I wish all the work I've ever done required the folks I've helped to keep paying m. You are alive, aren't 'cha?
I feel like residuals are a by-product of the gambling aspect of hollywood. You should be paid up-front for the work you do, it's not like the gig itself changes. But with most projects probably not actually making any money and just a few being ASTRONOMICAL hits, I can see why the idea of residuals is appealing. Can't really budget up front to pay everyone what they are actually worth, 'cause then there would be no concept of "low budget". Folks take that work on the hopes it is a break out hit or at least a perpetual cult classic.
The only real way for streaming to pay residuals is if the viewer had a tiny microtransactional fee for every minute watched. Otherwise we are gonna see shows be yanked because they cost too much for the service or don't make enough to justify being on the server.
I wonder if the family of the guy who invented Pepsi gets royalties off every can sold 100 years later? Doubt it. Most jobs in the world is simply doing work, get paid, and that's it. I dont think too many can say..... Well, I set the foundation selling John Deere tractors 40 years ago to Farm X, so I think I should get royalty payments even if I change companies till the day I die.
Royalty type of payments in media are a funny thing because on one hand all these gazillion actors needs money because they are a dime a dozen with hit and miss employment status. But then you'd think for the big name stars who get big salaries wouldnt need it. But since the system is set up to pay people, then the big stars say if Joe Bob bit actor who got 1 min screen time gets something then as the star of the movie I should get 10x bigger royalty. So the big stars end up hoarding the people budget.
It's such an odd industry because it's not even consistent among media. The actors and key director type people people get royalty. But I doubt any of the behind the scenes boring production crew get any or any of the office staff. And in gaming, I dont think royalty payments are even a thing at all for anyone(?). So some shitty movie selling 10,000 copies might get those actors/directors a cut, but a game that sells 10M might pay out $0 extra money. Weird system.
