Comments on: 11 more things to think about when negotiating your screenplay option

By: Chip Street

Chip Street — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:40:36 +0000

Sorry, I have no experience with episodic television. But the WGA has info on TV pay scales. Good luck!

By: Chip Street

Chip Street — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:39:14 +0000

His desire for credit may be justified, depending on how much he’s written, if he’s added new characters or substantial plot elements, etc.

You should try in the option to indicate that credit negotiations (disputes) will adhere to WGA standards and arbitration guidelines. If the WGA backs him on his desire for credit, then so be it. But it keeps someone from bullying their way into an undeserved credit just because you didn’t protect yourself.

Good luck!

By: Chip Street

Chip Street — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:36:38 +0000

Hi Dan –

Yes, I think by and large the concepts are the same.

The going market rates for various items — percentage of budget, size of bonuses, etc may change with the industry and economy. My last option included a selling price of 2% of budget, for instance, but I negotiated a floor and a ceiling. No less than X, no more than Y.

I chose the floor as equal to 2% of what I felt was the minimum likely budget to do the film on a shoestring but still do it justice (a 7 figure number). The ceiling was actually pitched by the producer, and equated to a tens of millions of dollar budget, which I was totally comfortable with.

But I think the concepts here, the *idea* of locking in your credits, rewrites, and passive payments, and bonuses, are still totally reasonable starting places for negotiation.

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 30 May 2013 18:35:37 +0000

Chip, you wrote this a couple of years ago. Do you think everything still stands? I may be entering into an option pretty soon.

Thanks for this article!

By: John

John — Sun, 12 May 2013 18:37:54 +0000

Some years later (2013), your article is still an excellent read. Thank you for posting it.

Just had a director re-write 20% of my short horror which won a contest and is now in production. The director never mentioned my script needed a “climatic change.” He took it upon himself to make the revisions and is claiming co-writing credit. I’ll be more careful in the future to protect my authorship.

In my case, this was an inexpensive learning experience.

By: Chip Street

Chip Street — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:23:20 +0000

A signatory is “a company that has signed the Guild’s collective bargaining agreement” (http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=84)

This means they agree to abide by the Guild’s rules regarding payment, rights, credits, arbitration, etc.

The agreement is here: http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=1049

By: Edward Amaral

Edward Amaral — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:09:24 +0000

Hi Chip I read the WGA qualifications for membership but not quite clear on something. How does the WGA define a “signatory” company?

By: Edward Amaral

Edward Amaral — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:53:19 +0000

Great information Chip. Thank you. This has helped me build confidence moving forward.

By: Edward Amaral

Edward Amaral — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:00:06 +0000

Man I read the first of this part 2 and got a head ache thinking about it. Had to stop for a rest.

This makes me want to just produce the movie my self even more.

By: Taj

Taj — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 10:38:19 +0000

Hey Chip:

Great article. I have a television series option that I am in negotiations on right now with a production company. Is there any variances on percentages and backend that you are aware of in what I might negotiate or ask for since obvious there are a number of episodes per season involved and not just a one-off screenplay. Thanks.