Film/TV/Streaming Contracts

About Film/TV/Streaming Contracts

The Guild has several contracts and agreements available for the writers of Film, Television, and New Media projects. Some of these contracts and sideletters are negotiated as part of the Minimum Basic Agreement and are extracted directly from the pages of the full text of the MBA; other contracts listed here are agreements which cover work not under the purview of the MBA but which derive their terms from the MBA.

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List of Film/TV/Streaming WGA Contracts

THEATRICAL

Standard Contract for Theatrical Motion Pictures
A standard theatrical writing services contract which can be tailored to reflect the negotiated terms of any writing services contract you negotiate.

Low Budget Agreement
The Low Budget Agreement allows writers to write and sell a narrative feature-length screenplay under the protection of the Writers Guild if the theatrical film’s budget is at or below $1.2 million.
(Note: Application filing required)

Documentary Screenplay Contract
A contract designed to meet the demands of the documentary film business as well as ensure the rights and benefits for writers of theatrically released documentaries budgeted at $1.2 million or below.
(Note: Application filing required)

TELEVISION

Standard TV Contracts
These two contracts are the Standard Contract for Long-form TV and the Standard Form Freelance TV Writer’s Employment Contract. The Standard Contract for Long-form TV was created specifically for movies of the week, movies for television, and miniseries. The Standard Freelance TV Contract is a standard freelance TV contract for WGA members and Guild signatory companies.

PUBLIC TELEVISION

• PBS
  • 2019 WGA-Public Television Agreement
  • 2019-2024 WGA-PBS Schedule of Minimums
• Sesame Workshop
  • 2019-2024 WGA-PBS Sesame Agreement
  • 2024 WGA-Sesame Workshop Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
  • 2024 WGA-Sesame Workshop Agreement Summary

NONFICTION TELEVISION

• Jigsaw Productions — 2023-2026 Jigsaw Productions – WGAE Agreement
• Lion Television — 2022-2026 Lion Television – WGAE Agreement
• NBC News Studios — 2019-2022 NBC News Studios – WGAE Agreement
  • 2022 – 2026 NBC News Studios Memorandum of Agreement
• Sharp Entertainment — 2023 – 2026 Sharp Entertainment – WGAE Agreement
• Vox Entertainment — Vox Entertainment-WGAE Agreement, 2023-2026

PODCASTS (Fiction & Nonfiction)

• Gimlet — Gimlet Media-WGAE 2024-2027 Agreement
• iHeart — iHeart Media-WGAE 2024-2027 Agreement
• Parcast — Parcast–WGAE 2022-2025 Agreement
• The Ringer — Ringer LLC-WGAE 2021-2024 Agreement
• Pineapple Street Studios – Pineapple-WGAE 2024-2027 Agreement

Learn more about how we’re organizing the fiction podcast industry.

NEW MEDIA/SVOD

Requirements for Original New Media Projects
The WGA East requires these minimum standards for self-produced new media series/projects.

Sideletter on Literary Material Written for Programs Made for New Media (PDF)
This Side-letter confirms the understanding of the WGA and the Companies concerning the application of the MBA to literary material written for exhibition on the Internet, mobile devices or any other new media platform.

Original New Media Programs (Non-HBSVOD)
A standard freelance contract that may be used to engage writers for writing services on Original Made for New Media Programs. This contract is specifically for original new media programming that does not meet the High Budget SVOD thresholds.

Derivative New Media Programs (Non-HBSVOD)
A standard freelance contract that may be used to engage writers for writing services on Derivative Made for New Media Programs. Derivative Made for New Media Programs are new media programs based on an existing TV show or TV movie that was produced for traditional media. This contract is specifically for programming that does not meet the High Budget SVOD thresholds.

ADDITIONAL FILM/TV/STREAMING CONTRACTS

Writer’s Collaboration Agreement
An agreement between parties to collaborate on an original story, treatment, screenplay, or other work.

Informational Program Contract
A contract for when writing services are to be performed in non-broadcast films and videos used in business and government for training, education, promotion, public relations and other similar purposes.

Reacquisition of Theatrical Screenplays
If you are a writer who created an original screenplay which never got produced and you would like to set up your work at another Company, there is hope to be found in the WGA MBA. There is a provision in the WGA MBA that allows writers to buy back their unproduced, original literary material.