If you’ve ever produced a film—whether it’s a micro-budget indie or a studio feature—you know the dirty secret of the job: you are often the first one working and the last one paid.That kind of structure has made this a gig that is incredibly hard, and not always as rewarding. You can wait years for your passion projects and paychecks to go through. And while directors, writers, and actors have powerful guilds (DGA, WGA, SAG-AFTRA) ensuring minimums, healthcare, and residuals, producers have long been the "management" left out in the cold. But a new collective, Producers United, is trying to change that, and a recent feature in Variety sheds light on their fight to make producing a sustainable career again.Let's dive in. Movie Producers Have it Hard Hollywood used to be where it felt kind of glamorous to be a producer. You were supposed to be the person moving and shaking and partying with the stars. But these days, it feels like you're one of the last few mules left to carry the load. Studios use their executives in your place, and even if you find a piece of material, it can be hard to take it somewhere and set it up unless you already have an overall deal or are working under someone else's banner. Unlike your cinematographer or editor, there are no union-mandated minimum rates for producers. You might spend two years developing a script for free, only to get paid a fee that, when broken down by...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Thursday, 20 November