Up to date with extra particulars:
On a day of union nationwide solidarity for the writers guild and the actors union, the AMPTP tonight abruptly launched particulars of what they name probably the most complete bundle ever.
The Aug. 11 tabled proposal [see full release below] affords particulars on residuals, AI, writers’ rooms, and maybe most strikingly a brand new perspective towards transparency in metrics from the streamers.
This night’s sudden transfer by the AMPTP follows a gathering that simply wrapped tonight between WGA management, AMPTP management and a number of other studio CEOs, we hear. It was a possibility for the CEOs to inform the WGA management how they felt about placing their finest foot ahead with their proposal to finish the strike, that being with their supply from Aug. 11. We hear the 2 sides will meet once more.
Studios are providing the WGA “increased data transparency” which shall be comprised of “viewership data in the form of quarterly confidential reports,” supplied to the guild. Such reviews will embody “total SVOD view hours per title.”
“This increased transparency will enable the WGA to develop proposals to restructure the current SVOD residual regime in the future,” per the AMPTP launch tonight.
The WGA has not responded to this publicly launched proposal. If and once they do, we are going to replace this text.
Right here’s the discharge beneath.
The Alliance of Movement Image and Tv Producers (AMPTP) at present launched in depth particulars of its August eleventh proposal to the Writers Guild — a complete bundle which addresses all the points the Guild has recognized as its highest priorities. The supply acknowledges the foundational function writers play within the trade and underscores the Corporations’ dedication to ending the strike.
This new bundle considerably improves upon the AMPTP’s prior proposals. The excellent
bundle additionally options first-of-their-kind affords for writers, together with unprecedented phrases within the areas of
Generative Synthetic Intelligence, information transparency and minimal staffing.
Carol Lombardini, President of the AMPTP, mentioned, “Our priority is to end the strike so that valued members
of the creative community can return to what they do best and to end the hardships that so many people
and businesses that service the industry are experiencing. We have come to the table with an offer that
meets the priority concerns the writers have expressed. We are deeply committed to ending the strike
and are hopeful that the WGA will work toward the same resolution.”
Highlights of the excellent bundle are:
- Considerably increased compensation
o That is the best wage improve for the WGA in 35 years: a compounded 13%
improve over the three-year contract, with a rise of 5% in yr one; 4% in yr
two; and three.5% in yr three.
o On prime of wage will increase, a 15% improve in minimal weekly charges for Article 14 writers
(apart from Story Editors or Government Story Editors) within the first yr of the settlement
with additional basic wage will increase within the second and third years of the settlement. This
would take a author from:
§ $9,888/week to $11,371/week for ensures of as much as 9 weeks;
§ $8,240/week to $9,476/week for ensures of 10-19 weeks; and
§ $7,412/ week to $8,524/week for ensures of 20-29 weeks (all are 15%
will increase) - Excessive Funds SVOD Residual Will increase
o Whole worldwide (home and overseas) residuals would improve from $72,067 to
$87,546 per episode for 3 exhibition years.
00298519.DOCX; 1 2 - A brand new construction to coach writers to turn into the showrunners of tomorrow, by guaranteeing
the size of employment and requiring that at the least two mid-level writers, chosen by the
Showrunner, be assigned to manufacturing.o The AMPTP is dedicated to permitting the Showrunner to pick at the least two mid-level
writers to be assigned to manufacturing who’re every assured at the least 20 weeks of
employment (until the manufacturing interval is shorter). - A brand new compensation construction for growth rooms
o Writers shall be assured a minimal of 10 weeks of employment and, for Article 14
writers (apart from Story Editors or Government Story Editors), the week-to-week fee of pay
will improve by 43.8% over the present fee, elevating the speed from $9,888 per week to
$14,214 per week. - Landmark protections for writers surrounding using Generative Synthetic Intelligence
(GAI)
o Written materials produced by GAI is not going to be thought-about literary materials.
o A author is not going to be deprived if any a part of the script relies on GAI-produced
materials, in order that the author’s compensation, credit score and separated rights is not going to be
affected by means of GAI-produced materials. - Elevated information transparency to mirror that the web has modified the dynamics of the
leisure enterpriseFor the primary time, viewership information within the type of quarterly confidential reviews is to be supplied to the WGA that can embody complete SVOD view hours per title. This elevated transparency will allow the WGA to develop proposals to restructure the present SVOD residual regime sooner or later.The AMPTP member corporations are dedicated to reaching an equitable settlement to return the trade to what it does finest: creating the TV reveals and flicks that encourage and entertain audiences worldwide. The complete particulars of the AMPTP member corporations’ new proposal, introduced to the WGA on August 11, are supplied within the appendix beneath.
