Animation
Fighting Books for writers’ rights in... Comedy
Film
Poetry
Radio
Television
Theatre
Videogames
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain is a trade union registered at 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU WGGB online
There is lots more information on our website, which includes WGGB guidelines, rates and agreements, FAQs, a list of useful links and other resources, contacts, news, campaigns, member interviews, a members’ area, our Find A Writer directory, online joining, full details of member benefits, and much more.
Throughout this guide use this icon to find the correct link to follow at www.writersguild.org.uk
You can also follow us on Twitter @TheWritersGuild, or on Facebook www.facebook.com/thewritersguild
CONTACT US Call us on 020 7833 0777 or email [email protected]
2 Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Contents
1. Introduction 5 2. Top 10 reasons to join WGGB 6 3. Working for writers in… 8 TV 8 Theatre 9 Film 10 Radio 10 Books 11 Animation 11 Comedy 11 Videogames 11 4. Events and awards 12 5. WGGB in action 13 6. WGGB in your region 14 7. Member benefits/how to join 16
www.writersguild.org.uk 3
WGGB wields influence in (clockwise from top left) Westminster, Holyrood, Cardiff Bay, Brussels and beyond. The union is also working hard to protect writers’ rights during Brexit
4 Writers’ Guild of Great Britain
Introduction
This booklet will tell you all you We lobby and campaign on behalf of need to know about the Writers’ writers, to ensure their voices are heard Guild of Great Britain (WGGB), in a rapidly changing digital landscape, the TUC-affiliated trade union and we wield considerable influence over politicians in Westminster, Brussels, representing professional writers in Holyrood, Cardiff Bay and beyond. TV, film, theatre, radio, books, poetry, We offer a range of benefits to our animation, comedy and videogames. members, including free training, contract Our members also include emerging vetting, a pension scheme, Welfare Fund, entry to our Find A Writer directory, a and aspiring writers (known as our weekly ebulletin, plus member-only events Candidate Members). and discounts and a dedicated area of our website. We have been negotiating better pay and working conditions for writers since 1959. If you are a writer in one of the areas we The national agreements we have in place represent, we look forward to welcoming cover key employers, including the BBC, you, too. Full information on joining can ITV, National Theatre, Royal Court and be found on page 17, and there is an Royal Shakespeare Company. application form at the end of this booklet. We have attracted high-profile members throughout our 58-year history, and “Perhaps the best example of reach into the continue to do so today. Their names new economy is the well-established Writers’ include, among many others: Guild of Great Britain which goes some way
to bringing worker representation to the Screenwriters Steven Moffat, expanding online world, videogames and Mike Leigh, Paul Laverty, Kay Mellor, creative content of all sorts.” Emma Thompson and Andrew Davies; playwrights Tom Stoppard, Laura Wade, JournalisT, aCademiC, Banker April De Angelis and Mike Bartlett; and former Blair speeCHWriTer authors Tony Robinson, Stella Duffy, pHilip Collins, WriTinG on Sandi Toksvig and David Nicholls. ‘TomorroW’s Trade unions’ in ideas maGazine PROSPECT
www.writersguild.org.uk 5 Top 10 reasons to join WGGB
pay pension WGGB negotiates agreements on Full Members working in film, pay with major industry bodies, TV or radio can join the WGGB including BBC, ITV, UK Theatre, pension scheme. This requires that 1. ITC and Pact. The more members 5. the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 or an we have, the stronger we are as a independent production company union, and the more we can push pays an employer’s contribution for improved deals. of between 6% and 8% of their fee directly into their pension fund. deCenT CondiTions free and disCounTed WGGB agreements also cover writers’ working conditions and TraininG 2. the terms of their contracts. As a member of WGGB, you are These include a wide range of eligible for free training through issues – from bullying to rehearsal the Federation of Entertainment attendance – and protect writers Unions. This includes workshops from exploitation. and online tutorials on a wide 6. variety of skills useful in your freelance career – from building ConTraCT veTTinG your own website and utilising WGGB provides a contract vetting social media to negotiating 3. service for Full and Candidate contracts and keeping your Members. It is run by WGGB finances in order. WGGB members staff and outsourced to external in Wales are also eligible for contract vetters when necessary. discounted training via CULT Cymru, plus there is a 10% supporT and adviCe discount off course fees at Writing can be an isolated Birkbeck University. profession. As a WGGB member, you will receive the full backing 4. of a professionally run trade union, including advice from our experienced staff, fellow members
and, where required, specialist
media lawyers. Networking events
give you the chance to meet and share issues with fellow writers.
