This is a transcript of a 7+ minute video the WGA put out yesterday.
John August: Hi, I’m John August.
Michele Mulroney: And I’m Michele Mulroney.
John August: We’re members of the WGA West Board and the Agency Negotiating Committee.
Michele Mulroney:
And we’re both primarily screenwriters. That’s why we wanted to take a
few minutes to talk about some of the issues affecting screenwriters in
this time when most of us are working without agents.
John August:
Some of these issues are new, but some have gone back decades. Over the
past two years, we’ve met with hundreds of screenwriters at lunches and
meet-ups. And the message has been clear: the Guild needs to be doing
more to combat free work and late pay, because our agencies aren’t.
Michele Mulroney:
Time after time we’ve heard horror stories of 60-page treatments
written for free. Checks that are six months late. And we’d ask, “Where
are your agents? Why are they letting this happen?”
John August:
It happens because it’s largely invisible. Most screenwriters, we work
alone. And we’re afraid to complain, because we might be labeled
“difficult.” Difficult is a code word for standing up for yourself.
Michele Mulroney:
The thing is, screenwriters are not alone. The Guild can and should be
the bad guy on behalf of screenwriters. It can step in to file claims
and collect interest on late pay. It can help to fight back against free
work. But the Guild can’t enforce contracts it doesn’t see.
John August:
That’s why the agency Code of Conduct requires agencies to provide the
Guild with our contracts and invoices. Once the Guild has this
information, we can protect not only individual screenwriters but all of
us. We can identify patterns, see where there are shortfalls in writer
income, and shape proposals for future MBA negotiations.
Michele Mulroney: Next, we want to talk about agency-affiliated production companies. This is where your agency owns or co-owns its studio.
John August:
To me, this is the next step beyond packaging. These agencies don’t
want 10% of a writer’s salary; they don’t want the 10% of the backend
they’d get with packaging. They want 50 to 60% of the profits. They want
to own the property. And to do that, they turn you from a client into
an employee.
Michele Mulroney: Right now, we have
Wiip, Endeavor Content, and Civic Center Media. Members ask us, “Why
did the Guild ever let these companies become signatories?” The answer
is, we want more buyers, particularly in film. We want these companies
to thrive. We just don’t want them to be owned or controlled by
agencies.
John August: Let’s talk about why
agency production companies are bad for screenwriters. Let’s say you
have a spec script. Your agency is going to take it out on the town. But
if they have their own studio, realistically, they’re going to take it
there first.
Maybe that company wants to buy it. Great! As a
client, how do you know your agent is getting the best deal for you?
When your agent is also the buyer, that’s the clearest conflict of
interest imaginable.
Michele Mulroney: Or, maybe
the company doesn’t want to buy your spec script. That’s awkward. Your
own agency’s affiliated studio is passing on your project. So how
exactly is that helping you as a client?
John August:
Spoiler: It’s not. But for screenwriters, it gets even worse when it’s
not your original project. These little mini-studios, they’re buying IP.
They’re competing with you for the rights on books. If you’re a
screenwriter who wants to get hired on that book adaptation, you better
be represented by that agency.
Michele Mulroney:
This isn’t a hypothetical, by the way. We checked the receipts. 75% of
writers creating projects at affiliated studios, they’re CLIENTS of that
agency. They’re keeping the work in house. It’s like the old
studio system.
John August: But kind of worse in a
way. I don’t want a future where we’re negotiating the terms of our MBA
with our own agencies sitting across the table.
Michele Mulroney:
Next, let’s talk about indie film. We heard screenwriters loud and
clear when you said you wanted us to keep as much of the indie film
ecosystem intact as possible.
John August: Our
Code of Conduct allows agencies to continue to provide financing and
sales services to their clients. It also insists on full transparency
and consent, so screenwriters can see any fees the agency would take on
their project.
Michele Mulroney: And to clarify a
point of confusion in the Code of Conduct: agencies can take these
fees — subject to the writer’s approval — on projects with an intended
budget under $20 million. For budgets over $20 million they will need a
waiver from the Guild after they have consulted with the screenwriter.
