4 ms·

Exactly, supply and demand. He demanded what the studio could afford to pay. If the movie is no longer generating so much revenue (because streaming) then actor

Exactly, supply and demand. He demanded what the studio could afford to pay. If the movie is no longer generating so much revenue (because streaming) then actors will no longer be able to (successfully) demand 8 figure payments. I think some of the low to medium budget movies will make the transition to simultaneous streaming releases where it may be easier to recoup money early on. This may or may not force a similar thing to happen with big budget films, but too many lifestyles would be affected for this to happen in any short to medium term.

stcredzero 11y ago
If the movie is no longer generating so much revenue (because streaming) then actors will no longer be able to (successfully) demand 8 figure payments. Pretty much what happened to authors of novels.
- zanny 11y ago
  Were publishing companies hiring authors for millions of dollars? I know authors usually use publishers for review / editing / publication, but I'm not aware of a time where the relationship was not "publisher gets X% cut of revenue". When was it "author gets X million dollars"? The same applies to music. Pretty much every creative industry outside film is paying the performers or creators a percentage of sales. Its just harder for that to scale to endeavors that take thousands of people like modern blockbusters.
  - lmm 11y ago
    Publishing customers were at least sometimes paying million-dollar advances (which I appreciate isn't quite the same thing).
  - cthalupa 11y ago
    Lump sum payments are not at all uncommon when it comes to ghostwriting. (Royalties aren't rare either, but a lump sum agreement isn't eyebrow raising in the least)
  - corin_ 11y ago
    > The same applies to music. Pretty much every creative industry outside film is paying the performers or creators a percentage of sales. Its just harder for that to scale to endeavors that take thousands of people like modern blockbusters. For performers, actors in plays, members of an orchestra, backup dancers behind a pop star... most are getting paid per performance or per period of time, not royalties. Royalties are more common for people who can take a majority responsibility for the end product, e.g. a solo artist or an author.
cm2187 11y ago
I am not sure why you are presenting reducing actors revenues as a desirable goal. Movie studios can afford to spend that much because there is enough demand for movies of that budget. What's wrong with that?

stcredzero 11y ago

If the movie is no longer generating so much revenue (because streaming) then actors will no longer be able to (successfully) demand 8 figure payments. Pretty much what happened to authors of novels.

zanny 11y ago
Were publishing companies hiring authors for millions of dollars? I know authors usually use publishers for review / editing / publication, but I'm not aware of a time where the relationship was not "publisher gets X% cut of revenue". When was it "author gets X million dollars"? The same applies to music. Pretty much every creative industry outside film is paying the performers or creators a percentage of sales. Its just harder for that to scale to endeavors that take thousands of people like modern blockbusters.
- lmm 11y ago
  Publishing customers were at least sometimes paying million-dollar advances (which I appreciate isn't quite the same thing).
- cthalupa 11y ago
  Lump sum payments are not at all uncommon when it comes to ghostwriting. (Royalties aren't rare either, but a lump sum agreement isn't eyebrow raising in the least)
- corin_ 11y ago
  > The same applies to music. Pretty much every creative industry outside film is paying the performers or creators a percentage of sales. Its just harder for that to scale to endeavors that take thousands of people like modern blockbusters. For performers, actors in plays, members of an orchestra, backup dancers behind a pop star... most are getting paid per performance or per period of time, not royalties. Royalties are more common for people who can take a majority responsibility for the end product, e.g. a solo artist or an author.

cm2187 11y ago

I am not sure why you are presenting reducing actors revenues as a desirable goal. Movie studios can afford to spend that much because there is enough demand for movies of that budget. What's wrong with that?