South African actress Rami Chuene has got all her ducks in a row when it comes to the entertainment industry. She recently bowed-out from The Queen as T-Gom!
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“Let me do a mini thread for the masses. It’s okay if you don’t understand how the entertainment industry works. Ask. Freelance work is exactly that, meaning you don’t have a full-time job, it could be a year or two. Sometimes it’s a once-off thing. Let’s break it down,” wrote Rami Chuene.
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In breaking it down she said that movies can shoot for 3 months to a year even two based on budget and technicalities.
“If you’re lead, you can get paid good money. Some get paid per call, meaning you can do all your scenes over a few days. If your rate is 10k, you shoot 2 days, you make 20k,” explained Rami Chuene.
She further stated that when it comes to Soapies/telenovela as a global actor it means you get paid a fixed salary per month, whether you worked one day or 10 days.
“Most prefer this (fixed salary) cos you kinda breathe for a year. The pits are if you’re a call actor at 3,5k per call & they call you twice to shoot all your scenes for the month.
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“Drama: a season is 13 eps but some get 26. Leads get a package, call actors get a call fee. This takes 3-6months to shoot. As soon as you’re done, just like movies- you look for the next project,” shared Rami Chuene.
When it comes to Theatre, Rami said that usually a 6-week rehearsal at 50% of (the) negotiated rate and then full pay when the show opens until the end.
“Usually, get paid weekly. When people flock to see theatre shows, an extension or another run is added. Theatre is more work & less pay compared to soapies. Theatre is love.
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“Industrial Theatre: more educational, for example, AIDS awareness. You rehearse a theatre piece that travels to schools, companies, etc. it can be 10 days with 3shows per day. Here you do own makeup, props, setup and one of you can be the driver. No hotel. Fee way less than theatre” shared Rami.
Rami said that Extras don’t get paid a lot of money. It can be anything from R200-R400 p/day. They bring own wardrobe & shoes.
“Please note that all this applies to crew as well. They also job hop, job hunt like all of us. You just don’t see them. Check credits of different shows,” expressed Rami.
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Agents According to Rami:
Agents: they’re the first to know about castings and will send people on their books for auditions. Shows have specs, meaning you won’t be sent for all auditions but there are skanky agents who send their faves & leave others out.
Agents work for and with artists. Not the other way. If you feel your agent is not working for you, change them. Also as artists, we’re still responsible to get our own gigs. So we must always be aware and alert.
Payments when you have an agent: fee- tax- agent’s commission= your pay. If my fee is 20k less 25% tax =15k then less (10-15% of gross to agent) R3k leaves you with R12k.
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Managers According to Rami:
Then there are managers: they’re also entitled to 10-20% of your booking fees. We call it a management fee. This is for MC work, appearances, endorsements, etc. Management fee also includes them running around getting you water, joking…
Managers field calls, get bookings, chase payments, negotiate, book accommodation, basically all the admin work, they travel with you, talk to media, do damage control. Yes, some are OTT because some artists are OTT but that’s what they do.
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EXTRAS:
“Extras: Eish… okay, I’m worried I might not be objective here but being an extra is the hardest thing to do. I was an extra once, and only once. When they asked us to come back (the) next day, I said no. I was in continuity, I never went back, they didn’t pay me, I didn’t care,” shares Rami.
Having removed “anger”, Rami said that “Okay, now that I removed the anger. Extras add color to the show. They’re the guys who pass behind the leads, sit at restaurant tables, do the toyi-toying, etc. This is where people think you have to start to work your way up. I disagree BUT yes, a lot of people start here.
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“Extras don’t get paid a lot of money. It can be anything from R200-R400 p/day. They bring own wardrobe & shoes. They sit, wait to be selected based on what scene requires. It can be all day &they’re not in the dressing room like leads. Meals? They wait their turn after cast & crew,” shares Rami.
Rami On Fine Artists:
Fine Artists: these are people who draw/paint and their artwork is in galleries or on the pavement. Trust me both artists have the same struggles.
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“Artists can sell independently or go through the gallery. The glamorous one is the gallery but know that only a fraction of that goes to the artist. Just because you bought Rami painting at R80k at Smith Art doesn’t mean Rami got 40k. In fact, she’d be lucky to get 10k,” said Rami.
She said that the red tape around art galleries especially when it comes to black artists is “ridiculous”
“In short, artists are paid by exposure. Next time you want a fine piece of art, find the artist directly and pay them top dollar for their craft,” expressed Rami.
When it comes to musicians she expressed some shock “Tjo!”
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“Musicians: Tjo! Okay. If you’re signed to a stable, you can sign for 5yr or 3album deal. Don’t know if it changed. Contracts are hardcore, the list of people that go onto your payroll to make your brand work will make you dizzy. Let’s just say the artist makes the least money.
“Your money is not from album sales but from performances. Album sales money it’s after the stable has made its money back. You could sell platinum and have dololo cash to show. And most signed artists don’t own their masters. And no, it’s not a joke,” concluded Rami Chuene.
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To follow Rami’s thread [CLICK HERE].
On her 45th birthday this year (2020), actress Rami Chuene launched the Rami Chuene Foundation with Do Good Where You Are as their main priority and mission!
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