Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, known for working on many projects together, have been making headlines in the film industry once again, this time for work as producers. The pair, known for upcoming release The Rip, an action thriller, is about to make history and change the pay structure for production personnel for streaming platforms like Netflix as it readies for its world premiere this Friday, January 16.
Contrary to the tradition in the film industry, where production companies are charged a fixed fee, Ben and Matt have negotiated a historic agreement for their production company, Artists Equity, that will reward the entire pool of 1,200 cast and crew who worked on the production if the content hits set viewing targets on the platform with a performance bonus that will be paid just once.
A call to fairness
While attending the premiere of the movie in New York on Tuesday night, Ben, aged 53, urged the need to retain “a decent middle-class wage within this changing business." "If you work on a project, and it is successful, you ought to benefit from that," Ben said in an interview.
Matt, 55, concurred, referring to filmmaking as "the most collaborative of all art forms" and making it very clear that everyone on the set, from stars to technical crew, makes the completion of the project possible.
What to expect from The Rip
Helmed by Joe Carnahan, the actioner The Rip follows the story of two police officers from Miami—Ben and Matt—who accidentally come upon a hoard of millions of dollars in cash. That very discovery pulls them quickly into a vortex of suspicion and morality right through a thin line separating duty and temptation.
The film also features a raft of high-profile supporting cast including Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle and Kyle Chandler. Success of the project will be gauged on the first 90 days on the service, with bonuses kicking in if the project performs well against others on the service. By using their star power to speak up for the greater crew, Ben and Matt will not only deliver a high-stakes thriller but are leading an indictment for fairness and transparency in the digital age.
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