Annual report 201 4 -15
www.writersguild.org.uk
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain is a trade union registered at 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU Contents
REGIONAL AND BRANCH REPORTS General Secretary’s report 3 East Midlands / London & 20 South East 5 Chair’s report North West (Merseyside 6 President’s report 21 & Manchester) / Scotland 8 Treasurer’s report 23 South West
CRAFT COMMITTEE REPORTS 24 Wales 10 Books / Children’s 26 West Midlands 12 Film 28 Yorkshire & North East
Radio 14 OBITUARIES 16 Television 29 Rememberin g WGGB members 18 Theatre
19 Videogames
JOIN US CONTACT US If you are not a WGGB member, and would If you want to contact any of the WGGB like to join, you can do this online: officers, craft chairs or regional representatives featured in this annual report, you can find www.writersguild.org.uk their details on our website: Or by phone: 020 7833 0777 www.writersguild.org.uk/contact/ You can also follow us on Twitter: @TheWritersGuild Facebook: www.facebook.com/thewritersguild
2 WGGB annual report 2014-15 General Secretary’s report
The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) is as strong as it has ever been – stronger, indeed. We have more members than ever. In a tough climate we continue We have a marvellous cohort of successful working to negotiate better minimum terms for writers who – somehow or other – find time in their busy lives to contribute to our negotiations, writers – in the past year, 6% on regional policies, events and debates. We are so lucky to theatre rates; 5% on ITV rates; above- have them. Please think about joining them! inflation increases for BBC TV, national theatres and independent theatres. I have been the General Secretary of WGGB for almost 15 years now, and I can honestly say I don’t We deal with scores of individual issues when our think we have ever been in better shape. members need help to sort out contract troubles, credit disputes, problems with producers and And it is going to get better. publishers. We almost always achieve an acceptable Our new membership system is consistently outcome – or better. recruiting and retaining more members than ever Then there are our events. The glittering annual before. Our amazing Twitter army of over 26,000 Writers’ Guild Awards ceremony, hosted this year followers is assuring us of global attention and in January 2015 by Sandi Toksvig at RIBA in central respect, as is our new logo and relaunched website. London, was described as the “best ever” by many Our reputation in the UK media has never been of those who attended. The unprecedented Archers higher. When WGGB speaks, the industry listens. event, organised by our West Midlands branch in We still need to recruit more writers to WGGB. Birmingham in March 2015, saw Archers writer and We still need to generate more revenues, so that WGGB Deputy Chair Tim Stimpson take questions we can employ more people to give more support on the controversial Ambridge floods storyline, to writers. which he wrote. Other events have taken place across Wales, Scotland, London and elsewhere. But brothers and sisters – we are on our way! We have considerable influence over politicians in In the digital world, content is king – and writers Westminster, Brussels, Holyrood and Cardiff Bay, are the people who provide the content. We and we maintain this with regular meetings. We are should be confident and ever more powerful. fully engaged with other writers’ guilds and unions Our future is in our own grasp. throughout the world – all over Europe, the USA, Canada, India, etc, etc. Bernie Corbett We remain on top of potential changes in copyright General Secretary and collective management, and we pursue these issues energetically through our affiliations with powerful international lobbying groups. We have been the moving spirit behind the establishment of Writers Digital Payments, which in 2015 has begun to distribute over £1 million to writers whose work has been viewed on internet catch-up services such as BBC iPlayer.
www.writersguild.org.uk 3 WGGB wields influence in Westminster, Holyrood, Cardiff Bay, Brussels and beyond
4 WGGB annual report 2014-15 Chair’s report
This is my final report as Chair. During my three years in post I have been impressed time and again by the dedication of Guild members who We need to continue to advise writers of their choose to work for our union. We have a rights, educate the industry on best practice and dedicated small team of staff working from warn writers against unscrupulous practices. our offices in London, but a great deal of The Guild is working across TV, film, radio, theatre, the Guild’s work is also undertaken by books, poetry, animation and videogames. We have writers who volunteer their time to help established branches in more parts of the UK than fulfil our union’s ambitions. ever before. The Guild is in good health, but my experience as an officer has taught me that the Writers take part in negotiations, lobby, manage Guild not only survives on the hard work of the committees and arrange events the length and staff and members but on the income we are able breadth of the country. We must remember that to generate. The majority of the Guild’s income our union was established by professional writers comes from member subscriptions and aside from and that writers continue to manage its affairs on raising the subscription rate the best way of a day-to-day basis. increasing our funds is by attracting new members. Writers in the UK have won many important We are members of our union, but we also have a battles. Some writers’ guilds around the world responsibility to communicate the importance aren’t acknowledged by broadcasters, they don’t of a strong union that is able to represent have minimum terms agreements or enjoy writers with one voice. employer-contribution pension plans. We enjoy The Guild’s new website and branding will help us these rights but we must also work to protect our communicate this message more effectively and interests in an ever-changing industry. I’m confident this resource will develop over the The Guild has been working for more than five next 12 months. years on ensuring that writers are paid when their I have enjoyed my work at the Guild despite the work is viewed online. I’m delighted that Writers headaches and surprises it has thrown up and I Digital Payments, a not-for-profit company set up would like to thank everyone who contributes to by the Guild and the Personal Managers’ its ongoing strength. Association, has recently made its first payments to writers. It’s initiatives like this that underline the Guild’s continued relevance. Roger Williams Chair
Writers Digital Payments makes sure TV writers get properly paid when their work is shown online
www.writersguild.org.uk 5 President’s report
This has been a year of consolidation at the Writers’ Guild. Hovering for some years under the 2,000-member mark, this year we have settled just above it, making us the largest writers’ union in Europe. After moving office last year, staff have now MEMBER SUPPORT settled in to the excellent new premises We can all fall foul of contracts if we don’t read near London Bridge. A significant amount them carefully, and free contract vetting, support of our archive has found a home at the and advice is a benefit that all Guild members are University of Warwick, making it more eligible for. Guild staff have continued to provide accessible and saving us storage charges. members with invaluable support and advice over the past year, and members can now also consult And the pension scheme has moved from the newly-revamped ‘Rates and agreements’ and its previous management to within Aviva. ‘Resources’ sections of our smart-looking, relaunched website. The work of the Guild falls into three main areas: negotiations; helping individual members with contract problems and the like; events and awards. EVENTS AND AWARDS
There have been numerous Guild events NEGOTIATIONS throughout the year, mostly organised by increasingly active regional branches – a special The business of negotiation is a continuous one, mention to Piers Beckley, Chair of the London and I applaud the members of the variou s Writers’ & South East branch, for reviving the London Guild craft committees who put so much effort area with the popular Meet the Agents gathering, into this incredibly important work – collective among others. bargaining on behalf of hundreds of freelance writers, who cannot possibly hope to stand up to The Guild gives a number of awards as part employers on their own. Whether Guild members of other events, including the BBC Audio Drama or not, all writers benefit from this work. So Awards and the British Comedy Awards. please, if you are a member and find yourself We also have our own Olwen Wymark Theatre working alongside other writers, do encourage Encouragement Awards, which give Guild members them to join. It works. the chance to thank those who have given them a positive experience in new writing in the past year. This year has seen a new negotiating partnership in the form of the Filmmakers’ Alliance, consisting Our annual Writers’ Guilds Awards evening, of the Writers’ Guild, Directors UK and Pact established in 1961, is undoubtedly a highpoint of (representing independent producers). The ‘locked our calendar. This year it was organised by a special box’ deal, negotiated by the Filmmakers’ Alliance Awards Working Party, plus a professional events with the British Film Institute (BFI), means that organiser, and was hosted by Sandi Toksvig on 19 writers, producers and directors all now get an January 2015 at RIBA on Portland Place, central equal share of recouped income from feature films London. We were proud to honour the cream of supported with Lottery Funding through the BFI British writing talent and give awards to newcomers Film Fund, and held in a ‘locked box’ for as well as established stars across all our different reinvestment in the British film industry. craft areas. It was a splendid evening and a great You can see the full report from the Film boost to our public profile. Thanks especially to Committee on page 12. Sarah Woodley, the Guild’s Communications Manager, for orchestrating the publicity before, during and afterwards.
