Option contract question - WGA or no??

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  • Option contract question - WGA or no??

    I am in the process of optioning my two features to a company. My attorney wanted to put in the verbiage for giving me writers credit by WGA determination (so that I can get in the WGA if either movie is made). But he asked if I wanted to be in the WGA at all.

    What are your thoughts? I realize there are benefits, but as of late it seems there are also a lot of drawbacks. I want to make it in this industry as a screenwriter (particularly love features over TV), and one day be in the position to maybe write and direct my own small budget features.

    thanks!

  • #2
    Re: Option contract question - WGA or no??

    Originally posted by sidgrey View Post
    I am in the process of optioning my two features to a company. My attorney wanted to put in the verbiage for giving me writers credit by WGA determination (so that I can get in the WGA if either movie is made). But he asked if I wanted to be in the WGA at all.

    What are your thoughts? I realize there are benefits, but as of late it seems there are also a lot of drawbacks. I want to make it in this industry as a screenwriter (particularly love features over TV), and one day be in the position to maybe write and direct my own small budget features.

    thanks!
    Below are two links. One that describes the pros and cons of joining the WGA and the second is a link to a John August article about "why it's mandatory to join the WGA. Both good reads. I don't think you can write for a signatory until and unless you join the guild.

    https://contently.net/2014/07/07/res...guild-america/

    https://johnaugust.com/2009/why-is-the-wga-mandatory
    Last edited by finalact4; 10-01-2019, 02:19 PM.
    "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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    • #3
      Re: Option contract question - WGA or no??

      Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
      Below are two links. One that describes the pros and cons of joining the WGA and the second is a link to a John August article about "why it's mandatory to join the WGA. Both good reads. I don't think you can write for a signatory until and unless you join the guild.

      https://contently.net/2014/07/07/res...guild-america/

      https://johnaugust.com/2009/why-is-the-wga-mandatory
      Yes, but pretty much every company has a sig and a non-sig division. OP will almost certainly be hired by the non-sig division-- but if he has "professional writer" language put in the contract, then, in the event that a Guild writer rewrites him, he can still be credited.

      (IMHO, the only downside to joining the Guild is that you can no longer take low-money gigs from shady producers... which honestly isn't much of a downside.)

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      • #4
        Re: Option contract question - WGA or no??

        I am sure I'm not understanding the full situation here, but I tend to think your lawyer means putting in a line item such this: "Credit. Producers agree to determine the Writers' credit using the same guidelines used by the Writers Guild of America Basic Agreement."

        That doesn't mean you join the WGA or even can, especially if they are not WGA sigs. That just means they will follow the similar credit guidelines of how much was written by one writer vs. another, who created the story, etc.

        If you ultimately sell your scripts to low budget companies that are not signatories then you won't be joining or need to. But if you sell your script(s) to WGA signatory companies/studios, then you have no choice. It's somewhat of a moot point, unless again I'm missing something about your situation.

        And along the lines of what AnyOther noted, I will say, think about where it looks like most of your work will come from. My wife has written two TV movies that were produced and aired. She'd have to stop doing those if she ever got into the WGA. Yes, selling a project and getting in the WGA is great & exciting, but if you only sell one and nothing ever happens again, then you're out of any other work. Granted it's not great pay but it's not awful and at least her work is getting out there and at least she can continue to write these films as she they come up. It might not ever win any awards, but it's work, it's money, it's credits and the films get aired, which is far above what most ever do. (The director/producer is also a good guy luckily.)

        Maybe someone else can chime in and offer his or her opinion and suggestions if they have been in a similar situation.
        Last edited by Done Deal Pro; 10-02-2019, 05:15 AM. Reason: Grammar
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        Done Deal Pro
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        • #5
          Re: Option contract question - WGA or no??

          Originally posted by sidgrey View Post
          My attorney wanted to put in the verbiage for giving me writers credit by WGA determination (so that I can get in the WGA if either movie is made). But he asked if I wanted to be in the WGA at all.
          Before I joined the WGA, my attorney always made sure the contracts stated I would receive credit and compensation based on WGA guidelines. After having a couple SIGNED contracts where I did not receive stated terms and comp (in one instance, prodco lost their financer a couple weeks before I finished, in another, privacy lawsuit shut down the deal - with independent prodcos, you can TRY to recover money, but it's usually in vain and too time/money consuming), I'd much rather limit my opportunities yet know the WGA will take care of any gotchas.
          Yeah, going WGA has cost me some fun/interesting gigs, but I sure don't regret it.

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