Hey guys, I'm an aspiring writer/director and wanted to know if any could give me some pros and cons to joining the WGA. I have been on there site several times and it seems like a step in the right direction for any aspiring writers but I was concerned what the WGA contracts mean in lame mans terms. It seems easy to get bogged down in all the legal terms they use. Can any sum up what the WGA does exactly and how it might restrict me when trying to sell or direct a script outside of the guild. Thanks for any insight you can shed on this topic.
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WGA For everyone?
- Thread starter Jones23
- Start date
The Guild isn't a step for aspiring writers. It's a bargaining collective that
sets pay scales, working conditions, residuals and credits. An aspiring
writer cannot join. A writer is admitted to the Guild if they make a sale
to a signatory company.
A member cannot sell a script to a company or person who is not a signatory
of the Guild. It happens all the time - I do it - but it's technically against the
Guild rules.
The pros are all studios and most TV are signatory to the Guild so in order to
sell to those you must be a member.
sets pay scales, working conditions, residuals and credits. An aspiring
writer cannot join. A writer is admitted to the Guild if they make a sale
to a signatory company.
A member cannot sell a script to a company or person who is not a signatory
of the Guild. It happens all the time - I do it - but it's technically against the
Guild rules.
The pros are all studios and most TV are signatory to the Guild so in order to
sell to those you must be a member.
This little slip really made me laugh!
WGA
I am a professional screenwriter yet I am NOT a member of the WGA... I just don't do unions -- never have -- never will -- even though I am contacted FREQUENTLY to join.
That doesn't mean I'm ANTI-WGA however...
It's definitely a good organization for those who just want to write. Meaning, if you just want to be able to write -- sell a script -- move on to the next writing project -- and not ever have to worry about that end of things, the WGA might be for you.
I'm more of an entrepreneur and I've always wanted to eventually write and direct my own stuff and for exactly that reason, I've resisted joining the WGA.
I am not saying that if you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you cannot do both but it just doesn't work for me... I don't care what WGA minimums are. I don't care about struck companies. I don't agree with a lot of the things the WGA does just like I don't agree with a lot of the things the U.S. Government does.
Unfortunately, even though I vote whenever I need to vote, it doesn't seem to mean much when the will of the people is often overturned by some judge with an opinion.
So for that reason, I choose not to play by the WGA's rules by not joining. Which to me, in and of itself has become very enlightening... Meaning that we NON-WGA writers are often looked down upon by WGA writers because we won't join.
However, there are a lot of WGA members who have been in the WGA for a long time who have told me flat out...
Don't join the Union... LOL.
There are a myriad of reasons WHY I've been given that advice -- too many to go into here but suffice to say, it hasn't kept me from earning an outstanding income.
I don't want to actually go into a list of pros and cons since what I might consider a con, you might consider a pro.
The WGA is no different from any labor union... Power in NUMBERS is what it's all about. If you join, you are putting your trust in an organization to get you the best deal for your writing when it comes to MINIMUM numbers.
In other words, if you can get $9 Mil for a screenplay as M. Night did at one time, the WGA doesn't necessarily play into that equation. Numbers that high (in my humble opinion), come down to the writer, his or her track record, and ability to negotiate.
I also come from a no-budget Indie background -- which is why you see me here -- and to me, the money is secondary, just as long as I have enough Top Ramen and peanut butter in my cupboard. Being non-union allows me the flexibility to work on a non-union Indie project if I simply believe in the project.
Bottom line...
Again, just my simple opinon -- is that it's still up to ME to negotiate my contracts and payments with whomever purchases my screenplays. Of course, if I was WGA, there would be a minimum no matter what. But to me, being a screenwriter isn't enough in this day and age... Which is why I am also a producer. Being a screenwriter/producer affords me the opportunity to have just a little more say over my own work. I don't have to worry about being rewritten or keep credit -- none of that garbage, unless I elect to make that kind of a deal.
