W RITERS T HEATRICAL S HORT -F ORM C ONTRACT
DATE : _____________
1. NAME OF PROJECT: ______________________________________________________________ (“PROJECT”)
2. NAME/ADDRESS OF COMPANY:
______________________________________________________________ (“COMPANY”)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. NAME OF WRITER: ____________________________________________________________ (“WRITER” )
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER _____________________________
4. WRITER’S REPRESENTATIVE: ___________________________________________________________
5. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT:
W-4 I-9 OTHER, IF ANY
6. COMPENSATION:
A. GUARANTEED COMPENSATION (SEE 11, BELOW): $ _____________
B. CONTINGENT COMPENSATION (SEE 11, BELOW): $ _____________
C. PROFIT PARTICIPATION: IF SOLE WRITING CREDIT, _____% OF (NET/GROSS) PROCEEDS;
REDUCIBLE FOR SHARED CREDIT TO _____% (SEE 27, BELOW)
7. SPECIFIC MATERIAL UPON WHICH SERVICES ARE TO BE BASED, IF ANY (A COPY WILL BE SENT
TO WRITER UNDER SEPARATE COVER):
8. OTHER WRITERS EMPLOYED ON SAME PROJECT OR FROM WHOM MATERIAL HAS BEEN
OPTIONED/ACQUIRED, AND DATES OF MATERIAL, IF ANY:
9. COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE AUTHORIZED TO REQUEST REVISIONS:
10. COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE TO WHOM/PLACE WHERE MATERIAL IS TO BE DELIVERED:
11. SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED, INCLUDING NUMBER OF STEPS (e.g., story and frst draft, two
rewrites and a polish) :
A. FOR STEP 1: GUARANTEED
OPTIONAL
WRITING PERIOD: _______ WEEKS
READING PERIOD: _______ WEEKS
PAYMENT DUE: $_______________
(50% DUE ON COMMENCEMENT, 50% ON DELIVERY)
B. FOR STEP 2 (IF APPLICABLE): GUARANTEED
OPTIONAL
WRITING PERIOD: _______ WEEKS
READING PERIOD: _______ WEEKS
PAYMENT DUE: $_______________
(50% DUE ON COMMENCEMENT, 50% ON DELIVERY)
C. FOR STEP 3 (IF APPLICABLE): GUARANTEED
OPTIONAL
WRITING PERIOD: _______ WEEKS
READING PERIOD: _______ WEEKS
PAYMENT DUE: $_______________
(50% DUE ON COMMENCEMENT, 50% ON DELIVERY)
D. FOR STEP 4 (IF APPLICABLE): GUARANTEED
OPTIONAL
WRITING PERIOD: _______ WEEKS
READING PERIOD: _______ WEEKS
PAYMENT DUE: $_______________
(50% DUE ON COMMENCEMENT, 50% ON DELIVERY)
E. FOR STEP 5 (IF APPLICABLE): GUARANTEED
OPTIONAL
WRITING PERIOD: _______ WEEKS
READING PERIOD: _______ WEEKS
PAYMENT DUE: $_______________
(50% DUE ON COMMENCEMENT, 50% ON DELIVERY)
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F. ADDITIONAL STEPS (IF APPLICABLE):
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
12. COMPANY SHALL PAY THE ABOVE GUARANTEED AMOUNTS DUE IF READING PERIODS PASS AND
COMPANY DOES NOT REQUEST SERVICES; HOWEVER, IF THERE HAS BEEN NO INTERVENING
WRITER(S), SERVICES SHALL BE DUE, SUBJECT TO WRITER'S PROFESSIONAL AVAILABILITY, FOR A
PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED ______ MONTHS.
13. BONUS:
A. For sole writing credit: $_____________
B. For shared writing credit: $___________
Shared credit bonus will be paid on commencement of principal photography if no other writer
has been engaged; balance to be paid on determination of writing credit.
