‘I Kick Myself Every Single Day’: Obsession Art Director Criticizes Pay After Box Office Success
Obsession is expected to make $250 million, but its art director is not happy with the pay. The indie horror breakout hit, made on a budget of just $750,000, has rewritten box office rules with strong word-of-mouth. However, some crew members involved with the film are not celebrating its success.
What did Obsession’s art director say about their pay?
Sally Choi, who was the art director on Obsession, recently took to Instagram to share details about how much money she actually made from her work on the blockbuster horror movie. She revealed, “$300/day as Art Director. This came out to $6741.36 after taxes. No mileage.”
She added, “I did know the rate beforehand and agreed to it, but atp 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. I kick myself every single day for not flipping this production. I was encouraged not to and I naively listened.”
Choi also mentioned that it wasn’t just the art director’s role she had to do. In fact, she was taking care of multiple responsibilities while wearing several hats. “I was also a PA, set dresser, graphic designer, background actor, driver, swing, and buyer. I was doing runs for the art dept (again, no mileage). I was shopping, loading, returning while the rest of the crew were on set,” she wrote.
Choi’s post highlights ongoing concerns about compensation practices in the film industry. Especially for those cases where a low-budget movie turns into a massive hit, but not all the crew members get to share an increased amount of revenue from the success.
In Choi’s situation, she had a deal under which she agreed to work and was paid accordingly. But now that Obsession has become a box-office juggernaut, it appears the art director regrets the original deal and the base amount she settled for.
Directed by YouTuber-turned-filmmaker Curry Barker, Obsession stars Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette in lead roles. The movie is currently running in theaters.
Source: Comingsoon.net