Longtime friends and collaborators have reunited for their newly produced movie, ‘The Rip’
Inga Parkel in New York, Thursday 15 January 2026
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon know that a collaborative on-set environment is key to motivating all those involved, which is why they brought back an old-school back-end bonus model for the 1,200 crew members working on their new movie, The Rip.
Directed by Joe Carnahan, the crime thriller, out Friday on Netflix, will see the famous duo reunite on screen as Miami cops who become distrustful of those around them after discovering a stash of millions in cash.
The longtime friends and collaborators also produced the movie through their production company Artists Equity. During a recent joint appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Affleck, 53, and Damon, 55, explained how they implemented their company’s main objective of profit-sharing to pay the movie’s crew members.
“Netflix is obviously a streaming platform, business is obviously changing, there’s been a lot going on,” Affleck said, referring to the film industry’s controversial shift to streaming, “and what we’re kind of trying to do is, in the old days, you knew how a movie did and you could get bonuses based on the box office performance.”
He continued: “And what we wanted to do was try to adapt that model to what’s happening on streaming. For a bunch of reasons, but basically one of the things that was important to us is we really believe that it’s not just the cast and the writers and director, but that the environment, every single person involved, that if they’re committed to making the movie good, it’s very likely to be better. It’s really a collaborative art form.”
Noting that “the more people that watch the movie, the more levels it will hit,” Affleck said that what was most important to them was that the monetary success be shared with the “1,200 crew members, every standby painter, greensman, camera [operator].”
His remarks were met with uproarious applause, as Damon chimed in with a joke, adding: “The more you guys watch this movie…”
“Not that we could suggest that you just leave it on, unless you’re a good person,” Affleck laughingly echoed with host Fallon joining in. “You would never say to turn on the movie and put it on loop,” he teased. “But if you happened to do that, crew members would make a lot of money.”
Affleck and Damon have starred in numerous movies together throughout their careers, including their Oscar-winning romance drama Good Will Hunting (1997), comedy fantasy Dogma (1999), and sports drama Air (2023).
In 2022, the pair co-founded and launched Artists Equity, an artist-led studio, focused on sharing a movie’s profits with all involved. It replaced their now-defunct production studio, Pearl Street Films, which they operated from 2012 to 2022.
Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group, has partnered with Hatch Films CIC to launch the Future Cinematographers Programme, a new year-long training course designed for the next generation of directors of photography working in the United Kingdom.
The programme aims to provide participants with a practical understanding of a cinematographer’s on-set responsibilities as well as opportunities for hands-on training, shadow experience and mentorship.
Participants kick off the programme with a four-day intensive workshop in which they receive a comprehensive overview of the role and simulate real-life scenarios on set.
Workshop activities range from preparing second unit production workflows and scene blocking to learning how to navigate set dynamics and communicate effectively with a crew.
The inaugural class of Future Cinematographers includes Toufique Ali, Arushi Chugh, Sabina Claici, Ash Connaughton, Joshua Ighodaro, Ricardo McLeary-Campbell, Louise Murphy and Mari Yamamura.
“Our partnership with Hatch Films is an extension of UIS’ ongoing commitment to create meaningful opportunities for the next generation of behind-the-camera talent across the UK,” said Rob Howard, executive vice president, Universal International Studios.
“This class of Future Cinematographers has a chance to learn from world-class experts and gain invaluable experience that will prepare them for long-term success in this industry.”
The objective of the programme is to “equip emerging cinematographers with the necessary knowledge, skillset and real-life experience to be considered for potential crew opportunities on a future NBCU production shooting in the UK”, said a press release.
Though placements are not guaranteed as part of the programme, participants are eligible to pursue paid work experience on UIS-produced series.
“At Hatch Films, our mission has always been to open doors for emerging talent who are ready to take the next step in their careers,” said Robert Douglas, co-founder, Hatch Films.
“Partnering with Universal International Studios to launch the Future Cinematographers Programme allows us to support a group of cinematographers who are making the leap to head of department, a pivotal and exciting stage in their journey.
“This inaugural cohort is full of talent and ambition, and we’re proud to champion them as they grow into the next generation of cinematographers.”
In addition to its collaboration with Hatch Films, UIS also partnered with Directors UK and ScreenSkills through ongoing training schemes to place a director and six below-the-line trainees, respectively, on the set of The Capture, creating additional workforce opportunities for UK-based crew members.