is 25k an acceptable amount for a screenplay?

25 grand...

If the prodco isn't signatory to the WGA, then they can offer anything they want. $25,000 for a first timer is definitely not bad. In fact, if he gets that amount, he should consider himself very lucky. Luckier still if the scripts actually gets made into a movie. Your friend should also consider what type of movies this prodco makes. What are their budgets? Do they make multi-million dollar movies? If so, then maybe asking for more than $25,000 is a good idea. But if this prodco makes low budget stuff...well, maybe $25,000 is what they can pay and can't go much higher.

Also...this isn't so much about hitting a huge jackpot at this stage. Put some cash in your pocket, get a good movie made (hopefully), start a career. Sell the next one for bigger bucks. It's all a process.

Tell your friend good luck!

I'd suggest he ask for a percentage of the production budget with a 25K floor (and a ceiling if the producer wants one.)

2.5% is a common percentage for deals that are structured this way.

$25K is very much top dollar even in WGA standards nowadays.

It's actually odd that an indie would be offered that much so...

He must have something very special.

Very rarely do I see them go for over $30K.

FantasticF said:

$25K is very much top dollar even in WGA standards nowadays.

It's actually odd that an indie would be offered that much so...

He must have something very special.

Very rarely do I see them go for over $30K.

Click to expand...

Actually the WGA low budget rates (film budgets under 5 million) start at about 45K. The rate for a script and a treatment is around 66K. If the budget's over 5 mill the minimum jumps to 125K.

It's not about him having something special, its about the value of professional scripts in the professional marketplace.

If you're dealing with micro budget projects (tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands) then the minimums may not be feasible.

But a film budgeted even in the low millions should be able to pay the writer close to guild minimums (if not more.) That's why if you can't get a reasonable flat fee it's smart to tie your compensation to the production budget with a floor.

25K is 2.5% of a million, but if the budget for the project is 2 million then that 2.5% would put you in guild minimum range and a 3M budget would get you more than guild minimum.

There's no reason that indie producers should no be willing to commit a reasonable percentage of their overall budget (5%) to development. The major development costs are related to the script.



It the budget is big enough, there's absolutely no reason that a producer shouldn't be paying at least guild minimums.