6 Writers’ Guild of Great Britain
oTHer perks a CampaiGninG union and disCounTs WGGB has a powerful voice in These include a free British Library the entertainment industries 7. Reader Pass, plus discounts off 10. and campaigns on issues that tickets at selected theatres, Black affect writers. It contributes to List and Script Angel services, public debate via our lobbyists Final Draft software and Writers’ in Westminster and Europe, & Artists’ Yearbook and workshops, and has major international special pricing on Apple products, affiliations, which enable it to and discounted membership of keep ahead of a rapidly the London Library, Union Club changing digital landscape. and Royal Society of Literature.
Full Members are also eligible for Cannes Accreditation, entry in the WGGB Find A Writer online directory, and to pay no joining fee for the Writers Guild of America, East or West (if they are eligible for membership).
Weekly eBulleTin
All WGGB members receive a 8. weekly ebulletin, packed full of news, events, competitions, jobs and writing opportunities.
GeT involved As a WGGB member, you can join one of our craft or regional committees, or the WGGB’s 9. decision-making body, our Executive Council. These offer a great way to participate in the running of your union and have a 10. positive impact on writers’ lives. www.writersguild.org.uk/about/
www.writersguild.org.uk 7 Working for writers in…
Television WGGB and the Personal Managers’ We have secured significant Association have set up Writers Digital improvements for writers affected Payments, a not-for-profit company that by BBC cuts on the Doctors and ensures writers get paid whenever their Pobol y Cwm TV series. work is shown on digital services like We work collectively with other unions BBC iPlayer. Over £2 million has been to combat bullying, harassment by paid to writers to date. managers and colleagues as part of the We are running a campaign, Free Creating Without Conflict campaign. is NOT an Option, against unpaid We continue to negotiate and update development work in television and our minimum terms agreements with film, which has gained considerable the BBC, ITV and Pact (representing the support in writers’ meetings in Brussels independent producers). and Warsaw, and in Parliament. We have negotiated a major new We are tackling the issue of writers agreement with the BBC – the Script not being paid properly on BBC ‘soaps’ Agreement for Television and Online. shadow schemes, including EastEnders, Holby City, Casualty and Doctors, and have negotiated fee increases with the BBC.
Why I’m a WGGB member
kay mellor oBe “I remember way back when I was a jobbing writer, a producer pushed me to change a script which was very dear to me. When I refused they told me they would go ahead and change it themselves anyway. Thankfully I was able to turn to my Writers’ Guild contract, ‘‘ which protected me and my work from this happening. I will forever be grateful to the Guild for this protection.”
8 Writers’ Guild of Great Britain
THeaTre We negotiate minimum rates increases We have actively supported the with UK Theatre, the Independent Playwrights’ Progress showcase for Theatre Council and TNC (representing new writing; and the In Battalions the Royal Court, Royal Shakespeare campaign to highlight the damaging Company and National Theatre). effects of Arts Council cuts. We have won new rights for We organise the annual playwrights commissioned by Olwen Wymark Theatre UK Theatre organisations, including Encouragement Awards. provisions to protect textual We organise an annual Literary integrity and additional fees if their Managers’ Forum to discuss issues work is performed in English-language directly with theatres and touring productions in non-English companies. speaking countries.
