Screenwriting : How Much Should I Charge to Write a Feature Screenplay? by Staci Layne Wilson

Here's the WGA-West Schedule of Minimums including the kind of work you're looking at. Might help. http://www.wga.org/subpage_writersresources.aspx?id=68

Thanks, Richard. But I'm not WGA. Plus, most of the individuals and small production companies I work with wouldn't dream of paying anywhere near the $67,000 minimum the WGA lists. Let me rephrase my question to ask, "In the real world, what should I charge...?"

Yeah, what Stuart said. 2.5% of the budget is a reasonable price to charge. But since you're making actual cash money, I'm sure you can find an agent or entertainment lawyer to hash out the deal for you. They'd know all the extra things that you need to bake into the contract. And, BTW, nice problem to have. :)

Wow, that's great Stacy, since you are writing for low budget independent productions and maybe they don't have a budget yet since they don't have a script to budget from, I guess you could go for the 2-3% of the budget. But since they might not have a budget yet, then maybe you could ask for an advance to get the writing done and the rest once they have a budget. I can't tell you what the advance might be. You know better I guess since you've already written and sold some screenplays. Anyway, that's what I would do if I were in your wonderful position.

I have the same problem, Staci. Think these 2.5% are a nice idea - but will the producer tell you the truth about his budget? If 2.5% are kind of a rule, then Producers know that and can calculate as well. Further, the discussion so far is about what to charge for one of my screenplays when someone is interested. If I understand Staci right, she also asked for (and I have the same question) what to charge for adapted screenplays when people want their book to be adapted into a screenplay or come along with an idea for a story that you work out as a screenplay. Those mostly don't have a producer yet and of course don't want to pay something or they offer a collaboration which then is something like your name will be mentioned besides his/hers. :(

This forum just reminded me that we're all pretty much on the same playing field. I would like to know the answers too. I've always wondered when a directors asks how much do you want for your short script, what do you say? I've heard a lot of people say they give their shorts away for free. But then I've heard people getting $50-$3000. I get so confused when it comes to that. I've only had one director just blatantly tell me how much he was going to give me, and I prefer it that way for now, lol.

Going by basic WGA contracts is a good place to start. Easy to look up. More importantly....what is it worth to YOU. You should not be a slave to any project. Ask yourself....what would make me excited or at least fulfilled to work on this project. My rate changes based on my interest. If you want me to write a dumb action flick, with half an outline attached I'm going to require much more than a project that I am inspired by. That being said it also depends on who is asking and what backing they have behind them. Always have a lowest price boundary. But each is a negotiation. If you don't have an agent, the next gig you get offered is an easy way to get one. So they will then do all this work for you. And even if they aim too high and scare off the producer you can sweep in with the "my agent got a little out of hand..." They are a##holes so you don't have to be.

@Jess Mentioning the WGA and starting negotiations on this base did kick me out of the race for selling shorts even when the director was pretty interested in the story before. Although I don't even know the WGA rate for scripts for shortfilms. Do you? I think it must be around the amount which Jean-Pierre mentioned $ 1500-3000 depending on the length. Does anyone here know?

Staci, this is a tough one. 2.5% of the budget is probably okay, but a $10,000 short you only get $250? That's getting shafted. The gaffer will make much more than you. On no planet should a gaffer make more than a writer. So let's say the average indie feature shoot is 20 days. You know the boom operator and the gaffer are each making at a bare minimum $100/day, the gaffer possibly even $400/day, the DP possibly $800/day. So for a feature script I would say bare minimum $4,000 or 2.5% of the budget, whichever is greater. $4,000 equates to 20 days at $200/day. But like Elisabeth said, there's a good chance the producer will not be honest about his budget. Also Jess gave a great answer - what is it worth to you? For a lot of people, getting produced is a huge break as a writer, especially on a feature, so perhaps you would be willing to do it for $2,000 or even $1,000 I don't know. But I think the greater of $4,000 or 2.5% is a decent proposal. Remember though that good scripts are VERY hard to find so if your script is good you do have some leverage. Also I would steer clear of bringing up WGA minimums if you're not in the WGA

If you have an agent, of course, you can refer people to them for a price quote. If not, and you have a sample script they really love, then aim high, don't undersell yourself. Remember that if you don't value your time and talent highly, no one else will either. I recently negotiated a 3% of the budget, producer credit, and 3% of net profit on the backend with a producer who went crazy over my script.

