Hollywood's movie hierarchy

Can someone verify this: The one who gets paid the most in a movie is (in the following order): 1. Producers 2. Actors/actresses 3. Directors 4. The rest of the crew Is this correct?

• It varies based on the production, and because many of the roles overlap. Woody Allen, for example, gets paid seven figures for writing/directing his movies, but all his actors work for just above union scale. A director is paid a fee to direct a movie, but if that director is also a producer on the project, then they get additional compensation for the distribution agreement with the studio. The same with a star who is producing a project.

• Also, an actor may get paid anything from a few thousand dollars, to an unholy fortune and part of the gross.

• Actually, it's this: Distributor Producers Actors/actresses Directors The rest of the crew Extras Screenwriter

• Absolutely not, the studio and its shareholders get paid the most. Many stars command a salary bigger than the producers; they make the whole show often times. That said, mega-stars usually require a producer's credit these days, but everyone knows they don't perform any technical producing. They front cash sometimes; maybe.

• This can be different for every project. Sometimes writers get paid more than anyone else. It's all about the nature of the project and why it's being made (which determines who has the power).

• There are actors who've set up their own production companies (e.g. DrewB, BPitt, SBullock)-- do these individuals really have the power to get a film made, or are these companies just vanity titles and still rely on TPTB's approval and money?

• Screenwriters?

• Pitt's production company is real. It produces in the truest sense on many of its films and buys lots of properties. It already has at least one Oscar that I can recall. He has made quite a bit from that company. But everyone needs to raise money to get films made. Some people have the ability to raise the funds just by being attached. Pitt is good at raising financing whether he's attached as an actor or even if it's only his company producing. Not just name power which is obviously important but a real know-how to pull together backers. I think Barrymore's company can be classified as a real producing company as in putting together deals - same with Bullock. Whether they do any hands on producing I don't know.

• Thanks, R8. The question just came to my mind when I was reading up on JFoster's worry of not getting any more work when I seem to remember her having her own prod company.

• Where does the money come from? Is it investment groups or individuals writing checks? I saw that the Ellison scions are producing - are they just putting up the cash or are they more involved?