John August:
This is not meant to be a roadblock, but a reality check. We don’t want
studio features masquerading as indies, and we don’t want packaging
fees in features to become the kind of problem we are fighting in TV.
Michele Mulroney:
So how do we screenwriters navigate this period of displacement?
Especially those of us who don’t have managers or robust networks to
rely on.
John August: Unlike in TV, screenwriters
don’t hire each other. We have to make sure that screenwriters still
get read and hired by producers and studio executives. We need make sure
pitches and specs still sell. To do that, the Guild has put in place
several new tools that can all be accessed via the Guild website.
Michele Mulroney:
First, we recently launched the Weekly Feature Memo. It goes out every
Friday to a list of around 750 producers and development executives.
Writers simply upload the logline for their spec or pitch and then
producers can contact you to request your spec, set a pitch meeting or
a general.
John August: Next, without an agent,
how do producers and executives find you? The Find a Writer directory is
the easiest way. Four things you should do today:
Check that your
credits are accurate. The system will only list your final Guild
credits, so if you’d like to include development credits or animation,
for now, list them in your bio section.
Upload a writing sample if
there’s something you’d like buyers to be able to read. Opt-in to
letting producers and executives contact you via email.
Finally, mark yourself as “available” if you’re open to work.
Michele Mulroney:
Agencies traditionally keep lists of Open Writing Assignments. In the
next couple of weeks, the Guild will be launching its own Open Writing
Assignment Memo. Here, producers will submit details of any OWA’s,
including pieces of IP in search of a writer. The Guild will distribute
this to screenwriters in a weekly memo. Then, sort of like the staffing
submission system, you will be able to submit yourself for these
opportunities. We’ll of course make sure the process is user-friendly
and easily sortable on the producers’ end.
John August:
Once you’re hired on a project, we’d strongly encourage you to use the
Start Button. The Start Button lets the Guild know what screenwriters
are working on, and follows up to make sure you’re getting paid on time,
and not being asked to do free work. Particularly in this period
without agents, the Start Button can be an important tool for tracking
your work.
Michele Mulroney: Finally, the Guild
will be hosting an Indie Film Panel at the end of the month, featuring
fellow Guild members with extensive experience in indie film, along with
producers, financiers, and sales and distribution panelists to discuss
making features without agencies. So if you’re in the indie world,
please join us.
John August: Now, even with all
these tools and all of the hustle we’re seeing from screenwriters,
anxiety is natural. It’s inevitable. Especially for early-career
screenwriters and those without deep networks and connections. So how
can we best support our most vulnerable screenwriters during this time?
Michele Mulroney:
First, share what you read. Pass along a script to producers and
executives you know. Read early-career screenwriters and give them
a boost.
John August: If a screenwriting
assignment comes across your radar and you can’t take the job, consider
sharing the info with other writers or…recommend a less-established
screenwriter who might not be on their radar.
Michele Mulroney:
Be as generous as you can in offering advice, guidance, contacts and
resources. Those of us who have been around for a while have a lot of
open doors…Maybe your open doors can open a door for another
screenwriter.
John August: And finally, please
don’t hesitate to reach out to any member of the Board, Council, or
Negotiating Committee. We’re here to listen. We need to hear your ideas,
criticisms and concerns. All the tools we’ve talked about today came
directly from screenwriters reaching out to us.
Michele Mulroney:
One place you can do this is at the May Wednesday evening mixers at the
Guild. It’s a chance to mingle, network, and have one-on-one
conversations with your elected leadership.
John August: This campaign’s success depends on us all hanging together, staying strong, and helping one another as best we can.
Michele Mulroney: The union is us and we are the union. Thanks for listening.
John August: Thanks.
It
is inspiring to see the resolve of the Guild membership not only stick
together in this dispute, but also generate work-arounds to help writers
promote their work and hopefully land gigs without the aid of the
agencies. If that effort succeeds, one would think it would compel the
ATA to rethink their obstinate ‘bargaining’ position. Indeed, the
Guild’s tactics seem to be working if this news is any indication.
To watch the video, go here.