@Erik Wow! Well done! I think this participation on the net profit is the best way to negotiate, because by this you faster reach the amounts the WGA defined for your screenplay. My question is how can you control which profit they made?

Without an army of auditors and lawyers, you can't. Your best bet is to do business with producers who have an industry-wide reputation for honesty and transparency. Even then, you're somewhat at their mercy. I remember walking into the Beverly Hills office of a prominent foreign producer who boasted that he kept seven different "profit" statements on his movies. Which one he pulled out depended on which profit participant asked to see if their movie had made money.

Gosh! That is what I expected it to be, because they first want to make money for themselves. But I also had immediately that picture on my mind when 'my army and I' enter the office of any producer in single file. LOL. Anyway, thanks for sharing this, Erik.

http://www.wga.org/subpage_writersresources.aspx?id=68

Eric's deal sounds great, but for everyone else: made sure you don't TRADE anything for backend. Backend money almost never materializes. When a producer says, "I can pay you a cool $1000 right now, but you'll get 10% of the net profits," what you should hear is, "you will make $1000 for this project," and act accordingly.

@Kerry You mean It doesn't even materialize as you call it when having a contract where everything is fixed???

@Elisabeth: I know, shocking, right? Hold onto your monocle, lest it drop into your soup, and read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_accounting And it's no different (though maybe less sophisticated) at the low-budget indie level.

@John Hunter Guess you mean me with your weird address, but: eh? Sorry, I think your sentence does not make sense at all caused by double negative. Then I don't get the coherence to all the above. Sorry, if my questions here should irritate you. I'm selling mine in Europe and didn't make such bad experiences here so far.

he was making a joke elizabeth you took it the wrong way

I would check online with the Writer's Guild for what they consider "industry standard scale". I also believe they have documents and examples of contracts for screenwriters to review and use as templates. You want to make sure you know talk and understand the lingo and terms like union versus non-union. Ask the Producer of the project to sign on as a signatory if they aren't already so you are at least eligible to join and start benefits. http://www.wga.org/subpage_writersresources.aspx?id=68

Any mention of the WGA will scare off most smaller producers with job opportuntities such as Staci described above. Many Stage 32 writers are in the same position she is in, simply trying to build their credits/resume until they get their break by tackling small write-for-hire opportunities. Their deals are typically made between just themselves and a new or wannabe producer with limited funds. So why kill those opportunities with talk of WGA contracts, especially when the producer is not yet signatory?

Thanks Dave!

And thus @Erik soundly defeats Mr. Thricewhite Anonymous. Exactly what Erik said. Ignore the thing above it.

Erik makes some good points. Also, the WGA minimum is over $50,000 per script... that's not me. (Yet!)

Considering the amount of time it takes, I don't think you can go below a minimum no matter how desperate you are.

I strongly disagree. I walked away from a $15,000 offer to write one script and double that on another while insisting on WGA minimums, even though I wasn't a member. Guess what it got me? Nothing. Zero. Nada. All it proved was that I was stupid and naive for not grabbing the opportunities and the money! And no, it shouldn't take a good writer more than two or three months to write a compelling script.

I agree with Kerry and Erik. You're not going to get WGA mins, but I think depending on your expertise and experience, I know a large number of non-WGA writers who charge somewhere between $10,000-$25000 for these types of writing jobs. But you do need a very clear contract with back end agreements, participation, what percentage you own, what you'll get paid if it sells and if that amount is less what the producer/person pays you, etc.

In Australia, our industry is so tough that it is rare for writers to get much upfront money even when working for hire. What often happens is a small advance and then payment is a percentage of the budget paid on the first day of principal photography. That means that your pay reflects the market potential (i.e. the budget) of the script you are working on AND it makes sure that producers only need to pay all up once they have funded the film. Not ideal but workable in these scenarios.

