. "Baby writers" often get offered 1-2%. Now, there is usually some kind of back end, like 2.5-5% of producers share of net profits but we all know how much to count on that. There are plenty of writers looking for feature writing credits to compete against in order land low paying jobs like this.

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                      • #12
                        Re: How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

                        Originally posted by wcmartell View Post
                        The problem with non sig companies is that they are growing (they make almost all of the MOWs now) and filling the space left by studios when they focused mostly on tentpole stuff. Lots of crappy jobs out there... and *not* covered by WGA minimums.
                        You can always say no.
                        https://twitter.com/#!/moviewriterJeff

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                        • #13
                          Re: How much do writers get paid for low buget work?

                          Originally posted by Pasquali56 View Post
                          All I can say is to do nothing until you get an attorney. Good luck.
                          In my humble opinion this is great advice. I am now negotiating my second feature and was also very concerned regarding my wages. Just today I had a great talk with my new attorney who persuaded me to concentrate on my writing so he could worry about defending my rights and making sure that I receive due pay.

                          In my limited experience I suggest you find an attorney with teeth. Of course knowledge and understanding of the business is power but your job is ultimately to write. Their job is to negotiate our contracts.


                          Cheers,
                          Harper
                          http://damianjohnharper.com/

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