6 WGGB annual report 2014-15 THE WORLD STAGE
The Guild operates on an international level too, Poignantly, we were in Warsaw at the 70th and October 2015 saw the biennial World anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising, the brutal Conference of Screenwriters in Warsaw, a global suppression of which explains why Warsaw is a city gathering of writers’ guilds and a great opportunity almost entirely of modern buildings. We walked to share good practice as well as horror stories. those modern streets as the same level of Delegates discussed show running, gender imbalance destruction was being visited on the cities of Syria: on and off screen, and the secret of Scandinavian we watched and discussed with filmmaker Andrzej success. Bill Armstrong, chair of our TV Committee, Wajda his film about Lech Walesa ( Walesa. Man of explained the Guild’s Free is NOT an Option Hope ) and can only wonder where the men and campaign, while Guild member Andrew Davies women of hope for a new Middle East will was a special guest and demonstrated why he is come from. so successful, with a witty, self-deprecating and memorable appearance. Olivia Hetreed The conference put forward two resolutions: President one asserting the essential role of the writer in quality television drama; and the second calling for action on the gender discrimination widely present in television.
The Tinniswood is just one of the awards presented by WGGB, this year to writer and actor Morwenna Banks for her audio drama Goodbye
www.writersguild.org.uk 7 Treasurer’s report
Finances, budgets, spreadsheets, possibly not the most exciting words to start a report with. I know that when I joined the Guild it certainly wasn’t to talk money, well, not money outside the cheques Why a deficit? What does this mean for the Guild? I got from Aunty Beeb, or from Granada With a limited income the Guild’s finances are Television (remember cheques?). planned in some detail from year to year, but not every eventuality can be forecast. The move of office to the new, more modern premises in Tooley The way the Guild generated its money didn’t seem Street, near London Bridge, turned out to be more relevant. This was partly because the Guild felt like difficult and expensive than anticipated. Rents had a large organisation. I mean, the Writers’ Guild, the changed and the problems involved in updating the union that negotiates with the BBC, ITV, ITC, an office to the digital age all resulted in larger bills organisation that sends representatives to meetings than had been hoped. Thanks should be given to in Brussels, or to attend conferences organised by the staff for the patience and ingenuity they have the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds must shown in getting us through this period. With the have a large staff and armies of lawyers mustn’t it? teething troubles past, the new office has proven I was surprised when I learned that the Guild’s cost-effective and excellent for meetings. This activities were the work of a small, dedicated and should help offset the expenses incurred in the extremely knowledgeable staff supported by move. 2014-15 was also the first full year of the members who put in their own time attending banded system of subscription fees being negotiations, meetings and running the Guild. It’s administered in-house. This has helped to the same today. When money is needed to defend encourage the increase in our membership and has writers that money comes from writers. resulted in fewer lapsed memberships.
It used to be the case that the Guild gained a small Where are we now? The General Fund, the amount additional income from external sources, such as an that the Guild has in its bank account for paying annual payment made by services broadcasting wages, rent and other expenses, saw a balance (which organises the showing of domestic television carried forward at the end of the 2014-15 financial to the armed forces). But following the recession year of £112,678. This sounds healthy, but such income has now all but gone. In 2014-15 the represents only three months of operating costs for union was almost completely reliant on the Guild. The Finance Committee has made it a membership subscriptions for its funding. The good priority to try and increase these reserves to give news is that hard work from the staff and from the Guild more security as we move forward. The Guild members has seen an increase in Royalties Account (which holds funds from the membership. It is through continuing to grow our BBC, ITV and other organisations for distribution membership that we can ensure a better future for to writers) received £12,623 and distributed the Guild and a fairer future for writers. Every £10,477 in payments to writers through 2014, member, every pound really counts. Subscriptions and a total of £269,568 was carried forward for for 2014 saw a small rise from £348,507 to distribution in 2015 and beyond. With the Writers £362,419. Supplemented by other income this Digital Payments first major distribution now means that the Guild received around £20,000 underway, a good portion of these funds will be more in 2014 than in 2013. This increase meant delivered to their rightful recipients before the that the Guild was able to post a small deficit after middle of 2015. tax of £2,169 for 2014, as opposed to the deficit of £6,499 for 2013.
8 WGGB annual report 2014-15 The Welfare Fund, which provides grants and assistance to members in times of trouble, continued to provide help through 2014, allocating grants of £1,250 and leaving a balance of £63,085 to carry over for future grants. Perhaps the biggest change in finances that has come from the loss of external funding is that the Guild can no longer afford to continue the payments it made to the Writers Foundation. The Guild hopes we can re-examine our relationship with this charitable organisation in the future. Looking forward. As we enter the year 2015-16, the Guild continues to react well to changing times. We are putting plans and budgets in place that we hope will continue to provide the great value for money Guild members require of us. Thanks as ever are due to the officers, members of the Finance Committee, the Executive Council and the staff for their ongoing support, hard work and insight, which ensures the Guild has a sound financial basis on which to carry out its work. Thanks must also go to you. As a member, you are a writer that has decided to stand up and be counted. Without you there would be no Guild. From finances, budgets, spreadsheets should come agreements, protection and a loud voice for writers. We hope that you continue to be there for the Guild as the Guild is there for you. The more members we have, the stronger we shall be.
