A question of fees

[ScriptNurse]

What sort of "fee" is he laying out? A few thousand? Fifty thousand? You didn't specifically state, but this is a feature? If so, I'll assume he doesn't have a distribution deal (i.e. no market). Are you just writing/rewriting the script? Are you going to do rewrites and revisions during production?

Since this is his first film, get what you can get, plus a copy of the finished movie on DVD.

[seansshack]

Thanks Lloyd. Seems that way.

Looks like a fee and a credit and this would be his first movie, so could be hard work....

Will dig deeper...

[LloJo]

Reading the prodco's email puts a little different light on the subject. (I answered this question on a different site) Evidently, they are unwilling to give you a piece of the action.
Perhaps they would change their mind(s) if they were allowed a little "wiggle room." For instance, if the film grosses less than a million dollars, your fee would be a flat, reasonable amount. If it goes higher, your cut would be more.
I have no idea where to find out what "fair" means. I'm not even convinced the industry WANTS us to know.

[seansshack]

I sold one of my shorts (very very cheaply) to someone in Detroit a few months back. He had some interest in writing/making a feature adapted from a story he already had/was developing with another writer.

Since then he has "hired" and screenwriter to put into screenplay format, but has fired them due to not being happy.

At the start I put together a very brief scene based on his story as an example.

Now he is interested in me doing the job and asking how much to write the story from the ground up (as a screenplay).

I have no idea of how much to ask for.

This was the last mail:

" I don't know if I told you but I am paying this writer. So please tell me upfront what your price is. You will get paid and credits only.!