Reader Question: How much does a top screenwriter get paid for a rewrite?

From Erich:

Hi Scott,

Love your site (read the RSS feed daily). Had a few questions today while talking with someone, and I figured I’d ask you…

How much does a top screenwriter (say, David Koepp as an arbitrary example) get paid to do a page one rewrite of an existing script? How long are they given to do the rewrite?

How much less are they paid to polish what’s already there, and how long are they given?

Thanks! And keep up the great work!

Best, Erich

These numbers are fluid and vary by writer, project, state of crisis [or not] of the movie, and so on. All screenwriters have ‘quotes,’ a number representing how much they got paid on their last project or their standard writing fee, but even that is fluid depending upon circumstances.

Also the way in which the fee gets paid can vary. A writer may be hired to write a draft in 12 weeks. Or a polish in 4 weeks. On the other hand, they may be hired by the week as a script doctor on a script in active pre-production or even during production. Obviously the term of employment will influence the fee.

Furthermore the actual numbers A-list or other writers make per project aren’t made public. Obviously agents, managers, business affairs, lawyers, studio execs and producers will have access to that information, some with more specific knowledge than others, and those numbers get discussed in negotiations, but generally they’re not available to the masses.

Another wrinkle: If the writer is a true A-lister, they could be in that rarified air of being able to negotiate a gross profit deal. That would likely reduce their upfront fees.

A final consideration: Sometimes numbers that get kicked around end up being a comparison not between apples and oranges. One figure might refer to upfront compensation for writing services, another could include a production bonus due to the writer upon commencement of principal photography. So is it accurate to say the writer has a million dollar deal if their only guaranteed money is $650K?

So in answer to your question, I would say you’re probably safe in assuming that an in-demand screenwriter can pull in anywhere from $500K-2M on a project, again taking into account all the variables noted above. I would’t be surprised to find out there are writers who make more than $2M for their services on a project.

Per weekly script doctor fees, I’ve heard figures that range from $100K-250K per week, but here, too, I would imagine there are writers who earn even more.

This by no means reflects a majority of screenwriters working (or trying to) in Hollywood. Indeed there is a ginormous disparity between earnings of the average screenwriter and those at the top of food chain. According to the WGA:

Most writers are middle class; 46% did not even work last year. Of those who do work, one quarter make less than $37,700 a year and 50% make less than $105,000 a year. Over a five year period of employment and unemployment, a writer’s average income is $62,000 per year.

I don’t know if that figure is median or mean, but one thing is for sure: It ain’t a million bucks. So while top screenwriters may top that mark, most do not. 

While farming may be about as far away as you can get from the screenwriting profession, the old adage pertains to writing in Hollywood: “Make hay while the sun shines.”

Comment Archive