16 Large Minimum.

This is puzzling. If you're writing a feature screenplay that's already requested, why shouldn't you get at least the minimum that screenwriter's get when they sell a screenplay? Is seems as if you're being penalized for being asked to write, rather than tossing your screenplay into the pile and hoping someone likes it. Then again, maybe if the concept isn't yours they're looking at it from that perspective in which case that would make a difference. But, if you're coming up with the concept and writing the project, I don't see a viable reason for the difference in pay. Anyway, it may be more important to get your work out there than to haggle over pricing (unless it's too, unreasonably low - you know your value). In this industry, making a name for yourself is what's going to help you climb the ladder and ensure you longevity once you get there. So, if you can stand to take a slight loss financially (you know, play their game so to speak), it may pay off huge in the long run once your name begins to create a buzz as one of the hottest screenwriters on the market. THEN the money will come looking for you when bigger producers, studios, etc... want you to write great projects for them. Best of luck!

Stacy I would say use the WGA guidelines as a minimum price guideline to start off with. Then consider the budget of the film and take a guess.

Also Stacy I am assuming you are a member of WGA, if not join as soon as possible.

Um you don't get to just join WGA cause you want to. you need credits to join. plus quite a few thousand dollars.

I know I'm going to regret even jumping into this discussion, but here goes: what world are most of you people living in? This woman started with a legitimate question - but based on her background and degree of success to date - and the fact that people are approaching her - GET AN AGENT!! The whole idea of agents is to separate the business side form the creative side. When you're talking "business" with a producer as a writer - it should be creative and about the script - NOT the money. Let your agent talk money. He or she knows the market - knows your degree of interest in an offer you get - knows your track record - let them negotiate the money. Bring you the offer. Then you decide if it's enough. Trust me - you don't want to be a one man/woman band - doing it all - from the money to the notes. You need separation. The fact that you admit to not knowing what to ask for answers your question for you. The business is set up with agents/managers/lawyers - they all overlap to a degree - they have different connections and strengths - they charge different fees. If you have the track record you describe - and have worked and been paid - you should be able to get an agent. The WGA will give you a list of approved ones for free - you don't have to be a member. And having done work already for which you've been paid probably qualifies you to join the Guild. I know that entails a one time fee, and 1 and 1/2 % of your gross earnings going forward - it also buys you protection from unscrupulous producers who make promises and don't pay off - and gets you health and pension contributions which will benefit you down the line. Their health plan is spectacular. That alone is worth the dues. I joined after my very first sale (option) - so those who tell you you need multiple credits to join are wrong. they set minimums which have been negotiated with the studios and networks over the years - based on budgets and length of shows (for TV) and in fact, they have a low budget deal in place with signatory companies which cut both ways - benefitting the producer as well as the writer - but must GUARANTEE that you get paid. Look, I got 5% of net profits on my very first deal - BEFORE joining the WGA. Net profits are like toilet paper - you can wipe your ass with them - which is why the studios don't mind giving them to you. They're worthless. Even if you get them on a low budget movie that explodes at the box office - their tap dancing books will show the movie's in the red - and you'll have to hire a very expensive forensic accountant to track down the money. I also made a deal early on tying my pay for my script to 5% of the budget of the movie. A great deal negotiated by my then agent. The producers gave us the budget - we agreed. Only they lied about the budget - had the script rewritten to take out anything that would cost any money to shoot - made the movie for about 1/3 of the agreed upon budget - in Canada - for Canadien dollars and tried to pay me on THAT. I had to hire a lawyer to get my agreed upon dough - in US - and had to do it all over again - when they made a sequel and tried to screw me out of my sequel money. GET AN AGENT. Assuming you're not a lawyer - you have no business negotiating your own deals because you have no idea what you're doing wrong or the potential payoffs you're leaving on the table. AND - because you should ONLY be worrying about the quality of the writing and the movie produced by same. Also - you have no protection on your writing credit if the movie's made and the producer decides to put his nephew's name on it. The business revolves around two things - CREDIT and money. You need both. I get that early on you are willing to make concessions - but maybe you shouldn't be. You do not want to set a precedent as the writer who can be gotten on the cheap. It is self perpetuating. You need to establish your "floor" and work your way up - based on talent and successes and previous deals etc. You knew enough to ask the right question - I encourage you to listen to the right answers - and not take advice from those who have less experience than you and are as much in the dark as you are about the answers. This should not be a guessing game. I don't claim to have all the answers - but I've been at the game for a long while - 6 agents - decades as a working writer and WGA member. Produced movies and TV shows. At one point I had sold or optioned 90% of the specs I'd written. If you're talented enough to have novelists etc. approaching you - don't sell yourself cheap. What you give away early on you will never make up down the line. Wish I had a buck for every time a producer said "I'll make it up to you on the next deal" - and there never was one.

