Expert: Peter Messaline - 4/2/2008

Question
I am going to be hired by a production/entertainment company to write a musical--some of the lyrics may be written by me (not the music)--but all of the dialogue and direction that is written in the play will be done by me.  I have told them I cannot do it on spec.  They hope to get it to off-broadway.  What can I ask for in payment, and how should it be paid?  I know about screenplays, but not plays.

Answer
I looked around, and found these references to the good idea of tying everything down in a detailed contract. It is especially important to decide how many rewrites you will be obliged to make for the fee, and how long your obligation will be. You know from screenwriting practice that you'll have to establish your copyright for the sake of future uses of your material, and your moral and ethical rights, to make sure you are credited and to stop them hacking your baby into bleeding chunks.

http://www.playwrightsguild.ca/pgc//c_contracts.asp

http://www.playwrightsforum.com/guideline.html

But the best I found came from AllExperts itself:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Writing-Plays-Screenwriting-677/Author-royalties.htm


The thing that no-one will be able to help you with is the upfront fee. Even if it is expressed as an advance on royalties, or a minimum guarantee against royalties, the company's cash-flow situation will control how much they will come up with.
I suggest that you say that you want the job, and you expect royalties, but your efforts up front and during the development mean that they will have to find an advance fee, payable in thirds, perhaps (upfront, on submission of a manuscript that satisfies the commission, and on opening).
*****And then let them come back with a figure.*****
They know their budget, you don't. It's difficult for you to put a cash value on your time, easier for them to give the script its proper position in the various upfront and running costs.

All strength to you