You don't have to be a big-name actor to make big bucks in Hollywood. Just ask superstar director and producer Michael Bay. From the day his career started as a storyboard filer for the 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' installment of the Indiana Jones series, he's blazed a trail through the movie industry, working with almost every name worth knowing in the past thirty years.
We said that a good film franchise is great for the bank balance, and Bay might know that better than anybody. The revived 'Transformers' brand has resulted in a number of box office smashes, and it's been Bay at the helm of every single film. A clever businessman, Bay entered into an agreement with 'Transformers' copyright holders Mattel which entitled him to a percentage of all merchandising sales related to the films. That deal alone accounts for nearly half of all his current value.