The Deals That Reality Stars Receive Just for Being Themselves.

By: Katrina Yu, Associate at Entertainment Law Partners

Ever since the explosion of reality television shows on all major cable networks, we have seen the “talent” of individuals ranging from Shawn Johnson (“Dancing With the Stars”) to Kim Kardashian (“Keeping Up With The Kardashians”) to Honey Boo Boo (“Here Comes Honey Boo Boo”) and the infamous cast of The Jersey Shore. These individuals have filled our TV sets with joy, laughter, confusion, frustration, anger, and for some, just pure adulterated-entertainment. So exactly how much do these “talented”individuals make for a living and are their entertainment values worth the price tag?

Starting with the cast of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” the pro-dancers reportedly made $1,600/episode during the shows’ earlier seasons, and currently make around $5,200/episode, plus bonuses for making it into the final rounds. This adds up to about $57,200 for the 3 pro-dancers who make it all the way to week 11 of the show. $57,200 might not seem like a lot at first glance, but in reality, $57,200 for 11 weeks is only about 3 months worth of work, and even then, it is higher than most professionals receive as a yearly salary. Of course, for those unlucky pro-dancers that get booted after the 2^ndweek, they would only make $10,400, but that is still a huge payday for two weeks worth of hard labor.

However, $57,200 is pocket change compared to the salaries that the “stars” receive for being on the show. According to various sources, each celebrity (regardless of his/her star power) gets a base salary of $125K just for being on the show! That alone is more than double what the pros make for the entire season! In addition, the “Stars” are given additional salaries per week as they progress in the show. The winner of this reality series can earn up to $365K for the show, more than 6 times what the actual professional dancers make!

Remarkably, the price tag only gets more interesting when talking about other shows. For example, each “cast” member of the new TLC hit “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo”reportedly earned $5K to $7K/episode that was later increased to $15K to $20K/episode, by episode 2! The 6 members of the Honey Boo Boo clan made roughly $140K to $187K collectively this year for their 10 episode series! It has been further reported that TLC has even offered to cover various expenses for the family including hiring a bodyguard, a driver and even purchasing a new house.

Advancing from Honey Boo Boo, we come to the cast of MTV’s Jersey Shore. The guidos and guidettes of this popular MTV series reportedly started off their fame with a measly $5K/episode, which roughly translated to about $45K for Season 1. However, after the show's success, it has been reported that in Season 2, the main cast of Jersey Shore made $10K (twice the amount from Season 1) per episode during its 13 episodes run. In Season 3, that price tag per person tripled to $30K/episode. By its 4^th Season, the cast was so invaluable to MTV, that they were able to negotiate a $100K/episode deal that gave the“stars” a final paycheck of $1.2 million for the entire season! The cast is now hopefully in their final season of taping, and each main cast member reportedly receives $150K/episode in this 12 episodes season. That is $1.8 million just for being J-Woww, Snooki, the Situation, Vinny, Pauly D and Deena! This does not even include the multiple side gigs that each of the “star” gets paid for throughout the year!

Lastly, we come to the Mother of all Reality TV stars, the one and only Ms. Kim Kardashian. In 2007, Ms. K made $5 million alone when she settled her lawsuit against Vivid Entertainment for her sex tape with Ray J. That in turn provided Ms. K with a reported $15K/episode for her very own reality show on E!’s ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians.’ Since 2007, Ms. K’s salary on the reality series has increased to $40K/episode and the show is now in its 7^thSeason in addition to various spin offs. Additionally, she also reportedly made $18 million alone off endorsements and TV rights.

Ms. Kardashian is the epitome of all that is miraculous, great, and exciting in this vast world of entertainment culture. You never know if the next “big thing” is the homeless man around the corner or the talented YouTube singer that is trying to raise money to produce his/her first record. In the end, the only thing that matters is if the public is infatuated with you. And, if they are, let the negotiations for higher fees begin!

COPYRIGHT and DISCLAIMER

Katrina Yu is an Assoicate at Entertainment Law Partners dedicated to corporate, business and entertainment affairs. You may contact her at Katrina@entlawpartners.com.

Entertainment Law Partners grants column recipients permission to copy and distribute this column and distribute it free of charge, provided that copies are distributed for educational and non-profit use, no changes or revisions are made, all copies clearly attribute the article to its author and include its copyright notice.

DISCLAIMER: Readers should consult with a lawyer before solely relying on any information contained herein. (c) Entertainment Law Partners

 

Great Tips for Filmmakers who are using Social Media

Social media is perhaps the most effective form of advertisement that you can do for your business in today's environment. Not only is it cost-effective, it is also effective in reaching your audience in the way that you want. Although it can be incredibly helpful in generating leads, it has to be done the right way. One must put a lot of attention into their social media presence to ensure that they are obtaining the intended results. Just because it is free does not mean that you can let it coast on its own.


1. Find Your Target Audience

The greatest thing about using social media for marketing is you can choose to advertise to your target audience. A lot of times, people want to simply gain followers on their social media platforms but some of this work is done in vain if your audience does not want what you provide. It is better to have 5,000 followers on Twitter that will actually click-through to your product or read your posts than to have 100,000 followers that are only following you for a follow back.

2. Be Sociable

Most people on social networking sites are there for one reason... to socialize. Your audience is not going to be any different in that respect than any other. I have seen people gain a social media presence time and time again only to fail because they were all about business. While it is important to keep your presence professional, you can also "let loose" a little and engage with your followers on a personal level. Building rapport with your online audience is the same as doing it with your clients in person. Use the same techniques that you would if this audience walked into your office.

3. Keep Your Audience Engaged

Once again, most people use social media to socialize. Think of your online presence as a cocktail party and you are the host. If you are a bad host and do not keep your audience engaged, then they might leave the party or not RSVP your next invitation. Keeping your followers engaged should go beyond regular posts or updates. You should respond to comments and facilitate conversation. In addition, although you are the expert, it doesn't hurt to get advice from your audience from time to time. Start a discussion thread on your Facebook page that everyone can respond to.

4. Social Media Advocates

Finding people that will spread the word about your social media presence is word of mouth marketing online. It is huge! Not only do you have a great product or service that the customer will want, but it is being recommended by a mutual friend. People will trust you more because they know you through a personal connection. The easiest way to do this is to use your friends and family. Most people will be happy to share your posts and recommend your page; especially if you have created something they can be proud of. Use your current personal Facebook and Twitter account to ask people to help you out.

5.Gain Subscribers

Incorporating some type of subscription service is a great way to generate leads. I currently use SMS, E-mail, and RSS subscriptions to promote my material. Since people actually have to subscribe to your material, they are most likely interested in what you have to offer. You can do many different things with these subscriptions. Most people choose to send out a monthly newsletter but this will vary based on your industry, etc. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you are consistent with regularly producing quality material for your audience. You do not want to end up in the spam inbox every month.

These tips were authored by Carol White. Visit the link: http://tinyurl.com/8o6y747 to get more about Social Media Marketing.