Andrew S. Walsh Treasurer
WGGB has settled into new offices, in the shadow of The Shard
www.writersguild.org.uk 9 Craft committee reports
BOOKS CHILDREN’S The Books Committee’s current priority During the last year, thanks to the expert is recruiting new members as we lost a help of Assistant General Secretary Ellie lot of members this year. Peers and our dedicated working party of animation writers, we have reworked the We have made some progress through our call-out Guild’s guidelines for animation writers. in the WGGB ebulletin, but if you would like to get involved, do email: [email protected] There is a long-standing anomaly in the way in We have a long-term plan to publish a Guide to Self- which animation writers are paid, compared to Publishing , and we have also done a good deal of most live-action writers. Animation writers do not work into researching publications for the next receive repeat fees or a subsequent use advance Writers’ Guild Best First Novel Award, which was (SUA), although they do receive payments from this year won by Nathan Filer for The Shock of the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS). Fall , and presented by author Simon Brett at RIBA Although I believe that we should be challenging in central London in January 2015. this disparity, it is clear that changing such a long- standing practice will not be easy. In the meantime, we have revised the Guild’s Animation Guidelines to James Skivington reflect best practice. We collected statistics on Chair animation writers’ pay via an online survey, and are committed to doing all we can to improve pay and conditions for animation writers. The high standard of children’s TV script writing in the UK was reflected in a very large number of entries for the Writers’ Guild Best Children’s TV Nathan Filer Episode Award. The subject matter, genre and style won the of scripts were all incredibly diverse, and it was Writers’ hard to choose between so many quality entries. Reading them all was a very rewarding experience. Guild Best The award was eventually won by a delightful First Novel pre-school show, Bing . Award this I’m pleased to announce that the BBC has currently year for shelved its proposals to cut the SUA paid to The Shock children’s writers, which would have constituted a of the Fall severe pay cut – this on top of the fact that these
10 WGGB annual report 2014-15 Denise Cassar (left) won the Writers’ Guild Best Children’s TV Episode Award 2015 for Bing
writers’ incomes decreased substantially when all children’s programming was taken off BBC One and BBC Two (and transferred to CBBC and CBeebies). The Guild worked with the Personal Managers’ Association to prevent the SUA being cut, and we have been successful. There was more good news for children’s TV writers with the announcement of a tax credit for live-action children’s TV in the Autumn Statement. Shows that qualify as UK productions will benefit from 25% tax relief. Meanwhile, we continue to hope that the BBC will reconsider the decision to remove children’s programming from BBC One and BBC Two.
Emma Reeves Chair
www.writersguild.org.uk 11 Andrea Gibb (left) and Line Langebek (right), Film Co-Chairs
FILM That said, we’re still struggling to get Pact to sit down at the table with us to negotiate a new film Another year has flown by and the agreement, but the Film Committee, along with Film Committee continues to bang at Bernie Corbett, will continue to press them. some very familiar doors. These negotiations are key to the future of all screenwriters in the UK and we’d ask any WGGB FILMMAKERS’ ALLIANCE members with relevant experience to get in touch We are happy to say that our protracted with us (you can do this via the WGGB website: negotiations with the British Film Institute (BFI), www.writersguild.org.uk). Not only do we need Pact (Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television) excellent negotiators but we’d be keen to hear and Directors UK have finally proved fruitful and examples of good and bad practice in your we’re delighted to report that we’ve reached a contracts and dealings with producers. ‘locked box’ film deal with these organisations. We are also considering setting up an award for This means that up to a 37.5% share of BFI’s best practice – where we acknowledge companies recouped income from feature films supported with and producers who are fair and equitable in the Lottery funding through the BFI Film Fund will be way they treat their writers. This has been tabled put into a ‘locked box’, where it will be held by the for further discussion and we’ll report back on BFI. This will then be split three ways between any progress. writer, producer and director, with each guaranteed a minimum share of 12.5%. This money can then be FESTIVALS used by the individual to develop and produce any future film projects and it allows any revenue from Our relationship with certain UK festivals continues successful BFI-backed films to be invested straight to flourish. The Guild had a strong presence at the back into the British film industry. Apart from London Screenwriters’ Festival (LSF) in October giving access to much-needed finance, it also 2014. We were one of the official sponsors and had gives the writer equal status in the film’s success. a permanent table in the main marquee. Members A symbolic statement. of the Film Committee were present throughout the weekend and talked to delegates about the benefits We are hugely grateful to WGGB President of Guild membership. The festival offers WGGB Olivia Hetreed and General Secretary Bernie members a discounted attendance rate and Assistant Corbett who tirelessly negotiated this deal on General Secretary Anne Hogben was one of the behalf of he Guild. presenters at the LSF British Screenwriters’ Awards. We hope the fruitful partnership of the Filmmakers’ Hopefully, this will continue again this year as this Alliance will remain and strengthen. Film is a is the only UK festival dedicated entirely to collaborative medium and alliances like this screenwriting. underline that. It’s an ongoing struggle to have this Our presence at Edinburgh International Film recognised in some parts of the media, but we are Festival is also good. Film Committee Joint Chair determined to fight this and make our voices heard. Andrea Gibb represented the Guild in a high-profile
12 WGGB annual report 2014-15 industry event last summer with the acclaimed list of eligible films and cajoling us into viewing. screenwriter Moira Buffini, a WGGB member. Tracy Brabin organised and hosted an extremely The review and scrutiny of the Scottish film successful screening of Malcolm Campbell’s film sector continues apace. Thanks to the efforts of What Richard Did (winner of the Writers’ Guild Best our Scottish branch member, Alistair Rutherford, First Screenplay Award in 2013) at London’s we have a permanent seat on the steering Charlotte Street Hotel. Malcolm was on hand to committee. So far there have been two Guild-led answer questions and we all retired to the pub to panels and we’ll be chairing another at this ask several more! We’d like to thank Tracy for year’s festival in June. organising this so brilliantly. Our aim for next year is to form stronger This has spurred us on to make these screenings a relationships with other film festivals. regular event. We’re intending to screen Jonathan Asser’s Starred Up over the summer and hope this will take place in the newly renovated Regent WRITERS’ GUILD AWARDS Street Cinema. What a fantastic night that was! The Film Committee would like to join with everybody Once again we’d like to thank Assistant General and congratulate the organisers for a really Secretary Anne Hogben and the Guild staff for impressive show. all their support in helping the committee do their work. We were delighted to give our Best First Screenplay Award to Jonathan Asser for his intensely powerful Starred Up . Our Best Screenplay Award went to Andrea Gibb and Line Langebek Sean Ellis and Frank E. Flowers for their gripping Joint Chairs screenplay Metro Manila. The Film Committee for 2014-15 consisted of: As always our committee had a lively and energetic Olivia Hetreed, Phil O’Shea, Michael Walker, debate discussing the shortlist and winners. Phil Nodding, Tracy Brabin, Richard Deakin, Miraculously, we seem to have found a workable Guy Hibbert, Andrea Gibb and Line Langebek. process to get to our shortlist. Phil O’Shea continues to do an excellent job of compiling our