C. For “green light” or engagement of an “element”: $___________
If Writer is writer of record or is most recent writer on the Project at the time the Project is given
a “green light” by a studio or an element is attached on a pay-or-play basis, Writer shall be
given a bonus of __________________________________ Dollars ($________ ) which may may not
be applied against the bonus in A. or B., above.
14. CREDITS AND SEPARATED RIGHTS:
P er WGA MBA.
15. EXISTING CREDIT OBLIGATIONS REGARDING ASSIGNED MATERIAL, IF ANY (SUBJECT TO WGA MBA):
16. VIEWING CUT:
Per WGA MBA: Writer shall be invited to view a cut of the flm in time sufcient such that any editing
suggestions, if accepted, could be reasonably and efectively implemented. Writer shall also be
invited to [ _____ ] other screenings.
17. PREMIERES:
If writer receives writing credit, Company shall shall not provide Writer and one (1) guest with
an invitation to the initial celebrity premiere, if held, with travel and accommodations at a level not
less than the director or producer of the project.
18. VIDEOCASSETTE:
Per WGA MBA.
19. TRANSPORTATION AND EXPENSES:
If Company requires Writer to perform services hereunder at a location more than ____ miles from
Writer's principal place of residence, which is _____________________, Writer shall be given frst class
(if available) transportation to and from such location and a weekly sum of $________ ($______ per
week in a high cost urban area).
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20. SEQUELS/REMAKES:
If separated rights,
• Theatrical sequels = 50% initial compensation and bonus; remakes = 33%.
• Series Payments: $ ______ per 1/2 hour episode; $ ____ per 1 hour episode; $ _____ per MOW
(in network primetime or on pay television, otherwise $ _____ per MOW); $ ______ per sequel
produced directly for the videocassette/videodisc market; $ ______ per product produced for
the interactive market based on the Project; _________________________ [other, e.g., theme park
attractions based on the Project].
• Spin-ofs: Generic – 1/2 of above payments
Planted – 1/4 of above payments
• If Writer is accorded sole “Written by” or “Screenplay by” credit, Writer shall have the right of
frst negotiation on all audio-visual exploitation, including, but not limited to remakes and
sequels and MOWs, mini-series and TV pilots (or frst episode if no pilot) for a period of seven
(7) years following release.
21. NOTICES:
All notices shall be sent as follows:
TO WRITER: TO COMPANY:
22. MINIMUM BASIC AGREEMENT:
The parties acknowledge that this contract is subject to all of the terms and provisions of the Basic
Agreement and to the extent that the terms and provisions of said Basic Agreement are more
advantageous to Writer than the terms hereof, the terms of said Basic Agreement shall supersede
and replace the less advantageous terms of this agreement. Writer is an employee as defned by
said Basic Agreement and Company has the right to control and direct the services to be
performed.
23. GUILD MEMBERSHIP:
To the extent that it may be lawful for the Company to require the Writer to do so, Writer agrees to
become and/or remain a member of Writers Guild of America in good standing as required by the
provisions of said Basic Agreement. If Writer fails or refuses to become or remain a member of said
Guild in good standing, as required in the preceding sentence, the Company shall have the right at
any time thereafter to terminate this agreement with the Writer.
24. RESULTS AND PROCEEDS:
Work-Made-For-Hire: Writer acknowledges that all results, product and proceeds of Writer's
services (including all original ideas in connection therewith) are being specially ordered by
Producer for use as part of a Motion Picture and shall be considered a “work made for hire” for
Producer as specially commissioned for use as a part of a motion picture in accordance with
Sections 101 and 201 of Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Act. Therefore, Producer shall be the author
and copyright owner thereof for all purposes throughout the universe without limitation of any kind
or nature. In consideration of the monies paid to Lender hereunder, Producer shall solely and
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exclusively own throughout the universe in perpetuity all rights of every kind and nature whether
now or hereafter known or created in and in connection with such results, product and proceeds, in
whatever stage of completion as may exist from time to time, including: (i) the copyright and all
rights of copyright; (ii) all neighboring rights, trademarks and any and all other ownership and
exploitation rights now or hereafter recognized in any Territory, including all rental, lending,
fxation, reproduction, broadcasting (including satellite transmission), distribution and all other
rights of communication by any and all means, media, devices, processes and technology; (iii) the
rights to adapt, rearrange, and make changes in, deletions from and additions to such results,
product and proceeds, and to use all or any part thereof in new versions, adaptations, and other
Motion Pictures including Remakes and Sequels; (iv) the right to use the title of the Work in
connection therewith or otherwise and to change such title; and (v) all rights generally known as the
“moral rights of authors.”