www.writersguild.org.uk/craft-areas/
Why I’m a WGGB member
Laura Wade
“I’m a member because I’m glad the Writers’ Guild exists, and its existence should be celebrated. The Guild continues to do hugely important work for all of us, and as a freelance worker, it’s very empowering to know you’ve ‘‘ got such a strong organisation behind you.” Photo: Linda Nylind
www.writersguild.org.uk 9 Working for writers in… film radio We negotiated the ‘locked box’ We have negotiated special fees for deal with the British Film Institute the Home Front Radio 4 drama serial (BFI), to ensure that writers get a share until 2018. (alongside producers and directors) We meet regularly with the BBC to of recouped income from feature films raise issues on pay and conditions for supported with Lottery Funding through radio writers, which are enshrined the BFI Film Fund (and held in a ‘locked in our national agreement with the box’ for reinvestment in the British corporation. Film industry). We have taken a leading role in an We organise the annual Tinniswood international campaign to have the role audio drama script award alongside the of screenwriters recognised at film Society of Authors. festivals, commissioning research and a We are planning a Radio Drama detailed report, Written Into the Picture. Roadshow and best practice guidelines We host networking events, eg with for writers and producers. Film London. We organise special screening events. WGGB has gained funding for a major gender equality survey focusing on screenwriters in film and TV, which will form the basis of a campaign.
Why I’m a WGGB member
Jack Thorne Gurpreet kaur Bhatti “I’m proud to be a member of the “I believe in the Writers’ Guild, union movement I consider it the and the power of a greatest of clubs. collective voice to One that seeks to shout loudly for the ‘‘ represent not just ‘‘ good of all.” one but all.”
10 Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Books videoGames We are working on booklets including We have revised our Guidelines for a Guide to Self-Publishing and planning Games Writers and those working workshops. with them. Our Books Committee represents We hold events, including an annual poets and non-fiction writers, as well as panel event with the International writers of prose and deals with various Game Developers Association. issues of relevance to them. We have defended libraries against Comedy devastating cuts. The recently formed committee has run a sitcom-writing event with comedy animaTion legends Marks and Gran. We have produced Guidelines for Animation Writers. “The Writers’ Guild has successfully fought We have produced a best-practice attempts to cut the pay of children’s TV guide for industry professionals in writers, and has updated its guidelines and collaboration with the Personal developed a good practice guide for writers Managers’ Association. working in animation. It is vitally important.” Children’s animation scriptwriters are WGGB memBer emma reeves now eligible for the WGGB pension.
www.writersguild.org.uk/about/craft-areas/
Why I’m a WGGB member
Tony robinson dan pinchbeck “We writers tend “Game writers have the to be rather solitary capacity to deliver powerful people, and it can be stories that deserve to stand easy to rip us off. It alongside other forms of makes sense that we drama, and this needs to be have a unified voice nurtured. That means the and agreements that involvement of organisations ‘‘ like WGGB. I’m proud to be a can protect our ‘‘ interests.” game writer, and I’m proud to Photo: Simon Annand be a member of WGGB.”