WGGB’s presence in Scotland continued again this year, with the Edinburgh International Film Festival and review of the Scottish film sector
www.writersguild.org.uk 13 RADIO This has been another year of holding steady, rather than big changes (those will, of course, be ushered in with the forthcoming discussions on the BBC’s According to the BBC’s own figures, the ratings for Charter renewal and the future of the Home Front (including its weekly omnibus) amount Licence Fee). to just over 2.5 million a week – comparable to a good rating for a drama on, say, BBC Two or However, it feels increasingly as if we are trying to Channel 4. In 2014, after a couple of false starts, the stop a steady erosion of radio writers’ pay and iPlayer went from seven-day to 30-day catch-up, in rights. While television writers received a 2% line with other catch-up services such as ITV Player increase in minimum fees in 2014, radio writers and 4oD, which makes it much easier to catch radio were given just 1% – adding insult to the injury of offerings one might have missed. their already paltry pay. Other technological developments that have been In addition, and although the BBC assures us that long-promised and long-delayed – the international any cuts to drama budgets are “small”, we hear a lot radio iPlayer, for example – are taking longer to of anecdotal evidence about writers being asked to come to fruition. The BBC is also exploring the do everything as cheaply as possible – smaller casts, possibility of putting advertising around the less well-known actors. streaming of radio programmes outside the UK, We’ve also heard about writers being encouraged though it’s considered that it will be a while before not to claim travel and accommodation costs when the revenues from this are sufficiently large to be their plays are recorded, although this is supposed worth distributing. Frustratingly, the BBC Store, to be something to which they are entitled. which has been announced in the last year with much fanfare, only makes TV content available, We managed to achieve a 20% increase on the not radio. It is to be hoped that this will change attendance allowance in 2010 but it has not in due course. increased since. Along with the Personal Managers’ Association and The Society of Authors, we have Recruitment is an ongoing priority for the Radio urged the BBC, at our regular Forums, that there Committee; we’re hoping to recruit more radio should also be regular increases on these. writers in the coming months. The more radio writers are part of the Guild, the stronger we will The Guild has raised the question of why radio be. The Writers’ Guild Awards – very successfully writers are historically so badly paid even compared revamped over the past year into a bigger, more to writing for a major theatre, certainly in glitzy event – are one way of giving a higher profile comparison to television. Radio writing is not to excellence in all areas of writing, including radio easier; radio writers are not less skilled, talented or drama and comedy. As we have done in previous experienced than their peers in other media; why years, we allowed radio producers – in-house are we paid so much less? We are determined to and independent – to nominate work, and had go on asking the question and making the case, a distinguished long list of 24 radio dramas and however difficult the times the BBC is facing. 18 radio comedies to judge. Stephanie Jacob, for But despite all the institutional penny-pinching, it’s her play A Night Visitor , and Marcus Brigstocke, for clear that radio drama and comedy are in rude his comedy series The Brig Society , were health. The BBC is still prepared to commit to large worthy winners. and high-profile radio drama projects. A 10-hour The judging process, and the work of the committee adaptation of War and Peace on New Year’s Day, and in general, takes a good deal of time. The Radio 480 episodes of its World War 1 drama Committee isn’t an exclusive group or clique – if Home Front , have achieved critical plaudits and members of the Guild who write for radio would good audiences. like to get more involved and join the committee
14 WGGB annual report 2014-15 and/or serve on awards juries, they would be very welcome. But that is not to denigrate the efforts of the current committee – as ever, I’m enormously grateful for their commitment, their expertise and their humour. Thanks to Dave Cohen, Sue Teddern, Nick Warburton, Tim Stimpson and Jonathan Myerson, who make the job of being Radio Committee Chair enjoyable.
Katharine Way Chair
Marcus Brigstocke won the Writers’ Guild Best Radio Comedy Award 2015 for The Brig Society
www.writersguild.org.uk 15 TELEVISION Over the past year, the TV Committee has made substantial progress in many areas and has campaigned on a number The campaign has been highlighted in international of important issues. The committee has writers’ meetings in Warsaw and Brussels and we grown in size and capability. New members have had consultations with the Writers Guild of have found their feet and made significant Canada, and guilds in Italy and South Africa. contributions to improving the terms and The increased active involvement of the new conditions of all UK writers. members of the TV Committee has enabled us to set up gender and diversity sub-committees to The committee’s main focus has been the Free is monitor participation rates of women and BAME NOT an Option campaign. The Guild organised a writers in UK TV. We have met with Creative meeting of producers, agents and business affairs Skillset and will use the data they are gathering in executives of major production companies in their comprehensive monitoring of participation February 2015. Much to our surprise we found rates in all UK production companies and considerable sympathy for our campaign and broadcasters. This data will come online in 2016. resentment of the way in which the refusal of We are working with Creative Skillset to plan irresponsible companies to pay writers for strategies for presenting the data to broadcasters development was undermining the efforts of and production companies and helping them responsible producers who invest sensibly in their improve their record in this area. creative resources and build constructive relationships with their writers. The Guild’s Animation Guidelines have been updated and have proved surprisingly useful in an area that Broad agreement was reached on the need for has long been characterised by a complete lack of guidelines on when and how much writers should structure. We are to do similar work for comedy be paid for development work. We are currently writers and campaign for their royalties to be consulting with writers, agents, producers, business restored where the practice has lapsed. Sadly it is affairs execs and our own legal adviser on the proving difficult to organise comedy writers and we guidelines that we will publish in the coming would welcome any help on this. months. Further meetings with producers are planned with an eye to eventually staging an Negotiations with the BBC over Doctors basic industry-wide seminar. pay continue at a gruelling pace. An offer has been made and a counter offer lodged. We are In co-operation with a well-known literary agent, considerably short of our goal of a basic fee in we have produced a simple two-page ‘right to pitch’ line with WGGB minimums but we have at least contract. A template version will be available from pushed them to address a glaring inconsistency WGGB. There was general agreement amongst all and unfairness. Regardless of the outcome concerned that the use of such an agreement would of negotiations, we will continue to push for eliminate a lot of problems for writers, agents and full WGGB minimums. producers, and we will campaign to have it accepted by all producers and for the major When the BBC decided to axe the EastEnders broadcasters to monitor its use and for all omnibus in September, they offered a full writers to press for its use. equivalent replacement funding arrangement without any prompting on our part. This is In addition, and importantly, Culture Minister surely a consequence of actions taken by Ed Vaizey has pledged to support the campaign EastEnders writers and the Guild a few after a question was raised in Parliament on years back and illustrates the power of 4 June 2015 by Kerry McCarthy MP, Chair of collective action. the Performers’ Alliance.
