Residuals are a central issue of the current simultaneous strikes of Hollywood actors and screenwriters, and a subject of constant comment on picket lines.
“The residuals are out there,” read a picket sign held by actor David Duchovny, echoing the tagline of his TV series, “The X Files.”
Residuals are a central issue of the current simultaneous strikes of Hollywood actors and screenwriters, and a subject of constant comment on picket lines. While they once handsomely rewarded stars with rewatchable hits like Duchovny, union members say they’ve since diminished to a trickle as the industry has shifted to streaming. Here’s a look at how the system works and the experience of those who receive them — or don’t.
WHAT ARE RESIDUALS?
Residuals are long-term payments to those who worked on films and television shows, negotiated by unions, for reruns and other airings after the initial release. The basic pay structure was developed in 1960, the last time writers and actors were on strike together.
Traditionally, actors and writers are paid for each time a show runs on broadcast or cable television, or when someone buys a DVD, a Blu-ray disc or (long ago) a VHS tape.
The payments, which decline over time, are pegged to several factors including the length of a movie or show, the size of a role, the budget of a production, and where the film or show is offered.
While streaming companies technically pay residuals, both unions and their members say the amounts and pay timelines leave actors and writers with a pittance of what they once received — and those who were once paid for reruns of network shows often get nothing now.
“I did an episode of ‘Criminal Minds’ and was getting residuals,” said actor Whitney Morgan Cox, who has a handful of credits for small roles. “And then ‘Criminal Minds’ moved to Netflix and those checks stopped coming. And then it did a resurgence on cable TV, I got a couple more checks. It went to streaming, the checks stopped coming.”
HOW MUCH ARE THEY WORTH?
Like all money in Hollywood, the amounts run the gamut. More than a decade after the show ended, the cast of “Friends” was still making millions annually.
