Ghost Writing

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #16
    Re: Ghost Writing

    Originally posted by LiteBrightWrite View Post
    Thanks. I'm counting it as teaching moment. As a new writer, I've found myself in similar situations more than once:

    Rewrote a screenplay with the promise of payment. Just found out the film was made using my rewrite.

    Wrote a pilot where I received commencement, but the back end was never paid. Heard that the pilot is still being shopped around.

    Company used my script to secure a director, funding, and actors without bothering to option it from me. (Script was sent for review only...)

    I'm beginning to see this industry is a snake pit and you need to bite first! LOL
    Hang in there. At the very, very least, it sounds like your writing is catching people's eyes. Something will land one of these days.
    Will
    Done Deal Pro
    www.donedealpro.com

    Comment


    • #17
      Re: Ghost Writing

      I wasn't being sarcastic, but now that Will explains it I guess it makes sense. I have to say I live in Hollywood and half my friends and all my neighbors work in TV and movies and I haven't heard of this situation. I know in publishing some big authors have their books ghostwritten but it seems strange for someone who wasn't even staffed at the time. What do they say to the show runner if he/she noticed a change in voice or quality?

      Comment


      • #18
        Re: Ghost Writing

        Also agree with Will. What I'm hearing is that you have talent and a lot of people like your work.

        Comment


        • #19
          Re: Ghost Writing

          Originally posted by LiteBrightWrite View Post
          Thanks. I'm counting it as teaching moment. As a new writer, I've found myself in similar situations more than once:

          Rewrote a screenplay with the promise of payment. Just found out the film was made using my rewrite.

          Wrote a pilot where I received commencement, but the back end was never paid. Heard that the pilot is still being shopped around.

          Company used my script to secure a director, funding, and actors without bothering to option it from me. (Script was sent for review only...)

          I'm beginning to see this industry is a snake pit and you need to bite first! LOL
          I agree with others. Move on and seek out representation (at least a lawyer) for any future assignments or collaborations. By the way, if you want to somehow make reference in your CV to the work covered under NDA, then one possible solution is to list it as such. "Uncredited work under non-disclosure agreement for major network series." This way you kind of mention it, you don't violate your agreement, and it shows anyone reading the CV that you do respect NDA's. Plus it sounds impressive.
          Manfred Lopez Grem
          WGA Writer - Director | Zero Gravity Management

          REEL - IMDB

          Comment


          • #20
            Re: Ghost Writing

            Originally posted by EnsconcedinVelvet View Post
            Is anyone else shocked that a WGA writer would hire someone to do their writing for them? This can't be common practice. I mean, is it?
            I know a rather big writer who has done it, was too strapped for time to do all his other ideas while working with a studio. I imagine he does a pass after the draft is done to make sure it mimics his voice.


            I just want to add for the OP that if another writer approached me with a ghost writing job and I knew that going in, I would have to honor that agreement. Now if there was a dispute over payment, holding off on signing the NDA would have been useful. That would have been the time to resolve that. But that was signed too. To me, you have to stick by what you sign, what you negotiate, because that is what's right. In the future as others suggested, figure it all out up front with an attorney. If this stuff has happened to you once, ok, I get that. But to say you've been screwed a few times now shows me a couple things - first, you're pretty talented to be writing this stuff that is going into production, which is great. Second, you don't know how to run *you* as a company. Apply that same sense of professionalism to the business side of this and protect yourself. Big lesson to learn.
            Last edited by madworld; 12-17-2016, 06:42 AM.

            Comment


            • #21
              Re: Ghost Writing

              This is all very interesting. I'm not trying to pick sides or make accusations. Just trying to understand what the situation was initially, before payment was demanded, and the NDA signed.

              It seems by the OP's original statement that he knew it was a work for hire at the onset. If that's true, then even if it's a verbal agreement, it isn't a writing partnership. It is truly a work for hire and the original writer receives and deserves the full credit, right?

              But even when a studio hires another writer to rewrite a draft, they are still bound by arbitration rules, are they not? The studio owns the copyright, but the writer can still expect "credit" if the guild determines it is a valid claim, right?

              I'm not sure what the "dispute" over payment was, but the fact that the writer wanted a signed NDA seems like a smart thing on his part, but I'm not sure it invalidates the possibility writing credit, does it?

              What I'm wondering is WHEN (at what point, and it may not even matter) the OP felt that he was entitled to shared credit? If he signed on as a work for hire, he has no claim, it seems. It is implied that all work you do is under the name of the original writer, right?

              But I'm not actually sure, because I think WGA "written by" credit pertains to the actual use of written material from another writer, right? Does an NDA restrict a writer from seeking credit through the guild? Is a WGA writer bound by any rules of the guild when taking on another writer as a work for hire?

              Since this was a spec pilot, is it considered in the same way a draft in a TV writer's room is? I mean, how is it any different than if a staff writer writes a draft, turns it in and the creator or showrunner rewrites it, the showrunner still gets credit and the staff writer does not, right? Game of Thrones and The West Wing come to mind.

