Negotiating salaries was just the beginning. A competent agent or manager, especially Amanda Seyfried's mother, would always seek additional guarantees and benefits for their client.
Michael Davenport, on the other hand, responded to every request. Negotiations were inherently time-consuming and labour-intensive.
By noon, they had only finalized Amanda Seyfried's basic salary and some conditions. This was already considered fast; Robert, handling Michelle Williams' negotiations, hadn't even settled on a basic salary by midday.
Negotiations for regular actors were relatively more manageable. For stars, negotiations could last weeks or even months.
After Michael used soft yet firm strategies, Mrs. Seyfried became more restrained and didn't make excessive demands regarding additional clauses on Amanda's salary.
For instance, she didn't mention box office bonuses, which were shared among many actors at the time. Box office bonuses differ from backend profits and are a one-time reward from the production company if the film reaches certain box office milestones in North America.
Mrs. Seyfried seemed aware that Amanda wasn't in a position to demand such terms.
However, she did not relent on certain aspects, like insurance and benefits for Amanda during the shoot.
The "Entertainment Act" had strict regulations on this, and Michael wouldn't risk trouble by ignoring them. Such expenses were necessary, with the law requiring that health insurance, personal insurance, and benefits for actors must be at least fifteen percent of their base salary.
Naturally, the crew would adhere to the minimum standard.
There was also the matter of overtime pay. If the shooting exceeded the planned two months from May 1 to June 30, the crew must pay Amanda Seyfried $2,000 for each extra day.
In short, this was an overtime clause.
Hollywood doesn't follow the "voluntary overtime" culture; overtime work must be compensated, or the trouble it causes will cost even more to resolve.
In his previous life, Michael worked in a large company where he was on call around the clock, leading to a long period without a personal life. Eventually, he crashed due to work-related stress and events.
The negotiations resumed in the afternoon.
"Amanda's name should appear third in the credits, just after the leads," Mrs. Seyfried began, "and should be shown individually in the opening credits."
Michael had discussed the opening sequence with James Wong. The film would have a short prologue. He immediately dismissed her suggestion: "Amanda's name will be fourth, alongside Michelle Williams."
Mrs. Seyfried tried a different angle: "What about at the end of the prologue?"
Michael calmly stated, "That spot is reserved for the director."
The best spots in the prologue are either at the beginning or the end. Michael made a small concession: "Amanda's name won't be smaller than any other actor's in terms of height, width, thickness, or display time."
Considering the morning's negotiations, Mrs. Seyfried decided not to underestimate Michael. After some thought, she agreed, "Okay."
She continued, "Amanda should have a dedicated car for commuting and a separate trailer for location shoots. No shots should expose her shoulders below or thighs above the knee. Accommodation for location shoots should be in at least three-star hotels. If the film is featured in a festival, she should have at least one media appearance with sufficient funding."
These minor details were still subject to negotiation. Michael responded directly: "You'll handle transportation. The budget doesn't allow for a personal trainer, but she can share a car with another actor for location shoots, and the same goes for the makeup trailer. There will be no nudity; the hotel is acceptable, but festival appearances aren't guaranteed."
Hearing this, Mrs. Seyfried's face darkened.
This producer was indeed frugal!
Michael stood firm on financial matters but used the promise of recognition as leverage: "In all future Seashore Entertainment advertisements or trailers for the film, Amanda Seyfried will be credited. This includes DVD, VHS, CD packaging, and the bottom of movie posters."
According to Michael's plan, Amanda Seyfried was already entitled to such benefits as a member of the main cast. However, as a shrewd producer, he used these entitlements as bargaining chips.
Mrs. Seyfried considered it and found it reasonable. This would give Amanda more exposure, which would be beneficial for her long-term career.
After a brief pause, she agreed, "Alright."
The discussion then moved to the specifics of the shoot, mainly that Amanda should not be involved in scenes with significant nudity or high-risk stunts.
The main focus was on the more graphic and gory scenes.
Matters such as script consultation, co-actors and directors, makeup and costume decisions, promotions, and behind-the-scenes features were not even on the table.
Even Mrs. Seyfried, new to the movie business, wasn't foolish enough to demand such powers.
Extra perks were out of the question as well; those were reserved for A-list stars.
It took a full day, but Michael finally reached an agreement on Amanda Seyfried's contract. The next day, both parties officially signed the contract in the presence of a lawyer. (If this were a union project, a union representative would have to endorse the contract and file it with the union.)
Over the following week, the crew also signed contracts with Michelle Williams, Melissa Leo, and Robert Knepper.
These actors had little to no fame, and their drawing power was minimal. Michael, as a frugal producer, managed to keep their salaries low. Robert Knepper received $50,000, Melissa Leo $30,000, and the relatively new Michelle Williams only $20,000.
Including the $15,000 for the two Arab actors and the cost of hiring extras, Michael successfully kept the total actor salary expenses under $150,000.
James Wong, the highest-paid member of the crew, earned $300,000 due to his experience directing "The X-Files" and working on three other TV series in various production roles.
James Wong's friend, Glen Morgan, was another key figure.
This well-known screenwriter polished Michael's script. Following Glen Morgan's advice, Michael revised the script to give more prominence to the Black character, whose rescue attempt triggers the crisis for the main family. This leads to the neighbours' invasion and eventual rescue by the Arab neighbor.
The Black Lives Matter movement was already gaining traction during this time.
According to industry standards, Glen Morgan received a minimum fee of $1,000 for his script polish.
By the 2008 writers' strike, this minimum would rise to $15,000.
Producers detested strikes more than anything.
Which boss doesn't want to exploit their employees to the fullest?
"During overtime: Treat the company like your home. When asking for leave: You think the company is your home to come and go as you please?"
"I'll definitely give you a raise as long as you perform well. The company won't mistreat you."
As a new boss, when hiring inexperienced new employees, Michael would undoubtedly say: "Learn from the colleagues who work overtime regularly. Learn from those who don't demand higher pay."
Young people need to work more to gain experience.
Unfortunately, no A-list stars made cameo appearances in "The Purge."
According to Michael's plan, the crew's total payroll was kept under $600,000, meeting the target.
The entire expenses of Seashore Entertainment would also be accounted for under the film's budget. Mary diligently managed the accounts, a common practice in independent film circles, from the start of financing until the film's release in North America.
During pre-production, filming, and post-production, countless expenses arise, including advertising and marketing, even after the film's release.
Seashore Entertainment didn't have distribution capabilities, but as the producer, they could still advertise the film.
As the project initiator and producer, Michael was entitled to a corresponding salary.