16 WGGB annual report 2014-15 Over our objections, the replacement fee has been we put into all the various campaigns and battles has called a ‘public service advance’ despite there being started to bear fruit. Membership is at an all-time no intention to use the material in question on any high and a number of writers have joined for the public service channel. This has highlighted a first time, expressly as a result of our efforts. The concern the Guild has been expressing for some number of members offering to step forward and time that an end must be put to the use of ‘polite help out has also increased significantly. fictions’ such as advances and bonus schemes that This is no more than a brief précis of the work the only store up problems for the future. Agreement in committee has done over the past year. We have principle has been reached with the BBC to managed far more than I expected but there is renegotiate contracts so that a fee is called a fee always more to do. Any members who fancy helping and recognised as such, rather than some fictitious out are always more than welcome and should advance at the mercy of future accountancy contact me by email at [email protected] exercises. We will continue to push for these for information. renegotiations to take place. I am, as ever, immensely grateful for the help, the The Guild has been there to help and advise enthusiasm and the relentless energy and ideas of writers on other long running series (LRS) the Television Committee. Special thanks to Lisa including Emmerdale . We are always happy to Holdsworth and Emma Reeves whose tireless talk to any writers in absolute confidence. efforts are magnificent. Thanks also to Chris Jury After two years of stalled negotiations with and John Wilsher, Jenny Davies and Shai Hussain, the BBC over their shadow schemes we decided Kate Delin, Maggie Innes and Henrietta Hardy, to release the story to the press, with a piece Janine Meston and Gail Renard. appearing in – among others – Media Guardian , and WGGB General Secretary Bernie Corbett has again an indication from the BBC that they would discuss been an inspiration and a source of great strength. the matter further. The Guild has also negotiated We are deeply grateful to Assistant General basic increases in writers’ pay of 2% for the Secretary Ellie Peers for her dogged persistence in BBC and 5% for ITV. fighting for the rights of all TV writers. The energy A number of meetings with long running series and enthusiasm of our new Communications writers have taken place over the past year and Manager, Sarah Woodley, has transformed the work more are planned for the next few months. Building of the TV Committee and lifted it to a new level. on the success of last year’s event, another LRS The work done by all the Guild staff is nothing barbecue is planned for 4 July 2015. short of incredible. We are lucky to have them. Where last year it was a struggle to convince many Bill Armstrong TV writers to renew their membership, the efforts Chair
Free is NOT an Option is a WGGB campaign to tackle the growing trend of writers being asked to do development work for free
www.writersguild.org.uk 17 THEATRE This year we have tried to build on last This year there will be another Literary Managers’ year with some success, but also with Forum at the Almeida and discussion will be centred some disappointment. around the material that came from the British Theatre Consortium’s British Theatre Repertoire 2013 Although encouraged by Arts Council England, and report, put together by David Edgar and Dan with the active support of Birmingham Rep, the Rebellato. Thanks are due to the Guild for helping Royal Exchange, Leicester Square Theatre, RADA, to finance members’ attendance at the recent Central School and LAMDA, our bid for the next British Theatre Consortium conference. cycle of the Playwrights’ Progress script David James again led on the Olwe n Wymark development project was turned down, despite Theatre Encouragement Awards, which the coming back covered with ‘excellents’. Perhaps committee see as one of the highlights of our year, it was purely down to lack of funds – we shall try and our thanks go to David. The event was held at to find out. And we will be resubmitting. The the Royal Court and gained considerable publicity committee would like to thank Richard Pinner for all for the Guild. the hard work he has put into this project and share his disappointment that, despite all the industry The recipients were: support, we haven’t as yet secured the funding for Joanna Read, Adam Pownall, Maurice Perl and the next phase. Martin Witts. Negotiations with Theatrical Management As chair I would like to thank the members of the Association and UK Theatre have continued, slowly. committee for their enthusiasm and encouragement We have made some small and crucial victories. and for the immense amount of work they have Rates for playwrights have been slightly increased, as put in this year. I would also like to welcome has the daily rate for rehearsal attendance. Crucially, Jenifer Toksvig, Amelia Bullmore, Sarah Woods and in our negotiations with the Royal Shakespeare Deborah McAndrew, who have just agreed to join us Company, Royal National Theatre and Royal Court, and to put an end to our gender imbalance. Grateful we have settled their concerns over the question of thanks to Amanda Whittington, who is stepping the rights of the writer(s) for ‘event-led theatre’ – down, for all she has done both as a committee productions on the scale of War Horse and Matilda , member and as a previous chair. This is my last where it is deemed necessary to replace the original AGM as my three years is up and I am delighted writer, as they often do in films. They wanted special to say that our next chairs will be David Edgar and provision for the adaptations/translations (the Jenifer Toksvig, who are job-sharing the position. source material for most of these shows), which if implemented would have had disastrous Committee: Joe Coelho, David Edgar, consequences for the writer. Many thanks to Ellie Lisa Evans, Roy Kendall, Fin Kennedy, Peers (Assistant General Secretary), David Edgar Brian McAvera, Richard Pinner, Robin Soans, and Robin Soans, who have taken the lead. Amanda Whittington, Nick Wood. Nick Wood Chair
Olwen Wymark Awards 2014, winners and guests at the Royal Court Theatre
18 WGGB annual report 2014-15 VIDEOGAMES Having worked in videogames for 22 years, The videogames craft still lacks a proper most of which as a writer in some capacity, committee, but I hope to rectify this in the near it made sense to stand for the Videogames future. Game writers are welcome to contact me Chair at the last Annual General Meeting as (via the WGGB website) if they would like to be a I had been a Guild member for two years part of the committee. at that point. The 2015 Writers’ Guild Best Writing in a Videogame Award was easily the biggest single item Andy Walsh, the previous Chair, has always been a to organise and without the help of the other passionate champion for game writers – and still members of the judging panel it would never have continues to be – which meant that I had some gone as smoothly as it did – their valuable work was pretty big boots to fill. He’s been very supportive highly appreciated. The list of proposed games and helpful while I’ve been finding my feet, organising covered a wide variety of gaming styles and story a couple of successful game writing events in genres and this was reflected in the final three London at the end of 2014 – a Christmas drinks nominations: Kevin Beimers for Schrödinger’s Cat and evening for game writers and a talk and panel at the the Raiders of the Lost Quark ; Meg Jayanth for 80 London South Bank University in conjunction with Days and Dan Pinchbeck for Amnesia: A Machine the International Game Developers Association. for Pigs . Meg Jayanth was a worthy winner and a Both events were highly popular and successful. popular choice. Guy Cocker did an excellent job Being based in Yorkshire, I worked with Lisa presenting the award, too, so a big thank you to him. Holdsworth, the Guild’s rep for Yorkshire & North I’d like to work towards more coverage of the East, to organise a small event in Leeds: ‘So You Want award in the gaming press at the proposal stage this To Work In Videogames?’ Guests Emma Cooper and year and hopefully a new committee will be able to Richard Boon gave short talks, as did I, and this was help on this score and also streamline the followed by an excellent Q&A discussion. The event was well-attended with the room Lisa had booked choosing/judging process. being almost completely filled. It is hoped that If there are elements of game writing that should similar events will take place in the future and if any be covered by the Guild, I’d welcome thoughts of the other regional reps would like to co-organise and discussions in those areas. one for their region I’d be happy to discuss details at a convenient time. Thank you.
Steve Ince Chair
The WGGB event ‘So You Want To Work In Videogames?’ took place in Yorkshire this year
www.writersguild.org.uk 19 EAST MIDLANDS LONDON & SOUTH EAST Held at the University of Nottingham The branch committee has continued to on Saturday 28 March 2015, the highly organise social events for members based successful Writers’ Conference was the in London and the South East, including our main event that the Guild was involved first event outside of London, which was with in the East Midlands region this year. held in Brighton in late 2014.