25. WARRANTY AND INDEMNIFICATION:
A. Subject to Article 28 of the WGA Basic Agreement, Writer hereby represents and warrants as
follows:
1. Writer is free to enter into this Agreement and no rights of any third parties are or will be
violated by Writer entering into or performing this Agreement. Writer is not subject to any
conficting obligation or any disability, and Writer has not made and shall not hereafter make
any agreement with any third party, which could interfere with the rights granted to
Company hereunder or the full performance of Writer's obligation and services hereunder.
2. All of the Work (and the Property, if any) shall be wholly original with Writer and none of the
same has been or shall be copied from or based upon any other work unless assigned in this
contract. The reproduction, exhibition, or any use thereof or any of the rights herein granted
shall not defame any person or entity nor violate any copyright or right of privacy or
publicity, or any other right of any person or entity. The warranty in this subparagraph shall
not apply to any material as furnished to Writer by Company (unless such furnished material
was written or created by Writer or originally furnished to Company by Writer) or material
inserted in the Work by Company, but shall apply to all material which Writer may add
thereto.
3. Writer is sole owner of the Property together with the title thereof and all rights granted (or
purported to be granted) to Company hereunder, and no rights in the Property have been
granted to others or impaired by Writer, except as specifed, if at all, in this Agreement. No
part of the property has been registered for copyright, published, or otherwise exploited or
agreed to be published or otherwise exploited with the knowledge or consent of Writer, or is
in the public domain. Writer does not know of any pending or threatened claim or litigation
in connection with the Property or the rights herein granted.
4. Writer shall indemnify and hold harmless Company (and its afliated companies, successors,
assigns, and the directors, ofcers, employees, agents, and representatives of the foregoing)
from any damage, loss, liability, cost, penalty, guild fee or award, or expense of any kind
(including attorney's fees (hereinafter “Liability”) arising out of, resulting from, based upon
or incurred because of a breach by Writer of any agreement, representation, or warranty
made by Writer hereunder. The party receiving notice of such claim, demand or action shall
promptly notify the other party thereof. The pendency of such claim, demand, or action
shall not release Company of its obligation to pay Writer sums due hereunder.
5
B. Company agrees to indemnify Writer and hold Writer harmless from and against any and all
damages and expenses (other than with respect to any settlement entered into without
Company's written consent) arising out of any third party claim against Writer resulting from
Company's development, production, distribution and/or exploitation of the Project.
26. NO INJUNCTIVE RELIEF:
The sole right of Writer as to any breach or alleged breach hereunder by Company shall be the
recovery of money damages, if any, and the rights herein granted by Writer shall not terminate by
reason of such breach. In no event may Writer terminate this Agreement or obtain injunctive relief
or other equitable relief with respect to any breach of Company's obligations hereunder.
27. PROFIT PARTICIPATION:
Terms to be negotiated in good faith. If the parties fail to reach agreement within [ ] months after
execution hereof, either party, upon 30 days notice to the other, may submit the matter to what is
known as a “baseball arbitration,” in which each party presents one proft proposal and the
arbitrator is required to adopt one of the two proposals. The arbitrator shall be selected and the
arbitration conducted pursuant to the Voluntary Labor Arbitration Rules of the AAA.
28. AGREEMENT OF THE PARTIES:
This document [including Attachment 1, if any] shall constitute the agreement between the parties
until modifed or amended by a subsequent writing.
BY: _________________________________________ BY: _________________________________________
[NAME OF WRITER] TITLE
CC: WGA CONTRACTS DEPARTMENT
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ATTACHMENT 1
ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS, IF ANY:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
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