Recently Sylvester Stallone was quoted about his Rocky movies.
And, specifically, how he has zero ownership in them.
Doesn’t get even a single percentage of its ticket, merchandise, or other sales.
This, even though he created the characters, wrote and directed almost all the Rocky movie scripts, and was responsible for the franchise and its two Creed spin-off’s existing at all, and the nearly $2 billion in gross profits the movies have amassed over nearly 50 years.
As he put it:
“Who knew Rocky would go on for another 45 years?” Stallone asked rhetorically. “I’ve never used one [line of dialogue] from anyone else — and the irony is that I don’t own any of it. The people who have done literally nothing, control it.”
I don’t want to say it’s exactly the same as freelance copywriting.
The typical copywriter is nowhere near as important to their client’s businesses as Stallone was to the Rocky franchise. But I do wonder if, for example, copywriters like the guy who wrote that famous 17-year control for The Wall Street Journal secured royalties for himself or not… and if not, if he ever felt the way Stallone does about Rocky.
I’ve said it before, I’ll keep saying it:
Copywriters with genuine talent and skill should be their own clients.
Or at least have some kind of asset they own, that they can grow, keep all the money from, and pour their hearts and talents into to give themselves and their families a lifestyle and security, instead of putting it all into their clients’ businesses to give them and their families a lifestyle.
Not saying not to do freelance work.
Just saying to also work yourself into the client rotation.
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Ben Settle