Led and co-ordinated by Writing East Midlands A second Meet the Agents event was successfully (WEM) this consisted of a very full day of varied put on in June 2015, and we plan to create more activities – talks, panels and workshops, across all networking events for members in London and genres – with WGGB setting up and sponsoring a the South East over the next year. plenary panel in the afternoon. ‘The Nuts and Thanks to the following people who served on Bolts of Earning a Living as a Writer’, headed by the London & South East Committee this year: the iconic Maureen Duffy and chaired by Anne Caz Moran, Gary Thomas, Janine Meston, Caldwell, also included the Nottingham playwright Jamie Rhodes, Katharine Way, Poppy Corbett Emteaz Hussain and novelist Tim Leach in a and Sophie Caramigeas. fascinating discussion and audience Q&A on the challenges, both personal and practical, of being a working writer. Piers Beckley An event like this is particularly important as it Chair helps us develop and consolidate significant partnerships with other writer support groups like WEM, National Association of Writers in Education, the Creative Writing Department of the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Writers’ Studio. The other urgent priority for our region is the need for us to reinvigorate our committee. Having resigned as East Midlands Chair last year to take up my role as Deputy Chair of the Guild, we are still searching for a replacement for this position. So can I take this opportunity to appeal to anyone who might be interested in leading our work in the Meet the Agents, June 2015 area (or indeed would like to make a contribution to our committee) to do one of the following: Before the AGM on 19 June 2015, visit www.writersguild.org.uk/wggb-agm-2015/ and download the Vacancies information/form. After 19 June 2015, email WGGB General Secretary Bernie Corbett: [email protected] for an update/further details.
Richard Pinner WGGB took part in the Writers’ Conference at University of Acting Chair Nottingham this year
20 WGGB annual report 2014-15 NORTH WEST (MERSEYSIDE SCOTLAND & MANCHESTER) EVENTS MEETING, EDINBURGH One of the successful events we An events meeting was held in Edinburgh on 19 have hosted this year was in Liverpool. January 2015. Turnout was small but members of This saw writers in the North West region the Scottish branch are spread throughout Scotland being given the chance to talk to Paul so it is difficult for people to attend. The decision Ashton of Creative England, a not-for-profit was made to create a Facebook group for members to post and exchange information. This is proving organisation that mobilises public and to be an effective forum, more direct and personal private resources to garner support and than an email mailing. People have commented on investment in the creative industries. their other commitments, so the idea is to use the He was joined by Amy Buscombe Facebook group page to try and consolidate a date from independent production company suitable for a larger number of people. LA Productions. EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE If you are a WGGB member in the North West and want to find out more about the work of the The Guild was present with a stand at the branch committee, or get involved, please email: Edinburgh Festival Fringe Participants Fair in August [email protected] 2014. As with 2013 we were in all the Fringe programmes, which brings people to the Guild stand. This year I have chosen to hold our Karen Brown information seminar on the work of the Guild on a Chair different day to the Fringe Participants Fair, as there are very big names to compete with. This year’s seminar is on Tuesday 11 August 2015, in the first week of the Fringe. We will be looking for volunteers to help on the stand this year.
CREATIVE SCOTLAND’S LITERATURE AND PUBLISHING SECTOR REVIEW Unlike the Film Sector Review, the Guild was not invited to participate, and neither was The Society of Authors in Scotland. Creative Scotland has been interviewing individual writers. I sent its survey out to members and we were thanked for the data.
Paul Ashton and Amy Buscombe spoke to writers in the North West at a WGGB event
www.writersguild.org.uk 21 LITERATURE FORUM FOR CROSS-PARTY PARLIAMENTARY SCOTLAND GROUP ON CULTURE, SCOTTISH I have attended all meetings, held in Edinburgh, to PARLIAMENT, HOLYROOD represent the Guild in Scotland. As a result of an The Cross-Party Parliamentary Group on Culture away day held in Edinburgh on 27 May 2014, was initiated in May 2013 and formally convened in various task groups have been created to develop September 2013. I have attended all the sessions, the role of the Forum in Scotland. There are which feature a panel followed by a debate. Topics currently six groups and I have been a participant covered have included, ‘Culture Post Referendum’, in two – Membership and Governance. General ‘Broadcasting in Scotland’, ‘Cultural Policy and its Secretary Bernie Corbett has been very helpful Formation’ and ‘Audience Engagement and in directing me to the Guild’s rules and regulations Development’. to give the group frames of reference for the constitution. SCOTTISH FILM SUMMIT The other group is Advocacy and Communication, and again Guild orientation has been helpful in the Alistair Rutherford will be representing WGGB sphere of its lobbying role. on the steering group for the next Scottish Film Summit at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) on 17 June 2015. This will be the 3rd Film SCOTTISH FEDERATION OF Summit and follows on from last year’s event. A ENTERTAINMENT UNIONS (SFEU) smaller-scale Film Summit was held at the Glasgow Film Festival in February 2015, where WGGB Film There have been no meetings of the SFEU Co-Chair Andrea Gibb chaired a discussion on the since the last AGM. future for Scottish screenwriters. The EIFF 2015 Summit will undertake to produce achievable and measurable goals to improve the film sector in Scotland and make it more sustainable.
Julie Ann Thomason Chair
WGGB had a stand at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014
22 WGGB annual report 2014-15 SOUTH WEST SOUTH WEST (WESSEX) (CORNWALL & DEVON) The South West (Bristol & Bath) regional branch has been renamed the South West Cornwall and Devon are geographically (Wessex) region. huge yet have small populations compared with other creative clusters. But we pack Its borders have been adjusted, so that Swindon a punch and constantly celebrate great becomes part of the London & South East region, writers, independent bookshops, festivals, and Gloucester and Cheltenham become part of the West Midlands region. competitions and literary events. An inaugural event for the new region is being By autumn of 2015 we are hoping to bring planned for early summer 2015. together members of Equity and WGGB for monthly socials to encourage networking, Chris Jury collaboration and creative projects. The building Chair blocks are already in place for Falmouth. Please contact me (via the WGGB website) if you are interested in getting involved and also if you’d like to help me set up something in Exeter. Marie Macneill Chair
WGGB hopes to join forces with Cheltenham is one of the towns the actors’ union Equity in the that has changed in the WGGB South West this year South West border adjustment
www.writersguild.org.uk 23 WALES
The Welsh Committee has again been busy this year. Negotiations continue with Concern has also arisen over some S4C various broadcasters, and we are still raising productions/commissions employing writers from concerns in the relevant quarters regarding outside Wales to write scripts to be subsequently the lack of new writing currently produced translated into Welsh. This raises concerns about professionally in Wales. We have enjoyed the marginalisation of non-Welsh speaking writers the contribution of some interesting guest in Wales, the impact on the number of Welsh- speakers over the year, including Hannah language commissions generated within Wales, Thomas, Head of Creative Sector and the creative role of translators. Development for Ffilm Cymru Wales, and are also expecting Rhodri Talfan Davies, THEATRE Director of BBC Cymru Wales, to address us in the near future, having had to Having managed to have quarterly meetings with postpone a date last autumn. Nick Davies at Arts Council Wales during the previous year to discuss, in particular, new writing, TELEVISION/RADIO this current year has been less successful due to work pressures. However, a new meeting has been BBC: POBOL Y CWM : Negotiations have been scheduled at which we will be raising questions ongoing, building on last year’s successful regarding the research paper/study/report into agreements following the shock withdrawal of new writing in Wales, which was being prepared funding by Welsh-language broadcaster S4C for some time ago. elements of the series Pobol y Cwm , which had Some members are under the impression that significant financial and creative implications to guidelines prioritising new writing have been issued writers, as well as other creatives. The outstanding to companies recently by Arts Counci l Wales, and issues regarding storylining fees appear to have we will be asking whether this is correct, and finally been settled; the annual review of minimum whether this been issued across the board. We are rates is next on the agenda. Series Producer also still hoping to glean some kind of percentage Ynyr Williams has now left the series and has been figure regarding funding and production of new succeeded by Llyr Morus. The committee would writing in Wales – if any such figure is available. like to thank General Secretary Bernie Corbett for his expert skills and our own trio of broadcasting As Artistic Director Terry Hands has now negotiators, Sion Eirian, Wil Roberts and retired from Clwyd Theatr Cymru, the situation William Gwyn. there is uncertain. A number of issues have also arisen regarding Sion Eirian, who has been a valuable member of negotiations between the Guild, S4C and TAC the Guild sitting on the board of Sherman Cymru, (Welsh independent producers). These include has stepped down due to pressure of work, but the situation regarding fees for back-to-back we have been assured that when the board is productions; also repeats – the repeat fees which reinstated, another writer will be invited to were being offered for proposed afternoon repeat take his seat. broadcasts were totally unacceptable, and Sion Eirian is also to be congratulated for winning consequently rejected. Further meetings are the Best Playwright in the Welsh Language Award at to be scheduled. the Wales Theatre Awards 2015 for his play Garw .