APPENDIX:
Particulars of the AMPTP Member Corporations’ New Proposal
Introduced to the WGA on August 11, 2023
Assured Minimal Employment in Improvement Rooms
The Corporations have redefined the economics of the event room by providing each a minimal
size of employment (no matter weeks labored) and a brand new and improved compensation construction for
Excessive Funds SVOD and pay tv sequence and serials. Writers in a growth room will now be
assured a minimal of 10 weeks of employment and, for Article 14 writers (apart from Story Editors
or Government Story Editors), the week-to-week fee will improve by 43.8% over the present fee, elevating
the speed from $9,888 per week to $14,214 per week. Employees Writers’ charges will improve by 31.3% over the present week-to-week fee, from $5,302/week to $6,959/week; the speed for an Article 14 Story Editor/Government Story Editor will improve from $9,888/week to $12,978/week.
The supply additionally features a 15% improve for back-up script charges and a 50% improve for pilot scripts for
Excessive Funds SVOD sequence.
Required Employment within the Writers’ Room
On Excessive Funds SVOD and pay tv sequence or serials, the Showrunner could choose at the least two
writers to be employed (along with the Showrunner) for a interval of at the least twenty (20)
consecutive weeks within the writers’ room, however to not exceed the period of the writers’ room.
Prolonged Employment Throughout Manufacturing
To offer essential manufacturing expertise to writers who aspire to turn into Showrunners, the Corporations
suggest that, following the closure of the writers’ room for a single-camera Excessive Funds SVOD and pay
tv sequence or serial, the Showrunner could choose at the least two writers to be employed (collectively
with the Showrunner) throughout manufacturing of the sequence or serial, for a interval of at the least twenty (20)
consecutive weeks, however to not exceed the interval of manufacturing. To the extent practicable, the Firm
will accommodate the author’s skilled availability in scheduling the author’s manufacturing project.
Synthetic Intelligence Protections
The Corporations suggest landmark protections for writers surrounding using Generative Synthetic
Intelligence (GAI). The Corporations verify that as a result of GAI just isn’t an individual, it isn’t a ‘writer’ or
‘professional writer’ as outlined on this MBA and, subsequently, written materials produced by GAI is not going to be
thought-about literary materials beneath this or any prior MBA. The proposal supplies vital safeguards to
stop writers from being deprived if any a part of the script relies on GAI-produced materials, so
that the author’s compensation, credit score and separated rights is not going to be affected by means of GAIproduced materials.
Ought to a Firm furnish a author with written materials produced by GAI which has not been beforehand
printed or exploited, the Corporations suggest:
—GAI-produced materials just isn’t thought-about assigned materials when figuring out the author’s
compensation. For instance, if the Firm offers a author a GAI-produced screenplay and asks
the author to rewrite it, the author will obtain the charge for a screenplay with no assigned materials and never a rewrite. Or, if the Firm offers a author a GAI-produced story as the premise for a teleplay, the author will obtain the story and teleplay fee.
–The GAI-produced written materials is not going to be thought-about supply materials for functions of
figuring out the author’s credit score.
–The GAI-produced written materials is not going to be the premise for disqualifying a author from
eligibility for separated rights.
–The Firm will disclose to that author that the fabric was written by GAI. The Corporations
additionally conform to the WGA’s proposal {that a} author will not be required to make use of GAI to be able to write
literary materials.
–It’s value noting that, with this proposal, the Corporations are actually conferring higher protections on WGA members with regard to GAI-generated materials than writers now possess if the studio had been to provide a author a script that the studio acquired from a UK author not working beneath the MBA and requested the author to make use of it as the premise for writing a screenplay or teleplay.
First-Ever Phrases and Circumstances for AVOD
In a primary, the Corporations have agreed that Excessive Funds AVOD Applications (outlined utilizing the identical finances
and program size thresholds relevant to Excessive Funds SVOD Applications) shall be usually topic to
the identical phrases and situations that apply to a program made for primary cable. At present, no residual
is payable for continued use on an AVOD platform; with this proposal, a residual equal to 2% of
accountable receipts is payable for continued use past 26 weeks of a Excessive Funds AVOD Program on
an AVOD platform.
First-Ever Phrases and Circumstances for Writers of Non-Dramatic SVOD
For the primary time ever, writers of HB SVOD Comedy-Selection Applications will obtain the identical phrases and
situations that apply beneath Appendix A, with modifications to adapt provisions referring to “broadcast” for
streaming and to account for shorter order packages.
Elimination of Grandfathering of New Media Applications
“Grandfathering” shall be eradicated for Excessive Funds SVOD sequence topic to the 2014 and 2011
MBAs. This ends in writers of latest seasons of sequence that had been written beneath these earlier contracts
receiving the upper residuals which might be in any other case reserved for brand new reveals written after the settlement goes
into impact.