              In the end, is there any knowledge that the written material the OP submitted even remained in the draft that sold? Seems that remains unknown?

              It's all a bit murky.
              Last edited by finalact4; 12-17-2016, 01:41 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

              Comment


              • #22
                Re: Ghost Writing

                Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                This is all very interesting. I'm not trying to pick sides or make accusations. Just trying to understand what the situation was initially, before payment was demanded, and the NDA signed.

                It seems by the OP's original statement that he knew it was a work for hire at the onset. If that's true, then even if it's a verbal agreement, it isn't a writing partnership. It is truly a work for hire and the original writer receives and deserves the full credit, right?

                But even when a studio hires another writer to rewrite a draft, they are still bound by arbitration rules, are they not? The studio owns the copyright, but the writer can still expect "credit" if the guild determines it is a valid claim, right?

                I'm not sure what the "dispute" over payment was, but the fact that the writer wanted a signed NDA seems like a smart thing on his part, but I'm not sure it invalidates the possibly writing credit, does it?

                What I'm wondering is WHEN (at what point, and it may not even matter) the OP felt that he was entitled to shared credit? If he signed on as a work for hire, he has no claim, it seems. It is implied that all work you do is under the name of the original writer, right?

                But I'm not actually sure, because I think WGA "written by" credit pertains to the actual use of written material from another writer, right? Does an NDA restrict a writer from seeking credit through the guild? Is a WGA writer bound by any rules of the guild when taking on another writer as a work for hire?

                Since this was a spec pilot, is it considered in the same way a draft in a TV writer's room is? I mean, how is it any different than if a staff writer writes a draft, turns it in and the creator or showrunner rewrites it, they showrunner still gets credit and the staff writer does not, right? Game of Thrones and The West Wing come to mind.

                In the end, is there any knowledge that the written material the OP submitted even remained in the draft that sold? Seems that remains unknown?

                It's all a bit murky.

                You're raising a lot of great points and questions. Maybe none of that stuff was understood up front and if those terms weren't clear to the OP, that would be really unfortunate. Not sure what the Guild rules are on ghost writers, hope someone here who knows jumps in. Good news is that this writer seems to be killing it in terms of content.

                Comment


                • #23
                  Re: Ghost Writing

                  Found this on the Guild site from the Guild's own working rules... http://www.wga.org/uploadedfiles/wri...king-rules.pdf

                  11. No member shall participate in any arrangement for ghost writing.

                  Interesting that, it seems, writers do? The OP said this has happened to him a number of times, that's not good. That would piss me off, "bigly" (sorry couldn't help myself).
                  "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

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: Ghost Writing

                    Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                    Found this on the Guild site from the Guild's own working rules... http://www.wga.org/uploadedfiles/wri...king-rules.pdf

                    11. No member shall participate in any arrangement for ghost writing.

                    Interesting that, it seems, writers do? The OP said this has happened to him a number of times, that's not good. That would piss me off, "bigly" (sorry couldn't help myself).
                    Wow, there you go. Of course this is anecdotal but I've seen that broken. OP hope you get everything resolved! I'd find an attorney for sure, as some others have suggested.

                    ETA: Just realized I missed Ron's post re: WGA violation.
                    Last edited by madworld; 12-18-2016, 07:27 AM.

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: Ghost Writing

                      I've seen busy upper level writers have writing help (usually an assistant) but they've hired them soon after on staff or helped them get other opportunities.
                      Quack.

                      Writer on a cable drama.

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Re: Ghost Writing

                        I understood that it was work for hire when I started working on the project with the implication that I would automatically secure a position in the writer's room if the series was picked up.

                        The money dispute occurred when I was not paid for the work at the price that was negotiated. I had done previous work with this writer for 1000 dollars a week. When the writer brought me in on this project we agreed on the "regular rate". I worked on the project for several weeks, writing a majority of the acts, in addition to providing an overall polish on the final script.

                        I was paid only 500 a week and when I disputed the payment agreement the writer accused me of trying to attack his/her reputation and refused to pay me the balance unless I signed the NDA. The NDA constantly refers to me as a "writing assistant", but I live in another part of the country and the writer already has a paid assistant. It was clearly explained to me that I was writing the parts of the pilot the writer was contracted to write.

                        I have also been able to get a copy of the shooting script and many elements of my work are still present.

                        I'm new to the business and learning some hard lessons about how things work. As I said before, lesson learned.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: Ghost Writing

                          I'm a nobody. I'm not trying to tell you what to do in any way. I am not a lawyer.

                          But I do know what's right, and I know what I'd do. I'd contact a lawyer.

                          The only other advice I'd offer is to try not to be so trusting. Get everything in writing.

                          Wishing you nothing but good fortune, LiteBrightWriter.
                          "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

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Re: Ghost Writing

                            Thanks. I really appreciate all the information and support I've received from everyone on this thread.

                            I'm a midwest guy that believed that your word was your bond. In this business I now see I need to get everything in writing!

                            Comment

                            Working...
                            X