The topic of residuals has been a hot topic, but where do the payments come from – and How much do the actors actually do?
“Producers and distributors (bank residual payments),” shared a SAG-AFTRA spokesperson Latest issue of U.S. Weekly. “Our signing producers are responsible for residuals when their photos are distributed and exhibited, but distributors also assume responsibility and payment for residuals as a result of obtaining the rights to distribute an image.”
Regarding the amount, there are “multiple factors” that determine how much an artist receive.
“The agreement in which the image is produced (plays a role). (Also) The type(s) of exposure/distribution the image has, e.g. network works on TV, DVD sales or digital downloads, subscription and free streaming, cable basic, foreign television, etc. “, explained the spokesperson. “Revenue from distribution types, for example, how many units were sold on DVD or digital sales, the value of a license to television or new media such as basic television or network or cable basic or streaming service. Also how individual artists were hired, worked and paid. »
Residues were a major topic of conversation During the WGA and SAG-Aftra doubleheader, in 2023. Many actors shared their pay stubs to show why they were advocating for better pay for union members.
William Stanford Daviswho plays Mr. Johnson on Abbott ElementaryPreviously, he took to social media to show off his $0.05 paycheck from an undisclosed TV show. In the meantime, Mandy Moore revealed she received checks for pennies after reruns of her Emmy-nominated drama Emmy, It’s us.
“Ours is a fickle industry and over my 20+ years of being an artist, my career has ebbed and flowed. I had some very lean years where I couldn’t find a job and those were precisely the times in recent years when actors could rely on the residue of their past work to help them get by,” wrote Moore, 40, via his Instagram July 2023. “The world and business have changed and I hope we can find a meaningful solution in the future.”
She added: “The delayed effect felt across so many industries is already devastating. I’m one person – a small part of our guild – and while I’m happy to use the platform my past jobs have given me to speak out on issues affecting my @sagaftra family, I know my experience is mine. We hope we get a fair contract soon so we can get back to doing the jobs we all love and miss so much. »
The winter TV calendar is overflowing with highly anticipated premieres and returns, including Pitt, Seèche, White Lotus and more. HBO’s The Pitt, premiering in January, marks Noah Wyle’s return to medical dramas 15 years after his role as John Carter on ER. The series is described as “a realistic examination of (…)
The WGA went on strike in May 2023 before reaching a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers five months later. Sag-Aftra joined them on the picket line two months later after failing to reach agreement on contract terms with AMPTP, which represents networks, studios and banners Like Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount and Sony. A deal was reached in November 2023 and the labor dispute was settled after most TV shows and movies were put on hiatus.
According to the SAG-AFTRA spokesperson, Most residuals are “due quarterly.”
“But some, like rebroadcasts of television programs, may be due one to four months after each rebroadcast,” they noted. “The combination of negotiation and strike actions (caused residue). And getting residuals for the first time also includes negotiation over how many and to what extent older/previously produced shows will participate in the newly negotiated terms. »
The residual agreements have been continually updated with the aim of correctly compensate the actors.
2025 is a big year for TV — but which shows do we definitely know are coming back for more seasons? Apple TV+ surprised viewers by renewing Bad Monkey after the ending that left the show’s future in doubt. Based on the novel of the same name by Carl Hiaasen, Bad Monkey follows former police detective Andrew (…)
“As exhibition models and distribution types change, contracts must change as well. Additionally, residual formulas often need to be improved as a media market grows. Early residuals for TV reruns did not continue in perpetuity and this improvement was negotiated later,” the rep shared with We. “Ditto for the residuals for foreign television of television programs. The same thing is happening for residuals associated with shows on streaming services now. These formulas are improved in subsequent negotiations. »
If you have a burning entertainment question for our team of experts, email us at [email protected]. For more, take the new number of U.S. Weeklyon newsstands now.
With reporting by Mariel Turner