TLDR- The Financier agrees to foot the $2.6 mil budget for the film. In pre-pro, they realize the script can't be made for less than $5 mil. The director is tasked with cutting the script, does a poor job, and the financier backs out so he doesn't lose his shirt. Now the crew is unpaid. Who is responsible for paying them?
https://variety.com/2024/film/news/shirley-maclaine-brad-furman-people-n...
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Unless there is a clear and binding contract that says Katz was solely responsible for paying those initial crew members (which the article does not acknowledge) then it should be the film's responsibility. Their fees should be baked into the production cost or, if the guilds and crew members agree, into the profit waterfall as first (or close to first) money out. But those crew members need to be paid and it reads like Furman gets that. Will be following this story unfold for sure.