[samtheman]

Facing declining cinema audiences, Hollywood is trying to persuade its top actors to set an example by cutting back a lucrative arrangement known as “first dollar”, under which the director, producer and stars receive a share of a film’s box office take regardless of whether the studio has covered its filming costs.

In other words, they are reducing an essentially unreasonable deal ("I get my cut before anybody else makes a dime") down a notch or two.

[Smokin' Joe]

Actually, that override deal guarantees the actors that Hollywood won't inflate the production costs and screw them. I can see where that might not be a bad idea, especially with some of the scripts that have hit the screen.

If they had to wait for payout on some of those flicks, they'd be back to waiting tables to eat.

[Wolfstar]

In other words, they are reducing an essentially unreasonable deal ("I get my cut before anybody else makes a dime") down a notch or two.

Hey! What's unreasonable about that? The government does it with every paycheck earned by Americans. [/sarcasm]