Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Walking the walk vs talking the talk...
Is anyone in a position to confirm information I have received during the last week from a few anonymous sources that crew are threatening to quit a project currently shooting because of delayed payment?
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9 comments:
well if it is the job in [edit] I heard yesterday that people have not been paid at all, some have not been paid some and cast and crew have had enough. i heard before that the company has money problems and it looks like the project had no money to start with but started anyway...[edit] i heard tomorrow Friday is D day on that one....[edit]
The talk that I here is that there are two jobs were the crew has not gotten paid. One here in [edit] and one in [edit]. This is a regular occurance at the beginning of a job but is normally resolved once the project is up and running. It would seem that the people on the [edit] project are weeks in arrears of payment. There is nothing more imbarrassing than to going to use your bank card after putting in three or four 60 hour weeks and finding out nothing has been lodged in your account. In years past one of the stipulations of getting a grant [this may not be relevant in either of these instances -IFP] was that it required production companies to put up a bond so crew and suppliers could be paid. This was removed. Welcome to modern day Ireland.
I am editing specific references to the productions for fear of being accused of being the cause of (or adding to) these productions' difficulties. It's always easier to shoot the messenger.
The bottom line is that cast and crew should never have to cash flow a production. What that means is that the film was not in effect fully financed at time principal photography started, let alone when prep began.
If it transpires that in order to get paid crew are asked to take a 'haircut' on the fee they initially agreed then that would be outrageous.
In those instances crew would be within their rights to demand copies of all documentation sent to public authorities (the Revenue etc) detailing the full production budget, finance agreements and cash flow schedule.
I have heard that crew members on a certain project currently shooting are not getting their per diems. The cashflow issues have been blamed on delays re S481 (an unlikely excuse). In the absence of per diems, crew members have been advised to charge meals etc. to their hotel rooms. If I were the hotel owner I would be a little alarmed at this development.
Agreed.
I might also add that I feel for the people who take on jobs like this in good faith and then find themselves stuck in the middle, having to face crews who trusted them.
I understand in one of the instances cheques were issued after a work stoppage. Folks now waiting for them to clear.
They bloddy better or I will go the guards, ironically. The kids wont undstand the excuses of a film producer when santa doesn't come
I can read between the lines at what Production we are referring to in [edit]. I can confirm that crew weren't paid , or should I say were presented with cheques and were told by the bank there where no funds to cover these. From friends I heard the Construction and Electricians Pulled the Plug until Bank Drafts where issued. On another production [edit] I can confirm there was also an issue regarding wages not being met for a period of weeks for some in Production Office and other Depts. It's resolved now we're told as S481 has been released? Its some industry, sorry industry is not the word, SCAM.
Just back from Germany on one of these productions and will never work for those involved again. And still owed wages like others. How these people get away with this operation is just stunning. Delighted to be working but surely bonds need to be in place to show that people can pay people. Just leaves a bad taste that's all and makes us uneasy about trusting other producers and companies. Blaming Anglo for a productions woes is not right either though I'd blame them for most of the goings on these days.
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