How much money can a supporting actors on a television show make from syndicated episodes?

Question

There are shows that are on at least three times a day, five days a week (i.e. That 70's show, Saved by The Bell, and Fresh Prince of Bel Air). Are these people set for life monetarily from the residuals they make from these shows? Do they get paid a flat fee for each time the show airs? If so, about how much can they make an episode from syndicated airings?

Answer 1

It's not as rosy as it looks. The money depends how the contract was set up, could be a buy out, when it was first played since the more times it plays the less you get, whether it is gone to syndication on local which is less, if the SAG contract changes the amount you get does not go up to match the new contract AND they simply play out.

Answer 2

That's a loaded question for sure! The breakdown is basically this in a nutshell. Every cast member on that show is making a minimum of 3,984 per week. Now if a rerun of an episode gets shown again during the same season they get the same amount. Now the network itself after theee first one will pay 50% on the next time it is shown, 40% 3rd,4-6th 25% 7-10th 15% 11-12 10% 13+ 5% after.
Now lets say I have "Will & Grace" and I want to sell WB rights for late night syndicate they basically pay the actors the same fees as before with the same breakdown I had before but you can show the same episode twicw on thw same day and not have to pay them for showing the episode twice.
They will get an additional 15-20% for sany foreign distribution outside of US and Canada plus an increase of 10% after the distributors foreign gross excedes a certain amount.
Now the DVD season 1 and so forth they get 4.5% of the first million of gross recipt totals and then 5.4% for each million after that.
now this is just the minimum an actor gets if the show is a success then you can het a lot more, There really is a lot more involved but its to complex but don't worry I know poor Ashton in like 5-6 years will only be getting 5% per episode shown but he nor anyone will ever have to work a day in their life again.

Answer 3

Most companies and actors play it close to the vest when they comment about residuals, but Michael Landon was able to finance his production company from all his "Bonanza!" residuals

Answer 4

Depends on their contracts, but yes it can be a very sweet deal!

Answer 5

IT DEPENDS ON THE CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT THEY GOT INTO FROM THE BEGINNING. WILL SMITH, SET. ASHTON KUTCHER, SET, THE REST OF THE CAST, HOPEFULLY WILL GET MORE WORK. ZACK AND SCREECH, HURTIN FOR CERTAIN.