What percent of the budget should the screenwriter get for the script?
Hello Everyone, I hope you are well? I read that a first time screenwriter can get up to a quarter of the budget of the movie for his script, is this true?
quarter, as in 25% of budget? No, that doesnt even make financial sense. 25% for one person that movie ppl (paying audiences) dont pay to see. Please post link of article you read.
Marc Anthony - you're in Zimbabwe posting a financial question; basically to a US (I said basically) bunch of screenwriters of which very few have any idea about the hard-core financing & expenses involved in movie making. I think you'll get better answers closer to home.
It depends on how creative you are. If it’s original and a really good story, “something the director can see as being successful” they will want to buy it. The more interested they are into it, the more they are likely to pay for it. However, most screen writers start out not getting paid. But you shouldn’t be asking yourself how much you will gain, but rather what you can give.
If they have eight hundred million Instagram followers (and super-sexy pitch decks), have made seventeen films, or if the screenplay itself is the fucking Rosetta Stone of spectacularly innovative specs leaping off the page into an orgiastic spectacle of magnanimous proportions?
Is that a YES to all of the above? Congrats!! Move forward two spaces!
Ars longa, vita brevis. And this is me being not jaded but encouraging, don't catch me on a bad day.
1 person likes this
quarter, as in 25% of budget? No, that doesnt even make financial sense. 25% for one person that movie ppl (paying audiences) dont pay to see. Please post link of article you read.
1 person likes this
Dan MaxXx , I'll post if I can find it, though I think it was referring to small budget films.
1 person likes this
Colette " By Films" Byfield... thanks for the tip.
1 person likes this
3% of the below the line budget. If it is a first sale non-union, it could be less.
2 people like this
Percentage? That's cute.
2 people like this
JC. Why do you think that is cute?
2 people like this
Marc Anthony - you're in Zimbabwe posting a financial question; basically to a US (I said basically) bunch of screenwriters of which very few have any idea about the hard-core financing & expenses involved in movie making. I think you'll get better answers closer to home.
3 people like this
2-3%. There's a total of 5% for costs before the film is funded, usually.
2 people like this
It depends on how creative you are. If it’s original and a really good story, “something the director can see as being successful” they will want to buy it. The more interested they are into it, the more they are likely to pay for it. However, most screen writers start out not getting paid. But you shouldn’t be asking yourself how much you will gain, but rather what you can give.
3 people like this
If they have eight hundred million Instagram followers (and super-sexy pitch decks), have made seventeen films, or if the screenplay itself is the fucking Rosetta Stone of spectacularly innovative specs leaping off the page into an orgiastic spectacle of magnanimous proportions?
Is that a YES to all of the above? Congrats!! Move forward two spaces!
Ars longa, vita brevis. And this is me being not jaded but encouraging, don't catch me on a bad day.
1 person likes this
I am happy with 2 to 2.5 depending on how much benefit I see for myself.