Ben Affleck has been in the game long enough to understand that the entertainment industry is just as eager to spit you out as it is to give you your big break.
That’s one of the reasons he and his lifelong friend, Matt Damon, founded Artists Equity, a production firm that allows creators to invest in and control the content they create.
It’s an alternative to a star receiving a large salary yet having little input in the creative process.
When actors collaborate with Artists Equity, they “become effectively like an investor in the sense that their contribution is treated equally with a financial investment,” Affleck told Deadline in a new interview in which he questioned Hollywood’s previous techniques for success in the film industry. “They work to reduce risk, and they get the benefits. That is similar to common sense. But one of the issues with the way things have evolved in Hollywood is that, whether consciously or not, I believe individuals have been taught that participation in projects isn’t genuine.
READ MORE: Jenifer Lopez Talks About Her Divorce From Ben Affleck In Her First Honest Words Since The Breakup
“We’ve gotten into this game of, oh, fine, well, it’s not gross, it’s net participation, and then these costs will mount up against it and come after these fees. There’s this dance in which you audit us, we give a bit, and then you audit us again. And this has become a Hollywood ritual. It may have been reasonable in a different economic situation in the film industry, but we do not believe it is appropriate when asking people to sacrifice their time, effort, and talent in the same manner that these filmmakers have. They did so because they were so invested in the film’s production, but that doesn’t mean they should be taken advantage of. They are investors, and we wanted to treat them accordingly.
The “Good Will Hunting” star, who has recently moved away from acting to focus on more directing and producing, says it would be a lie to say he hasn’t taken a position solely to make a lot of money; job stability does not exist.
READ MORE: Jennifer Lopez And Ben Affleck’s Divorce Puts Millions Of Dollars On The Line
“our type of insecurity affects everyone in our profession. Whether we are actors, directors, or writers, the phone may stop ringing for us. Now is the moment to take the money. However, this causes individuals to disagree,” he stated. “The people who invested in the film do not quite match the people who are making it. And it’s not because they’re trying to be exploitative; it’s because they’ve realized that this is the only thing they can rely on, the upfront money.
“I’m not sure when this will go gone. I’m one erroneous remark away from getting canceled, or one movie disaster away from never working again, and I have a family to consider. People are naturally inclined to do what is best for them.
“That is one of the factors you must consider. It’s attempting to bridge that gap and say, “Look, we’re going to tell you up front that you have to invest something in the film,” Affleck remarked.
Affleck cited his film “Gigli,” in which he played alongside his soon-to-be ex-wife Jennifer Lopez, as “a famous example.”
READ MORE: Suge Knight Believes The FBI Gave Ben Affleck Compromising Jennifer Lopez Footage From Diddy Raids
“I received a large financial payout for that. It doesn’t seem right in retrospect because they lost money. It wasn’t the most money-losing film in history, even if it was the most well-known flop,” he conceded.
The picture famously underperformed at the box office, grossing little over $7 million. Over $75 million was invested to fund the project.
“Nonetheless, that does not set well with me. But that doesn’t set well with people when they say, “Wait a minute.” We all made sacrifices to commit to this. Then there’s the old story of the $10 million film that grossed $200 million but made no money.
“The answer is: fairness. That’s a key notion that Matt and I are particularly interested in: creating a fair contract for everyone that they can live with in success, failure, or anyplace in between,” he said.
Radiant TV, offering to elevate your entertainment game! Movies, TV series, exclusive interviews, music, and more—download now on various devices, including iPhones, Androids, smart TVs, Apple TV, Fire Stick, and more.
