‘Obsession’ and a wish for better pay
“Obsession” is a rare Hollywood Cinderella story. Between blockbusters with $100 million budgets and A-lister casts, Curry Barker’s feature debut edged past the competition with a measly budget of $750,000 to $1 million—which saw immense success with gross earnings past $230 million worldwide as of writing.
Roughly a month since its theatrical release, the film is still undeniably the talk of the town. Though not for the reasons you’d expect.
Between the norm and what ought to be
In a viral Instagram post, the horror flick’s art director, Sally Choi, revealed that she earned only $6,761 after taxes at a rate of $300 a day.
“I did know the rate beforehand and agreed to it, but at this point, I was living paycheck to paycheck. This is the reality of most filmmakers, especially those who work below the line. We become a line in the budget sheet to keep as low as possible,” shared Choi in that post.
She also added that, on top of being an art director, she also worked outside her scope as a set dresser, graphic designer, and background actor. “As is the case for most low-budget productions, everyone has to wear many, many hats.”
In the end, she called for others with similar experiences to step forward and share their testimonies to the end of turning a “tide in the film industry.”
But the response to Choi’s post hasn’t been kind
On one end, social media users pointed out how she was complaining about a rate she’d already agreed to, simply because of how successful it had gotten. For some, had she negotiated for percentage earnings based on box-office performance, there wouldn’t be an issue to begin with.
Meanwhile, several others also noted that payment in indie films is naturally low due to limited budgets. High payment isn’t to be expected when undertaking such projects, and participation in them is instead used to fluff up portfolios to take on bigger projects with better pay.
For example, a studio is already offering Barker $10 million for his next original project, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Meanwhile, Navarrette, who reportedly made $20 thousand for “Obsession,” is the season’s hottest star and will undoubtedly be approached for more projects in the future.
If anything, having “art director for ‘Obsession’” in one’s resume would open one up to similar opportunities.
Turning the tide
In the end, there’s nothing wrong with fighting for better pay—especially for creatives who continue to be underappreciated and taken advantage of, regardless of industry.
It’s also why action (though admittedly slow and small) is being taken in Hollywood to ensure better equity in film productions. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon recently paid out a performance bonus to the cast and crew of “The Rip,” after it reached viewership thresholds set by Netflix in their deal.
“The incredible cast and crew of The Rip are no exception. They each played a critical role in making this film the success that it is,” shared Affleck and Damon in a shared statement. “We are grateful for their work and glad to see it connecting so deeply with audiences. We’d also like to thank Netflix for their belief in this project and the unique structure around it.”
“This is a great proof point for our new partnership, and we’re confident it will be just the first in many shared hits.”
However, these aren’t guarantees across productions. Depending on specific discussions and deals, the outcome could go either way. But regardless of whether or not you agree with Choi, you can’t deny that she’s opened up conversations that could help creatives down the line.
Even so, creatives should receive proper and just compensation for their work—regardless of the scale of the production. But in the same breath, creatives should also be cautious and negotiate on terms that would protect them. Two things can be true at the same time, and you can advocate for better circumstances while not being blind to the current status quo.
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