I ran across a rather amazing blog post today that I feel all producers should read. "How to Pay Your Crew". Chris Collins over at Wide Open Camera has written a great article on something that's been on my mind for a very long while. How does a professional handle the methods of payment in a professional (albeit necessary) manner? In an industry plagued with producers who are never wrong and actors who are always right (both often existing on the same set), how do you bring up the issue of money without sounding needy or, in my case, coming across as having the "I'm only here for the money" mentality? My greatest fear in asking for payment, no matter how duly I deserve it, is that asking for money is going to bring up a sore point that leaves the wrong impression about me. Mind you, no sane person would ever assume that a person who asks for payment is only in it for the money. It's as Chris Collins says in his opening paragraph, "The film business is, after all, just that-a business...". But I can count on one hand just how many sane folks have ever paid me for my services as a sound designer. The toes are used to count the insane. Well, Chris' post is from the producer’s perspective, and I absolutely love how it relates to somebody on the other end, such as myself. The majority of discomfort comes from the uncertainty of the producer’s motives and assumptions. However, there are a few uncertainties that can be set aside from this article. I’ll leave you to read, but I thought you might be interested in reading. Follow the link if I’ve piqued your interest.

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