karl wrote:
They're STILL the network that not only kept Friends' spinoff Joey on past the first 6-8 episodes, but also RENEWED it for a disasterous second season! lol They'll have the stinging history book reminder that they took in softer ratings. That'll teach 'em. heh-heh
On Mon, 13 Feb 2006 17:17:37 -0500, Taylor wrote:
They bought the full two seasons of Joey in advance, at a *hefty* price (LeBlanc's salary alone is reportedly $700K per episode), likely on some sort of a play-or-pay basis. Otherwise, I'm sure it would have been cancelled after episode 13 or so.
-- Rob
Tue, 14 Feb 2006 00:06:27 -0600 from Rob Jensen :
^^^^^^^^^^^ What does this term mean, please?
It's an honest question. I assume it doesn't mean what it says literally, that either they play the episodes _or_ they pay him. And it would be nonsensical as a term for "he gets paid whether they play the episodes of not", since it sets up "pay" and "play" as alternatives. So what does it mean?
On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 09:33:58 -0500, Stan Brown wrote:
Actually, I may have reversed the terms in the phrase -- which come to think of it is indeed pay-or-play -- as I'm having a brain freeze at the moment, but yes, it does, in fact mean "he gets paid for it whether they produce the episodes or not."
-- Rob
Tue, 14 Feb 2006 10:53:26 -0600 from Rob Jensen :
Either way, it doesn't seem logical. That "or" implies there's some difference in the pay whether they air the episodes or not. I'm not being belligerent; I'd really like to understand since I've heard this term before. Are you sure that's the right meaning?
On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 14:29:41 -0500, Stan Brown wrote:
It's industry shorthand that's been around for at least a decade and I don't remember the exact derivation. Think of it as short for "Mr. Studio Head, the big shot actor you just signed gets PAY for doing nothing OR he gets pay for PLAYing. Either way, he gets paid the same amount of money."
-- Rob
Just think of it as the equivalant of a ball player, they get paid whether they play in the big game or sit on the bench during the entire nine innings.
Tue, 14 Feb 2006 14:30:26 -0600 from Rob Jensen :
Thanks Rob. Sounds like what lawyers call "a term of art" -- a word or phrase whose literal meaning is only slightly related to its common meaning in a given profession or industry.
I'll try to remember this one from now on!
in article [email], Stan Brown at [email] wrote on 2/14/06 12:29 PM:
yes. I agree it doesn't sound like it. It may well be that the 'pay' is a different amount than the 'play' -- for instance, I'll give you a million dollars as an option, but two million if we make the film.
It was reported that they gave Nick Cage a pay or play of 8 or 12 million dollars at one point on the Superman film (like you need to give him that kind of buck to keep him available for something that was in pre-pro for decades) and paid him off. I think that was during the Tim Burton era.
in article [email], Stan Brown at [email] wrote on 2/14/06 7:33 AM:
Actually it means they pay him whether they air the episodes or not (or often whether they film the episodes or not). Yes, the phrasing is misleading.