www.writersguild.org.uk 11 Events and awards As well as a lively programme of olwen Wymark Theatre regional events (see pages 14-15), encouragement awards WGGB hosts (or is part of) a number Our Olwen Wymark Theatre of annual national awards ceremonies. Encouragement Awards were the brainchild of playwright Mark Ravenhill, The Writers’ Guild awards and were set up to give WGGB members the opportunity to publicly thank those The Writers’ Guild Awards have been who have provided them with a positive celebrating writers, and writing, since experience in new writing over the they were launched in 1961. They have previous year. featured high-profile winners throughout their history, and champion the importance of writers and writing to the other national events creative industries, in the UK and abroad. Our annual forum of theatre literary managers and a videogames panel event The Tinniswood award are some of the other highlights in our calendar. Further details of all our events WGGB presents this audio drama script are on our website. award each year, in partnership with the Society of Authors, at the annual BBC Audio Drama Awards. It was established in memory of English radio and TV comedy scriptwriter Peter Tinniswood, who died in 2003. www.writersguild.org.uk/category/events/
Fleabag writer phoebe Waller-Bridge was just one of the guests at the Writers’ Guild awards 2017 ceremony
12 Writers’ Guild of Great Britain WGGB in action
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain WGGB raTes campaigns and lobbies on behalf of and aGreemenTs writers, both in the UK and abroad. In the UK we have tackled issues including unpaid development work in TV, bullying We negotiate rates and national and harassment in the creative industries, agreements for writers – it’s at the lack of visibility of screenwriters at film heart of what we do. These protect festivals, gender equality and diversity, writers’ pay, and also the conditions the effects of arts funding cuts and of under which they work. Our rates Brexit on writers, and in support of a and agreements cover TV, theatre, properly funded BBC. radio and some sections of film. They benefit all writers working As a member of organisations like the in those areas, and not just our International Affiliation of Writers Guilds members. and the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe, we attend regular events abroad Where we don’t have an agreement to address issues including copyright and in place (for example, in books, collective management. poetry, animation and videogames), we produce best-practice guidelines – for writers, and those working with them. We also offer all our members, whatever level of membership, bespoke advice on their pay and contracts.
www.writersguild.org.uk/about/campaigns/
www.writersguild.org.uk 13 WGGB in your region norTH WesT (merseyside) We have held meetings with Merseyside theatres and met with young writers’ norTH WesT (manCHesTer groups. & lanCasHire) The region has been represented at various events including the Manchester Theatre Awards and #WriteNow.
WesT midlands We have campaigned against library cuts. We run popular ‘Notworking’ events. We have held events/talks at the Birmingham Literature Festival and the Writers’ Toolkit annual networking event. We work with local organisations including the BBC, the Royal Television Society, Arts Connect, Writing West Midlands, the Society of Authors, Birmingham Rep and more.
Wales We continue to negotiate on behalf of writers on the Welsh-language soap Pobol y Cwm. We organise recruitment events for writers with guest speakers. WGGB is a partner union in CULT Cymru, which provides training, advice and support to people in the creative industries in Wales and offers discounts for union members.
souTH WesT (CornWall & devon) An area with a small population but full of festivals, competitions and literary events.
14 Writers’ Guild of Great Britain sCoTland We hold a stand at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. We contribute to the Literature Alliance Scotland, and the Cross-Party Parliamentary Group on Culture.
yorksHire & norTH easT We hold popular events such as Television Writing: Women’s Work?
easT midlands Events have included a WGGB presence at the University of Nottingham’s Writers’ Conference.
london & souTH easT We hold events for members including the popular ‘Meet the...’ sessions with industry experts.
souTH WesT (Wessex) A relatively new WGGB region, due to boundary changes that have made Swindon part of the London & South East area, and Gloucester and Cheltenham part of West Midlands.
www.writersguild.org.uk/contact/find-your-regional-rep/
www.writersguild.org.uk 15 Member benefi ts at a glance
full CandidaTe affiliaTe memBers memBers memBers
free contract vetting* support and advice Weekly ebulletin member discounts member events WGGB pension scheme** entry in the find a Writer directory members-only area of the WGGB website free and discounted training Welfare fund***
Further details of member benefi ts can be found on our website.
www.writersguild.org.uk/member-benefi ts/
*Contract vetting may be subject to terms and conditions. **The WGGB pension scheme is open to Full Members working in the areas of fi lm, TV and radio. ***Eligibility criteria apply.