@Michael "get an agent" was part of answer #4. But welcome to the conversation. :)

Thank you for starting this discussion Staci Layne. And, I'm glad you jumped into this discussion Michael. Impressive resume and wise advice!

LOL Kerry.

Certainly and upfront payment would be recommended especially as you are establishing a track record for yourself. The AWG has set rates minimum of $67.K because they are usually dealing with writers and big budget movies. What payments are actually worth also depends on who has the original idea. Certainly an agent is worthwhile if one will take you on. even for small budget features. Most importantly as someone has already said, do not sell yourself short. If some producer likes your script you need to be up front and ask does he/she want an option for 6 months or take you on to further develop the script. If he/she wants your story, How much are they prepared t o pay? Is it enough money being offered to keep you away from alternative employment is what you have to ask yourself.

Kerry - forgive me for repeating something that was said earlier. I thought it was important enough to say again. Thanks Suzanne. And Frank - option payments are only made when you have something to option, i.e. a spec script. Original material. Producers do not ask a writer to write or revise a screenplay for option money. Don't know what the AWG is - I'm speaking of the WGA - and its schedule of minimums covers everything from low budget films to high budget to TV by length of show, broadcast netwroks and cable and premium. It's a good guideline for what a writer SHOULD be getting paid - regardless of whether they are members or not - but if they are AND have representation - those numbers can be enforced.

Steven - thanks for the shout out (although it doesn't seem to have posted here yet). Joined the WGA 10 minutes after making my first deal (an option of a spec script with a rewrite). Been through 4 strikes.

I have absolutely NOTHING to contribute to this conversation but I do want to thank you all for participating in it. I have learned a lot.

$16K

Hi Staci, Here's a similar post you may want to take a glance at. Financiers check a writer's quotes before agreeing to a fee. As a writer, you should try to find out what the financier typically pays its writers too. https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/How-much-do-you-charge

I am having the exact same problem, I have been hired by a few small productions and.now I am

Being approached by a few people asking me to write for them and asking me how much I charge. The 2.5 percent is a good idea but I am often asked to write the script first so the producer or whoever can apply for funding. So while 2.5 sounds awesome we often don’t know what the budget is going to be. I don’t want to undersell myself nor do I want to over charge as they are all small indie productions. It’s so confusing

Jo. As you probably know the 2.5% is based on a below the line budget. In your case producers want you to write the screenplay on speculation. If they are unable to raise the money or decide not to produce the script you are out all your work. I would want the 2.5% and a small percentage of the project paid on first day of photography and for taking the risk or I would also want small percentage of the gross for taking the risk.Make sure you have an exit strategy if the project dies in development hell. I wish you luck!

Jo Weiss,

2.5% doesn't really cover all the bases fairly. A good contract with a deferred payment for a writer assignment on spec and subject to funding should specify various tiers of payment in relation to budget with a low point that doesn't go below $5K and a high point that that aligns with WGA minimum at the time. You should also be getting paid, at least in part, as soon as the funds have been transferred to the production account.

Competent producers should have a clear idea of minimum and ideal budget. They should have a sales strategy and know the min needed to make a profitable return along with the max point where returns won't likely cover the budget. Long story short, there shouldn't be any big surprises.

Participation is just too convoluted to rely on and easy to manipulate. Someone could offer you 25% of all global theatrical net for a lifetime but, if you don't have a right to an audit at their cost within a fair timeframe, you can't even legally determine if a movie has made money. If someone offers a really simple and generous participation agreement, take it, but never rely on it. You'll be way down the waterfall and the kind of productions asking for spec writing are often the kind that make a loss.

Dan Guardino raises a good suggestion about a risk premium. Ideally, they shouldn't be having their cake and eating it by asking a writer to do speculative work and then only paying their usual rate.

As ever, due diligence is essential here. You only want to get involved in these kind of relationships with producers who have a track record.

I agree with both Dan G & CJ - there are lots of squishy parts in all 'participation' deals. This is not spec work. My rates; I'll talk with you for a low five figure retainer, I'll commit to a project for a low six figure (quarter on commencement), half at completion, last quarter on the principal day of shooting. I may want a small piece of the gross. Talk is cheap. When it comes to development hell - you're on your own.