Unfortunately (or to be politically correct so as not to piss anyone off ) or Fortunately, if one wants to simply stay a screenwriter and never aspire to do more than write and sell their screenplays to struck companies, then the WGA probably is for you. Again, do not read into this... I am NOT saying that a screenwriter cannot do all three -- be a screenwriter -- a producer -- and a member of the WGA.
You can.
And you can even have that entrepreneurial spirit and do all three...
But that's not the problem... The problem is that you CANNOT do some things you might want to do when it comes to working on a project you find exciting or something you fall in love with... You can of course but at the risk of losing membership, being penalized, etc.
I'd rather not have to play by a set of rules laid down for me by an organization unless I truly believe in those rules 100%.
So I guess what I'm saying is learn their rules and see if they are rules you can live with or not and either way -- you have your answer.
filmy
I am a professional screenwriter yet I am NOT a member of the WGA... I just don't do unions -- never have -- never will -- even though I am contacted FREQUENTLY to join.
That doesn't mean I'm ANTI-WGA however...
It's definitely a good organization for those who just want to write. Meaning, if you just want to be able to write -- sell a script -- move on to the next writing project -- and not ever have to worry about that end of things, the WGA might be for you.
I'm more of an entrepreneur and I've always wanted to eventually write and direct my own stuff and for exactly that reason, I've resisted joining the WGA.
I am not saying that if you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you cannot do both but it just doesn't work for me... I don't care what WGA minimums are. I don't care about struck companies. I don't agree with a lot of the things the WGA does just like I don't agree with a lot of the things the U.S. Government does.
Unfortunately, even though I vote whenever I need to vote, it doesn't seem to mean much when the will of the people is often overturned by some judge with an opinion.
So for that reason, I choose not to play by the WGA's rules by not joining. Which to me, in and of itself has become very enlightening... Meaning that we NON-WGA writers are often looked down upon by WGA writers because we won't join.
However, there are a lot of WGA members who have been in the WGA for a long time who have told me flat out...
Don't join the Union... LOL.
There are a myriad of reasons WHY I've been given that advice -- too many to go into here but suffice to say, it hasn't kept me from earning an outstanding income.
I don't want to actually go into a list of pros and cons since what I might consider a con, you might consider a pro.
The WGA is no different from any labor union... Power in NUMBERS is what it's all about. If you join, you are putting your trust in an organization to get you the best deal for your writing when it comes to MINIMUM numbers.
In other words, if you can get $9 Mil for a screenplay as M. Night did at one time, the WGA doesn't necessarily play into that equation. Numbers that high (in my humble opinion), come down to the writer, his or her track record, and ability to negotiate.
I also come from a no-budget Indie background -- which is why you see me here -- and to me, the money is secondary, just as long as I have enough Top Ramen and peanut butter in my cupboard. Being non-union allows me the flexibility to work on a non-union Indie project if I simply believe in the project.
Bottom line...
Again, just my simple opinon -- is that it's still up to ME to negotiate my contracts and payments with whomever purchases my screenplays. Of course, if I was WGA, there would be a minimum no matter what. But to me, being a screenwriter isn't enough in this day and age... Which is why I am also a producer. Being a screenwriter/producer affords me the opportunity to have just a little more say over my own work. I don't have to worry about being rewritten or keep credit -- none of that garbage, unless I elect to make that kind of a deal.
Unfortunately (or to be politically correct so as not to piss anyone off ) or Fortunately, if one wants to simply stay a screenwriter and never aspire to do more than write and sell their screenplays to struck companies, then the WGA probably is for you. Again, do not read into this... I am NOT saying that a screenwriter cannot do all three -- be a screenwriter -- a producer -- and a member of the WGA.
You can.
And you can even have that entrepreneurial spirit and do all three...
But that's not the problem... The problem is that you CANNOT do some things you might want to do when it comes to working on a project you find exciting or something you fall in love with... You can of course but at the risk of losing membership, being penalized, etc.
I'd rather not have to play by a set of rules laid down for me by an organization unless I truly believe in those rules 100%.
So I guess what I'm saying is learn their rules and see if they are rules you can live with or not and either way -- you have your answer.
filmy
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