16 Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Which membership How to join tier is for you? Membership of WGGB costs as little as £9 per month and you can join in the following ways: full memBer To be eligible for Full Membership 1. Join online with a credit or writers must have had work produced debit card. Go to or published under a WGGB-negotiated www.writersguild.org.uk/ contract or equivalent industry-standard join-renew/ terms (please contact us if you are unsure about eligibility – see page 2 for contact 2. details). Membership costs £198 for the By cheque. Detach the application first year or £16.50 per month. form at the back of this booklet, fill it in and return it with your cheque (made payable with the correct CandidaTe memBer amount to Writers’ Guild of Great For those working towards a writing Britain), to WGGB, 134 Tooley career. Membership costs £108 per year Street, London SE1 2TU.* or £9 per month and Candidate Members upgrade to Full Membership when they get professional credits. 3. By instalments via Direct Debit. Detach the application form and Direct Debit mandate at the back affiliaTe memBer of this booklet. Fill in both of these Agents, technical advisers, consultants and return to WGGB, 134 Tooley etc engaged in a professional relationship Street, London SE1 2TU. You can with writers. Membership costs £300 per also download a Direct Debit/ annum or £25 per month. application form online. Choose your correct membership tier and *If applying with a cheque you DO NOT then follow the links at have to fill in the Direct Debit form. www.writersguild.org.uk/ join-renew/
4. If you would like to pay with credit or debit card over the phone, please call the WGGB Head Office on 0207 833 0777.
www.writersguild.org.uk/join/
www.writersguild.org.uk 17
design by www.savageandgray.co.uk produced and published by The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, 134 Tooley street, london se1 2Tu in september 2017 The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain has made every effort to ensure that the content in this booklet is correct at the time of publication, but cannot take any responsibility for any loss arising out of use of the information in this booklet. The content in this booklet is for general guidance only and should not be regarded as constituting legal or business advice or opinion. Legal and business advice should be sought and taken in relation to the specific circumstances of each case and nothing appearing here is intended to be a substitute for obtaining specific legal and/or business advice from a competent professional. photo credits: P4 (clockwise from top left): 123rf.com/David Novi; Shutterstock.com/Heartland; Shutterstock.com/Horia Bogdan; Shutterstock.com/Darryl Sleath; p9 © Linda Nylind; p11 © Simon Annand; p12 © WGGB/Matt Writtle If you require a large-print or text-only version of this booklet, please email [email protected] or phone 020 7833 0777
18 Writers’ Guild of Great Britain application form
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain is a trade union registered at 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU www.writersguild.org.uk The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain is a trade union 1 registered at 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU Application to join
Personal Details
Name
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Gender Female / Male / Other LGBT+ Yes / No
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Where did you hear about the WGGB?
What is your main reason for joining? Writer job title(s) please circle n Animation writer n Author n Children’s writer n Comedy writer n Dramatist n Librettist n Lyricist n Online writer n Playwright n Playwright-radio n Poet n Screenwriter-film n Scripted reality writer n Screenwriter-TV n Videogame writer n Other (please specify)
Area(s) of interest please circle n Animation n Books n Children’s writing n Comedy n Comedy (panel/topical) n Film n Online writing n Poetry n Radio n Scripted reality n Television n Theatre n Videogames
Membership categories and fees Please tick the appropriate box:
Full Membership £198 pa /£16.50 pm for the first year To be eligible, writers must have had work produced or published under a WGGB-negotiated contract or equivalent industry-standard terms. Please provide proof of eligibility for Full Membership, list your professional writing credits below or attach a list with this application (please contact us if you are unsure about eligibility).
Candidate Membership £108 pa /£9 pm For those working towards a writing career.
Affiliate Membership£300 pa /£25 pm For agents, technical advisers, consultants etc engaged in a professional relationship with writers.
All information on this form will be treated in the strictest confidence and will only be made available to officers and staff of the union. Signature
Date Please return this form with a subscription cheque or completed Direct Debit form (overleaf) to: Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, Membership, 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU (cheques should be payable to Writers’ Guild of Great Britain) Instruction to your bank or Please fill in the form and send to: building society to pay by direct debit WGGB 1st Flr, 134 Tooley Street, Service user number London, SE1 2TU 9 7 4 1 0 8
To: The Manager Bank/building society
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Please indicate the frequency you would like to pay (Official WGGB use only) Monthly Quarterly Half Yearly Annually Instruction to your bank or building society Please pay Writers’ Guild of Great Britain direct debits from the account detailed in this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this instruction may remain with Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my bank/building society
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