Assured Second Step for Theatrical Screenplays
In an vital enchancment for writers of characteristic movies, the Corporations have agreed to a assured
second step for writers employed at 200% or much less of relevant minimal. Which means that when a
Firm initially employs a author to jot down the primary draft of an unique screenplay, it is going to be required to
present the author the primary alternative to carry out a rewrite at at least the relevant minimal
compensation.
Substantial Will increase for Writers of Options Supposed for Preliminary Exhibition on SVOD
The minimal story and teleplay fee for a HB SVOD characteristic of 96 minutes or extra with a finances of $40M or extra made for an SVOD platform with 20M or extra subscribers will improve instantly to $100K, an 18.3% improve. The residual base will improve by much more – 25.7% – to $75,000, which suggests extra in residuals for the writers of these packages.
Historic Common Wage Will increase
In a suggestion that represents the best wage improve for writers in 35 years, the businesses proposed
a rise of 5% in yr one; 4% in yr two; and three.5% in yr three, representing a compounded 13%
improve over the three-year contract.
Excessive Funds SVOD Residual Will increase
The Producers’ proposal will increase residuals to be used of a Excessive Funds SVOD Program on overseas
streaming platforms by 76% (and will increase residuals by 22% total) for the biggest companies. That is
on the heels of the hefty 46% improve in Excessive Funds SVOD residuals that the events agreed to throughout
the 2020 negotiations, and which has solely now kicked in for materials written through the third yr of the
2020 contract. As a part of the brand new supply, the Corporations are proposing to calculate the mounted overseas residual based mostly on the variety of overseas subscribers to the SVOD service, relatively than as a proportion of the home residual, and have elevated their earlier supply for the proportion payable for every overseas
subscriber tier.
The supply additionally will increase the residuals payable for exhibition years 8-12 by 52% and eliminates the 2
lowest home subscriber tiers in order that the bottom subscriber issue is 65% as a substitute of 20%. The overseas
residuals payable for a single episode of a one-hour sequence made for Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu
or Netflix would improve from $18,684 to $32,830 for 3 exhibition years. Whole worldwide (home and
overseas) residuals would improve from $72,067 to $87,546 per episode for 3 exhibition years. Over 10
exhibition years, the overseas residual would improve from $32,308 to $58,820, and the worldwide residual
would improve from $124,615 to $156,854.
Employees Writers to Obtain Script Charges
In a primary, the businesses agreed that Employees Writers employed beneath Article 13 will obtain script charges in
addition to their weekly wage. This represents a 46% improve for a Employees Author employed for 20
weeks on a one-hour community or Excessive Funds SVOD sequence who writes one script.
Minimal for General Offers Doubled
The Union and the AMPTP have a tentative settlement to double the wage threshold at which a author
could also be employed on an total deal.
Choices and Exclusivity
The Corporations and the WGA have reached a tentative settlement to broaden choices and exclusivity
protections to writers who’re assured or earn lower than $350,000 in a contract yr.
Expanded Span Protections
The businesses have tentatively agreed to broaden span protections to writers who obtain $450,000
or much less in a contract yr (excluding script charges) and to writers employed on mini-series at or beneath that
wage threshold. Writers lined by span obtain contemporary money on prime of their episodic charges if they’re
required to work for lengthy durations of time.
Important Features for Writers Additionally Employed in Further Capacities
Minimal weekly charges for Article 14 writers (apart from a narrative editor or government story editor) will go up
by 15% within the first yr of the settlement and be elevated by the final wage will increase within the second
and third years of the settlement. This is able to take a author from $9,888/week to $11,371/week for
ensures of as much as 9 weeks. The speed for ensures of 10-19 weeks will increase from $8,240/week to
$9,476/week, and the speed for ensures of 20-29 weeks will increase from $7,412/week to $8,524/week (each of that are additionally 15% will increase). Writers may also profit from the final wage will increase that
would apply in years 2 and three.
Improved Pension & Well being Contributions for Writing Groups
In an vital concession, every member of a writing group of two will now obtain contributions up
to the relevant cap as if the author had been employed as a single author. Moreover, contributions will
be made at at least the weekly minimal for a single author when a author is employed as a part of a
group of two writers on a weekly or time period foundation.
Unprecedented Knowledge Transparency
Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) companies decide to giving the WGA information as to the overall
mixture variety of minutes a Excessive Funds SVOD Program is seen and this system’s complete operating
time on a quarterly foundation.
Further Administrative Provides for the Union
The businesses reached a tentative settlement with the Union on a number of different administrative points that
embody the continued funding of the profitable Showrunner Coaching Program, in addition to the
addition of mutually agreed-upon arbitrators to rule on grievances filed in opposition to a Firm by the Union.
Some Examples of the New Proposal in Motion
Improvement Rooms: Pre-greenlight, short-term work within the growth room shall be paid at a
substantial premium and for at least 10 weeks. A author engaged in a growth room will earn at the least the next quantities:
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