Karate Kid Sequel
Well, it's more his shingle controls the property and they're getting passive income from it by licensing it for production. He is doing no actual work on the show. He gets a check and they put his name in the credits and get to make the show.
Probably a touch of semantics here. We are both basically right.
Since the show was initially pitched to Overbrook, they had to approve it, and they had to “get it made”, I kind of see that as “work” on the show. My buddy created a very popular kids show right now. He created it, pitched it to Hasbro, and got it made. He has since left the show (he did before the first episode actually aired) but is still listed as Executive Producer. In those cases I don’t really see that as honorary because they put a lot of work in to get the show made.
Kurt Sutter was EP of Sons and Mayans. He’s been removed from Mayans but is still EP. That’s not honorary to me either, even though he’s getting a check now just because of his early involvement as he’s not allowed anywhere near the show any more.
I’m working with a prod co right now on one of my pilots. They are putting a lot of work and money into trying to get it made, but they will never be part of the actual production if we get that 1 in a million shot. To me they would still deserve the EP credit because right now they are doing more work than me on it to be honest.
So to me there’s a big difference between no involvement and the involvement being relegated to the early stages of getting something done. If it wouldn’t have happened without you and you own the property, an EP credit (and the check that comes with it) is earned IMO.