Discussion How Much Commission Should a Sales Agent Really Take in 2026?

[Cinema Doktor]

Lately I keep hearing completely different numbers depending on the film, territory and overall market situation. Most partners I speak with still mention around 20% commission as the “normal” range, but I also know sales agents working closer to 10%, especially when producers already bring buyers, festival exposure or pre-sales to the table. On the other side, there are still companies asking for 25-35% while many films now sit unsold for years and MGs continue getting smaller. So what actually feels fair today for completed films, streaming deals, pre-sales, collection account handling or long-term library sales? Has the traditional sales agent model simply become too expensive for today’s market, or are producers underestimating how difficult international sales have become lately?