Sales Agents: Have They Ever Paid?

L

loop_guide

Hi,

For those of you that have used sales agents or producers reps to sell your movies, have you ever actually got a check from one of these guys?

I know they make sales at AFM and Cannes, etc, and they take market fees etc. The part that was left over, your share, has any one ever actually seen any of that money?

I have yet to find an indie filmmaker that has actually seen any of the money their producers rep owes them, not a single one!

It seems like quite a business, get the product for "free" and simply sell it, and never pass on any of the money to the person that actually made the product. It seems like they all do it and that's how they make their money.

Am I wrong? Is there a producer here that has actually seen a check?

LG,
 
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I have. We signed with a sales rep who landed us our distribution deal within six months. We were paid in stages through the sales rep and so far we've received every penny we're owed from him.
 
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I've never been in the position where the sales agent gets money
and then pays me with what is left over. The producers rep/sales
agents have always worked on commission - they get paid a
percentage of MY money, not the other way around.


However, I know the scam exists and I would suspect you aren't
wrong. Any producers rep/sales agent who takes the money and
then pays the filmmaker a percentage is, in my opinion, not doing
their job. But it seems Beeble has done it this way and been successful
so I'm going to re-think my position.
 
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directorik said:
I've never been in the position where the sales agent gets money
and then pays me with what is left over. The producers rep/sales
agents have always worked on commission - they get paid a
percentage of MY money, not the other way around.


However, I know the scam exists and I would suspect you aren't
wrong. Any producers rep/sales agent who takes the money and
then pays the filmmaker a percentage is, in my opinion, not doing
their job. But it seems Beeble has done it this way and been successful
so I'm going to re-think my position.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying?

Are you saying that your sales agent arranges the deal, the buyer pays you, and then you pay the sales agent their commission?

It seems that all the sales agents I have seen, collect money on the producers behalf, then remit the producer his share when they collect from the buyer.

If they ever collect of course, and if they decide to pay once they do collect the money.

LG.
 
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Hey so does that mean when we have made our movie.we should not give anything to sales agents? they are going to get their share from the deal directly made by producers?

well can you people mention names+addresses of some useful ,and honest sales agents who realy supporst and are honest with their job?





Keep smiling [at your own expense [:]]
 
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directorik said:
Any producers rep/sales agent who takes the money and
then pays the filmmaker a percentage is, in my opinion, not doing
their job. But it seems Beeble has done it this way and been successful
so I'm going to re-think my position.
Click to expand...

This method is not uncommon at all. A lot of talent reps work this way as well. They process the check, take their commission, and pay out the 90% to the client. There shouldn't be anything to fear from any reputable rep. And I guess they do it this way because they have more to worry about not getting their commission from their flaky clients! :)
 
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I read in a book that 90% of filmmakers never see a dime from at least foreign sales because the sales agent never recoups their expenses. Sales agents may be right for one film but wrong for another. I wound up signing directly with an American distributor (consignment deal). I think the sales agents that were interested in my project saw me as a "free lunch". Glad I didn't give up 25% of my US sales. If my DVD does well in the US then that will be a selling point to foreign buyers.
If you do sign with a sales agent make sure and have a lawyer look it over. Often times these sales agents pull the "Hollywood accounting" thing. You need to stop that in it's tracks via a bullet proof contract.
 
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