24 WGGB annual report 2014-15 BOOKS By then he had already been the national organiser of UCAC, th e Welsh teachers’ union, and was CULT Cymru (which provides training, advice embarking on a successful career as a full-time and support to people in the creative industries writer. He soon became a mainstay of the Welsh in Wales) organised a workshop on e-publishing Guild Committee and one of its main negotiators which was well-attended and very successful, in the field of television, theatre and publishing. and another is to be arranged. His most celebrated works, like the film Branwen Concern has been expressed that the book chosen and the TV series Llafur Cariad , have been seminal to launch the Welsh Books Council’s high-profile political studies, while his recent hugely successful Children’s Book of the Month promotion was a stage plays Cariad Mr Bustl and Llanast! were translation of a work by an English writer (David translations from the French (of Molière’s Walliams), rather than a Welsh one. Le Misanthrope and Yasmina Reza’s Le Dieu du Carnage ). GARETH MILES He, more than any other recent writer, reminded us that Welsh culture needed to be evaluated in The Welsh Committee would also like to take this its European context, and he also raised the profile opportunity to honour the lifelong service of past Chair and activity of the Writers’ Guild to a much and long-time member of the Executive Council, Gareth more prominent public level in Wales. Diolch Miles, who also represented the Guild at the Trades o galon Gareth. Union Congress conference and on many other boards, including, the Academi Gymreig/The Welsh Academy. Chair Gareth was born in 1938 in Caernarfon and came Manon Eames to national prominence as a political activist in the early 1960s. He was a central figure in the battle for equal rights for the Welsh language and in creating a new socialist agenda in Welsh politics. It was fitting that he was recruited into the Guild at a rally in support of the striking miners in 1984.
Negotiations continue for writers on the Welsh-language soap Pobol y Cwm
www.writersguild.org.uk 25 WEST MIDLANDS We planned to report that two things the public rallies and presented the Writers’ Guild defined our last 12 months in the West as the most focused, coherent and strong voice on Midlands, but then it unfortunately became the issue, just as he continues to do so with the three when the Library of Birmingham ongoing Campaign for Regional Broadcasting came under threat. For shortly after we Midlands – a grassroots movement that aims to had celebrated that building’s first promote the Midlands as the place to create and anniversary, and the way that it had so make television, radio and film. swiftly become a key part of Midlands life, The West Midlands region is also grateful and severe cuts were announced. touched by the efforts made by the national Guild office in London, and most particularly They were announced in December 2014, and they Communications Manager Sarah Woodley, to have now been done: the Library’s opening hours support the campaign against the Birmingham have been halved and its staff has been reduced by Library cuts. even more than that. It is a failure of the city, it is a failure of our attempts to prevent it. But as the A second area where the West Midlands region has fight moves to restoring the Library, this has also been particularly effective this year is reaching out been a battle that has raised our own profile, in to other organisations and working with them. ways that we hope will help similar issues in As well as the Campaign for Regional Broadcasting the future. Midlands, we’re also working more closely with the BBC, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Myself and WGGB Deputy Chair Tim Stimpson Television Society, Arts Connect, Writing West made speeches and gave interviews, here and Midlands, The Society of Authors, the Birmingham internationally. Tim was the unquestioned star of Rep, and more.
Cuts to the Library of Birmingham have been top of the agenda for Writers’ Guild West Midlands
26 WGGB annual report 2014-15 We’re doing this because it’s important, because The latter have in fact been down to the work of it’s getting our members out into new fields, and committee member Sayan Kent. Thanks also to Liz because it is fun. We’ve had a great time with John, who ran our Archers event, Tim Stimpson people from all these organisations and we’re now (who did something or other – see above), and building on the successful joint events that Nicola Jones, who stepped in to join the committee we’ve enjoyed together. when work commitments unfortunately meant Helen Cross had to step down. Most recently, Events is the third item in this report, and here we’ve also welcomed both Jane Campion Hoye and are the highlights. Antony Pickthall: one of whom says joining the In October 2014 we hosted a double bill with Peaky committee is dependent on the quality of biscuits at Blinders writer Steven Knight at the Birmingham meetings, but we’ve promised we won’t say which Literature Festival. This included an exclusive event one she is. for WGGB, BBC Drama Village and Royal Television Society members, which saw Steven talk to WGGB William Gallagher Deputy Chair Tim Stimpson. Tim followed this up Chair with a public event that same evening, which was sold out. Then in November we contributed to Writing West Midlands’ annual Writers’ Toolkit networking event, another sell-out, where we produced some panels, chaired others and spoke on more. Throughout that day we kept hearing how much the audience had rated the panels wit h WGGB General Secretary Bernie Corbett and Film Co-Chair Andrea Gibb. We were especially grateful to Andrea for stepping in and to WGGB President Olivia Hetreed for suggesting her. Most recently we’ve had public success with a special event about The Archers , where Guild members and fans of the show got to meet some of the cast and crew who had been involved in the radio series’ hugely controversial flood storyline. We also held a private event with the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Deputy Artistic Director Erica Whyman. Arts Connect has given WGGB members a confidential briefing on new funding initiatives. And the West Midlands Committee got the chance to lobby MPs about Birmingham media businesses in the Houses of Parliament in December 2014. Members have had many free nights at both the Birmingham Rep and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre because of the Guild.
