Show BUSINESS - the "Deal Memo"

It's not called "show business" for nothing.

People think it's mostly show, but in fact, far more of your time is spent on business.

In the movie world there's a little thing called a "Deal Memo." This is like a contract, but tends to be short and sweet, a single page, that spells out the basic agreement, like how much you'll be paid, your credit, and the fact that the producers can then use your likeness and voice any way they feel like and you can do nothing about it. All standard.

I'd tried to get my deal memo for over a week before production started, but no one ever responded. At this point I figured as long as they didn't replace me it was OK. I got to the set, I still had the part, I shot two scenes, then the producer breezed by and handed me my deal memo.

When I looked at it I felt cheap.

It wasn't at all what I wanted, there's been no negotiation, it was just, "here it is, sign it."

In situations like this the first thing I tend to do is to take everything personally. I can't help it, that's just me. So the first thing I thought of was, "why did they hire me if they think so little of me?"

The good thing about "maturing" is that I've learned how to get over my initial impulses like this and look at the situation "maturely" and realize that it's not reflection of my abilities or worth, it's just the producer doing his job, which involves trying to get everything, and everyone, as cheaply as possible.

One of my jobs as an actor is to look at acting as a job--so while the producer is working in his interest (and the interest of getting the film made), I have to look at it in my interest, and the interest of being able to afford to be an actor.

Since I had more scenes to shoot, I put it away and succeeded in forgetting about it until the day was over and I was driving home, the thought causing a little bit of steam to escape from my ears.

Luckily, I had a long drive, which gave me time to formulate my reply. I didn't want to be unreasonable and have this producer tell every other producer in the world that I was a greedy bastard (though, in this business, calling someone a "greedy bastard" is like calling them a Homosapien).

So I looked at it like a business and approached it from a totally practical angle--that what the producer offered was barely going to cover my expenses. I listed the expenses and said I needed them covered, which is totally reasonable.

I had multiple arguments (and "creative accounting") solutions available.

The next day I arrived early to the set, saw the producer, asked him for five minutes, and as soon as I said I needed expenses he said, "Of course."

Then I said I wasn't happy with the salary and he said, "How much do you want" and I told him a reasonable figure given the budget of the film and he said, "OK."

No argument required.

The moral of this here story is simple--figure out precisely what you want and ask for it. Otherwise you'll only get what they want to give you.