Even Top Indie Directors Make Little Money

[Demovictory9]

Sean Baker, winner of the awards for best original screenplay, best film editing, best director, and best picture for "Anora," attends the Governors Ball after the Oscars in Los Angeles, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher)



https://www.newser.com/story/366868/even-top-indie-directors-make-little-money.html

Even Top Indie Directors Make Little Money
IndieWire: Sean Baker, Brady Corbet illustrate the challenges of independent film

Indie directors Sean Baker and Brady Corbet both had banner awards seasons for their respective films Anora and The Brutalist. But as IndieWire notes, both made clear on the interview circuit and in their speeches that it's nearly impossible for independent directors to make a living these days. Corbet, for example, said he had "made zero dollars" on his last two films and was surviving on a check from three years ago. And Baker (whose past critical successes include The Florida Project and Tangerine) said he can only do what he does because he has no children. Producer Alex Saks explains the economics at IndieWire's Toolkit podcast, using the (optimistic) hypothetical of an indie director making a film for $5 million that goes on to earn $7 million.

"Under this scheme, the equity investor floated cash flow to make the movie. They would recoup their $5 million investment, plus a 20% premium—so, $6 million goes to the investor. The sales agent would also take a 10% fee from the sale; that's $700,000. From the $7 million sale, that leaves $300,000 to split between the investor and the filmmakers. That means just $150,000 for the creative team, which can include the producers, writer, director, and crew members."

A director might get a salary of $75,000 (big names such as Baker and Corbet would likely get more, and new directors less), but it also might take three years to finish a film. The upshot is that a director could easily end up making the equivalent of minimum wage or less.

[GreatGazoo]

1. They say "director" but they are talking as if they mean producer

or maybe producer director.

I worked on a feature two years ago made by a husband and wife team that were grinding them out. So I have to think it was paying the bills. They had hired Mike Faist fresh from Spielberg's WSS for the lead. Crew of 20+ union pros who could bang it out. We shot in a vacant bank much like the one in 'Everything Everywhere All the Time'. And it was period -- 1974 and 1976 -- so that's extra expense on everything that goes in front of the camera. I grew what my friends referred to as a "porn mustache" and the production put period hair and clothes on me.

In my experience, making money depends on the production more than on whether or not it is indy. All the same budgets are extra tight right now.