‘Obsession’ Director Curry Barker Responds to Viral Post Calling for Better Pay in Hollywood
‘Obsession’ director Curry Barker has responded to the discussion surrounding art director Sally Choi’s viral Instagram post, in which she spoke about low pay and working conditions for crew members on independent film projects.
The comments came after Choi shared her experience working on the horror film, which became a major box office success. According to her Instagram post, Choi earned less than $7,000 after taxes for her work as the film’s art director, despite the movie becoming a worldwide hit.
Barker addressed the situation and praised the work done by Choi and the rest of the art department. He said he had nothing but respect for the crew and believed their efforts deserved more recognition.
“I have nothing but respect for the art department, and the work they did was extraordinary. Everybody on this film worked so hard and they deserve to be recognized,” Barker said.
The director also explained that the movie was made with a very small budget, meaning the financial rewards often go to those who take bigger risks when making a project. He said he hopes everyone involved in the production can benefit from the attention and success the film has brought.
“This movie was made for so little money that it’s typical that the only people who [directly] benefit from its financial success are the people who took on some sort of risk,” Barker explained.
He added that he wants the crew members who helped make the film to receive new opportunities because of their work.
“What I hope is that every person that worked really hard on this film will see opportunities to catapult their careers in ways that can be very financially fruitful for them — like what’s happening for me,” Barker said.
Choi’s post, which gained widespread attention online, focused on the challenges many behind-the-scenes workers face in the film industry. She explained that she kept her frustrations private for almost two years before deciding to speak publicly.
In her Instagram message, Choi said she accepted the job knowing it was a low-budget production, but she wanted to highlight a bigger issue affecting many film workers. She revealed that she was paid a daily rate of $300 and that her final earnings after taxes were $6,741.36. She also said she was not reimbursed for mileage.
“I’ve debated this for a long time,” Choi wrote. “I’ve been holding a lot of weight over the past two years since the production of ‘Obsession,’ so I’m going to say it as it is.”
Choi said the situation was not only about her personal experience but about a wider problem in the industry. She argued that many crew members are treated as costs to reduce rather than important parts of the filmmaking process.
“This is the reality of most filmmakers, especially those who work below the line,” she wrote. “We become a line in the budget sheet to keep as low as possible.”
She also claimed that some workers on the production volunteered their time or paid certain expenses themselves while waiting for promised reimbursements.
The discussion quickly spread online, with many filmmakers sharing similar stories about unstable income and difficult conditions. Director Joseph Kahn also joined the conversation on X, pointing out that many people outside Hollywood do not understand how unpredictable film work can be.
“One thing people don’t understand about the film business is it’s feast or famine,” Kahn wrote.
The debate has renewed conversations about how independent films handle budgets and how much recognition and compensation crew members receive when projects become unexpected successes.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