www.writersguild.org.uk 27 YORKSHIRE & NORTH EAST I’ve had a great deal of one-to-one contact with members this year which has been great. Whilst it is heartbreaking and The big event in the Yorkshire & North East region infuriating to hear about members being this year was the ‘So You Want To Work In Videogames?’ event at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. treated poorly, it is heartening to be able to In a packed (and hot) room, three local speakers help. I urge any member in distress to reach including our own Videogames Chair Steve Ince gave out to their regional representative, safe in a wide-ranging talk about working in the videogame the knowledge that they will be listened to industry. It was also a good opportunity to talk with and whatever they say will be in the strictest members about other events they would like to see. confidence. The plan for the coming year includes a Comic The overwhelming feedback I have had from Books event and Women Writers event at which those writers who have made contact with WGGB WGGB members Kay Mellor and Gwyneth Hughes officers is that they have no longer felt isolated have agreed to speak. and unsupported. I have also had great feedback As ever, it is a pleasure to be involved with the Guild on how empowering WGGB members have found and I hope I’m doing a good job. Still, I’m happy to the Creating Without Conflict campaign (tackling receive any feedback or suggestions about how I can bullying, harassment and discrimination in the do a better job for my fellow writers. media and entertainment industries). Lisa Holdsworth Chair
WGGB has continued its involvement with the Creating Without Conflict campaign
28 WGGB annual report 2014-15 Obituaries
WGGB has sadly lost some long-standing William Ash remembered at the Writers’ members in 2014-15, who have contributed Guild Awards 2015 by Brendan Foley to the strength of the union over many Even in the Age of Tweets, it’s hard to sum up 96 years, for example Roy Russell (who helped years in five minutes, never mind the remarkable life to establish the WGGB pension scheme). of my friend and co-author Bill Ash. But here goes. We would like to remember all of the following Born at the same time as the Russian Revolution, a members, listed below (obituaries can be found fact he never accepted as coincidence, by the age of on our website: www.writersguild.org.uk/category/ six Bill was already fighting playground battles against obituaries/ ). We have also printed a speech given bullies in Dallas, Texas. He was once goaded by at the Writers’ Guild Awards 2015 ceremony by older boys, some as old as seven, to fight his best WGGB member Brendan Foley, in commemoration friend. When his pal burst into tears, Bill turned of Bill Ash, who died last year. around and clocked his largest tormentor. He was of course battered in return, but his path in life Jill Hyem was set. Alan Seymour Growing up in Texas and New Mexico, by the age Linda Cotterill of eight he had a mentor, George Coe, a whiskery Roy Russell old-timer with an index finger missing. He’d had it shot off in a gunfight when he rode with Billy the Jean McConnell Kid and our Bill inherited his love of storytelling Brian Clemens and adventure. Robert Adams He grew up in the hungry 1930s in genteel poverty, Colin Shaw “not so much white collar as frayed collar” he once said. But he managed to put himself through the Peter Whelan University of Texas at Austin, including his first Anthony Marriott publishing venture, a Who’s Who of students with William Ash the only qualification for entry being the student’s ability to give Bill Ash three dollars.
WGGB member Bill Ash (left), “spent his time in the Cooler not with a baseball and glove, but writing his first novel on scraps of paper while on bread and water punishment ”.
www.writersguild.org.uk 29 Obituaries
After college Bill ended up as a hobo, riding the rails After the war he became an unusual combination of in search of work. He briefly got a job as an an MBE for his escaping activities and a Marxist elevator boy in a bank where he bumped into a because of all he had seen of fascism, exploitation former professor who asked if his employers knew and inequality. He had what he liked to call a he had an arts degree, with the highest honours. ‘reverse career trajectory’ at the BBC, starting as “Yes”, said Bill, “but they’ve agreed to overlook it.” their top man in India and retiring as a freelance script reader in the radio drama department. But if Then came the war and Bill replaced his cattle car his battles and politics didn’t please his bosses, his with a Spitfire courtesy of the Royal Canadian kindness and willingness to help fellow writers Airforce. His US citizenship was revoked for joining made sure that every time he was booted out he up while America was still neutral. His arrival in was smuggled back in by former colleagues. He England in 1941 started a lifelong love affair with his once met a former BBC Chair of Governors who adopted country, and a few love affairs of a more asked him “Aren’t you Bill Ash and didn’t we fire traditional nature as he and his fellow pilots partied you years ago?” Bill exited the elevator with a smile in Blitz-torn London at night and risked their lives – “Close, but no cigar.” for us over the English Channel by day. He poured his enforced spare time into writing, In early 1942 Bill’s luck ran out and he was blown ranging from his seminal The Way to Write Radio out of the sky over the Pas-de-Calais. Losing Drama , to political novels such as But My Fist is Free altitude, his engine on fire, he turned his beloved and The Longest Way Round , described by Anthony Spitfire towards his enemies, but his guns were Burgess as the work of “a very considerable dead. As the enemy guns blazed he found himself novelist”. Most sold modestly and he joked that closing his eyes, pressing the gun button and future collectors would battle to find a “rare shouting “Bang! Bang!” unsigned copy”. He edited the newspaper of his He crash-landed, escaped and made it to Paris with party the Communist Party of Britain (Marxist- the help of the Resistance, but there he was Leninist) and he played a pivotal role in the fight to captured and tortured by the Gestapo. When they save the Soho Theatre. He was active in the said they would shoot him unless he gave them the Writers’ Guild and became Co-Chair on two name of one French person who helped him, he occasions in the 1980s and 1990s where, as always, shopped his French teacher back in Texas. He was he encouraged a new generation. He was a driving saved from the Gestapo by the Luftwaffe who put force behind the introduction of Candidate him in the Great Escape camp Stalag Luft III. He Membership. He was devoted to the children of thanked them by escaping 13 times over three his first marriage, Juliet and Francis, and to Ranjana, years, events told in our book Under the Wire . the love of his life. His frequent trips to Solitary when recaptured My five minutes is up. William Ash: hobo, fighter made him the real-life Cooler King, and though he pilot, escape-artist, revolutionary and, above all, liked the movie The Great Escape he complained “In writer. The WGGB salutes you. real life there was never a motorcycle around when I needed one”. Unlike Steve McQueen he spent his Brendan Foley is a writer, producer time in the Cooler not with a baseball and glove, and director and member of WGGB. but writing his first novel on scraps of paper while on bread and water punishment. And we complain about writer’s block… When he had finally finished, a guard came in and tore it into shreds of confetti in front of him. Bill was never a fan of censorship. He was, however, a big fan of freedom.
30 WGGB annual report 2014-15 Credits
p4 © 123rf.com/David Novi; p5 (bottom image) © Shutterstock.com/antb; p6 (top image) © WGGB/Cuy Cragoe; p7 © BBC; p9 © 123rf.com/Philip Bird; p10 (top left) © WGGB/Cuy Cragoe; p11 © WGGB/Cuy Cragoe; p12 (top right) © WGGB/Cuy Cragoe; p13 © 123rf.com/Alicephoto; p15 © WGGB/Cuy Cragoe; p17 © Shutterstock.com/stokkete; p18 (top right) © WGGB/Cuy Cragoe, (bottom) © Sarah Woodley; p20 (top right) © Will Green, Meet the Agents photo © WGGB/Em Fitzgerald, University of Nottingham photo © Shutterstock.com/Mitzy; p22 © Shutterstock.com/Ivica Drusany; p23 (bottom right) © Shutterstock.com/Arena Photo UK; p26 (bottom) © William Gallagher
www.writersguild.org.uk 31 Published by The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, 134 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU, June 2015 The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain has made best efforts to ensure all information in this annual report is correct at the time of going to press. Design: www.savageandgray.co.uk
Please contact us if you need a large-print or text-only version of this report. Email: [email protected] Tel: 020 7833 0777
WGGB annual report 2014-15