Distributor to DCP: Without 200K, "Witnesses" Will Flop

[Moksha]

Having a dancing Witnesses sign-board person on Center Street in Provo would be a good promo.

[Philo Sofee]

Having a dancing Witnesses sign-board person on Center Street in Provo would be a good promo.

He could cut out the cardboard sign into the shape of Golden Plates and put rings in and everything! He could even put some Reformed Egyptian signs on it! Then everyone would know this is not going to be about Muhammad or Christ, but about Morm-Churchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints-onism

[Doctor Scratch]

As one who has worked on many, Mormon films, most of these filmmakers are only in it for the money. There is one exception that I know of, but the rest are just unscrupulous, mediocre and cheapskate producers who prey upon TBMs who are taught that Hollywood movies are inherently evil. They pay their vendors, crew and actors as little as possible and keep most of the profits. It’s a good business model for them as producers, pretty crap for the rest of the people working for them. I suspect Witnesses is no different.

I mean Hollywood producers can be just as bad! But at least there are unions who pay people a living wage and provide benefits for their crew.

Huh. That's an interesting perspective, Mixman. It sounds like you have far more experience, and thus understand far, far more about all of this than Dr. Peterson does. People have noted from the outset that there really hasn't been much financial transparency as far as "Witnesses" is concerned.

Edited to add: I just have to say--and yes, I'm sorry to have to say it yet again--but Dr. Peterson has lied repeatedly and egregiously on the matter of his getting paid more than $20,000 to serve as Chair of FARMS in the late 1990s. And yes, I realize there was disagreement over whether this was paid to him in lieu of his normal academic salary--i.e., that he was "bought out," meaning he did Mopologetics instead of teaching--or whether it was paid to him *on top* of his normal salary. And I also realize that Dr. Peterson has at times claimed that he "doesn't remember" what the actual deal was with his compensation, and that he also, at one point, blamed an "accountant" who apparently had to be "fired," for any apparent "irregularities." But the IRS documents showed, plain as day, that he was paid more than $20,000. And yet he continues to lie about it. To this day.

So, why should we believe his claims about not profiting from "Witnesses"?

[Mixman76]

Distributors such as Mr. Purdie are only in it for the money. And that isn't necessarily a bad thing, we all need to make a living. But the cut that he will get of the asked for $200k will be far greater than the average crew member who actually put their blood sweat and tears into making the film.

[Doctor Scratch]

Distributors such as Mr. Purdie are only in it for the money. And that isn't necessarily a bad thing, we all need to make a living. But the cut that he will get of the asked for $200k will be far greater than the average crew member who actually put their blood sweat and tears into making the film.

I assume his "slice" is 15%?

[Lem]

As one who has worked on many, Mormon films, most of these filmmakers are only in it for the money. There is one exception that I know of, but the rest are just unscrupulous, mediocre and cheapskate producers who prey upon TBMs who are taught that Hollywood movies are inherently evil. They pay their vendors, crew and actors as little as possible and keep most of the profits. It’s a good business model for them as producers, pretty crap for the rest of the people working for them. I suspect Witnesses is no different.

I mean Hollywood producers can be just as bad! But at least there are unions who pay people a living wage and provide benefits for their crew.

The cast calls for the witnesses filming out here on the east coast specified "only non-union." based on your post above, this means "much lower pay," right?

[Mixman76]

Yes, much lower pay with no protections on hours worked, no medical insurance, no overtime, no benefits whatsoever.

[Moksha]

Yes, much lower pay with no protections on hours worked, no medical insurance, no overtime, no benefits whatsoever.

Is that common for low budget productions?

[Mixman76]

Yes it is. With the amount of struggling actors and/or new cast and crew looking for their “big break” they will work for peanuts just to be in a production. Sadly, many filmmakers just prey on this demographic of actors and artist to get their projects done and hopefully gain a greater return on investment.

[Moksha]

Some films like El Mariachi start on shoestring budgets and move up with stars like Antonio Banderas, Cheech Marin, and Steve Buscemi on the sequels if they catch fire.

If such luck happened with Witnesses, Dr. Peterson could make his next film casting Jack Black as President Brigham Young and Danny Trejo as his assassin Porter Rockwell. That would undoubtedly find much wider distribution and pay union wages. Of course, Porter would need another title such as Ninja for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or maybe even more euphemistically, an avenging angel.