Which fees did Cameron collect up front?

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In today's Parade section of my newspaper, by Walter Scott: "Cameron..only deferred his Titanic salary--about $5 million for directing and $3 million for screenwriting--and [the studios] have talked about reinstating some or all of his fees. What's more, Cameron never gave up his profit participation....He agreed that his percentage would not kick in until Titanic went over $300 million at the box office. Now that it has grossed more than $1 billion, Cameron reportedly could collect up to $75 million." My question is, which fee did he collect up front, just the Editor fee and/or the Story (as opposed to Screenplay) fee? Inquiring minds want to know.

-- BobG (rgregorio@ibm.net), April 26, 1998

Answers

As far as I know, Cameron kept his writing fee (one of the few times in Hollywood history where the writer was *not* screwed), and waived the rest.

Of course, with the unprecedented success of the movie, 20th Century Fox wants to keep him happy (and on board for his next project/career), so there's been talk of reinstating some of his points, or giving him a lump sum payment. Paramount is not so willing to give up their share of the profits.

Anyone else have a more recent scoop?

-- Thomas M. Terashima (titanicShack@yahoo.com), April 27, 1998.


A quote from the online chat with Cameron (from the titanicmovie.com web site)

James Cameron says: Thank you for your concern. I made my script fee but I gave up my directing fee and my producing fee and my profits. In order to protect the quality of the film.

-- crystal smithwick (crystal@9v.com), April 28, 1998.


This is taken from a site that Dan Draghici found:

"To show just how committed he was to Titanic, Cameron agreed to give up his $8-million US director's salary and his share of the film's profits. When Titanic reached $500-million US at the box-office, Paramount and Fox studios, which jointly funded the picture, gave Cameron a $50-million bonus."

-- BobG (rgregorio@ibm.net), May 01, 1998.


My God in heaven. What a girl could do with that kind of cash...

-- Gilded Age Junkie (GildedAgeJunkie@yahoo.com), July 31, 1998.

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