Actors, directors urged to take pay cut to boost film industry
Film industry leaders have called for movie stars and directors to cut their fees so that more can be spent on film productions.
Actor Eric Tsang Chi-wai, chairman of the Hong Kong Performing Artistes Guild, said there had been a lack of medium-scale productions, which formed the backbone of the local film industry in the 1980s. He said cutting actors' fees could help bring them back.
'I want to call for all actors to reduce their fees and put the money into the productions.
'I've already done this and tried to compromise with directors so my salary would fit their budget.'
Investments in films have been dominated by star power rather than studios in recent years. Industry professionals said actors' fees could now take up to 50 per cent of total production costs. For bigger films featuring top stars, 60 to 70 per cent went to the actors.
The guild is considering setting up a production department for small or medium-scale films or television projects.
The guild's vice-chairwoman, Patricia Ho Kam-wah, said: 'It is still in the brainstorming process but we hope that through this [department] we can produce more work and films for people to choose. It not only generates income for the guild - our members can have more work, and if they have good scripts they can also try writing screenplays and directing.'
Woody Tsung Wan-chi, chief executive of the Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories Motion Picture Industry Association, welcomed the cost-cutting proposal. 'We are in the same boat and this can help save the industry,' he said.
Director Edmond Pang Ho-cheung said actors should take no more than 35 per cent of production costs. 'I just hope the investors really put the money back into production, not take it as cutting the budget,' he said.
Director and producer Peter Chan Ho-sang said some actors would be willing to take less for a good script. But he did not think this could be done easily.
'A lot of production firms have switched to management firms because film or music has become something of a promotion tool, making the stars famous then making money from somewhere else such as [advertising].
'Investors rely too much on actors, and the pathetic thing is that people are still willing to pay. We can't just come together and ask them to reduce their fees. I don't think it can be done in that way.'
Additional reporting by Winnie Yeung
