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While the industry is waiting for the spin-offs between the Hollywood-based writers and talent agents, many WGA members have spent the weekend gathering support for the guild's position and working on the creative process. online networks to connect writers with potential employers.
At the same time, the Association of Talent Agents is committed to strengthening its opposition to the WGA's reform of the rules governing talent agents who represent WGA members.
The ATA released its own set of "Standards for Client Representation" on Sunday, which takes up some of the proposals put forward in the WGA negotiations last week, before the end of the talks and the implementation of the new code of conduct. the Agency.
"Agencies will not be a willing participant in any other chaos. This is the guild's plan, "said ATA Executive Director Karen Stuart. "Their course of action has plunged the entire entertainment ecosystem into a pit, affecting everyone involved. As we embark on unknown territory, we must not lose sight of the fact that the WGA code is unacceptable for all agencies – from those employing two agents to those employing 2,000 people. "
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Much of the discord between the WGA and the ATA lies in the dispute over the scope of the WGA's ability to regulate agency conduct with respect to guild members. The guild claims to have a lot of power as a union that governs all employment issues for its members.
The guild asserts that agents' dependence on packing costs paid by production entities, instead of the standard 10% commission on a client's salary, distorted their interests and contributed to keep wages low for medium and low level writers. The showrunners have shared stories of agents wishing to help reduce overall writing costs for packaged shows. The WGA has also sounded the alarm bell over concerns of conflict of interest as parent companies of the larger agencies – CAA and WME – expand their internal production and distribution activities.
Leading writers were online over the weekend using the #WGAStaffingBoost hashtag on social media to raise awareness of animators and their writing needs, among their job prospects. The contract battle between the WGA and the Association of Talent Agents was wrapped up on Friday night, just as the traditional Broadcast TV recruitment season begins. Just one month away from the broadcast network, pilot orders will be placed in the coming weeks, which means that viewers will have to fill rooms for writers.
In fact, the traditional spring recruiting season is not the ultimate recruiting window it used to be for junior and mid-level screenwriters because of the explosion of original series for cable TV releases and streaming that do not respect the same schedule. development and production as a television network. Scribes contacting #WGAStaffingBoost and other hashtags shared information about animators' needs and the specialties of writers looking for work.
These digital efforts are an effort to replace the job shadowing and search functions usually handled by Hollywood agents. After the breakup of Friday's negotiations, dozens of writers posted their online agency termination letter, expressing their solidarity with the guild's position.
ATA was reluctant to see the WGA's efforts to ban the packaging of agents representing its members. After a few weeks of difficult negotiations, the ATA last week presented a proposal to share about 1% of the amount of packing fees with the guild. The guild leaders and bargaining committee convened to manage the franchise contract discussions with ATA rejected this proposal, as it was unfortunately insufficient to address their concerns.
Industry insiders will be keenly aware of the signs of disruption in the normal course of business this week, as hundreds, if not thousands, of writers end their commercial ties with talented agents. It is also highly likely that a dispute will arise between WGA and ATA.
Here is the full note sent by ATA Executive Director Karen Stuart to the members of the association:
April 14, 2019
Dear ATA members,
As you know, Friday the deadline has expired without an agreement between the WGA and the ATA.
However, our resolution has never been so strong. We are behind the full
counterproposals that we put on the table. We will continue to fight as a united front for the best
our writers, while advocating against the threat of WGA leaders for our agency
Commercial operations. In the meantime, we have provided a toolkit of documents available on our website.
website to help you manage operations during this uncertain period.
From the beginning – and through countless public meetings and briefings with client writers
– we have sought and acquired a deeper understanding of what writers want, need and expect
of their agents in this rapidly changing landscape. We listened carefully. We examined our
business model. We looked for facts and data. And we shared these facts and real data with
the guild. Whenever we sat down at the negotiating table, we arrived in good faith and came
prepared with counterproposals thoughtful, just and complete. The WGA categorically rejected our
counterproposals in a self-proclaimed "takeover" that promotes industry's chaos over reason
and compromise. Although the future is uncertain, we are ready to do so.
The ATA Board has adopted all of the Agency's standards for clients
Representation as a voluntary model allowing agencies to govern their relationship with their author
customers in the absence of an AMBA, and we encourage our members to adopt them as well. the
The Agency's customer representation standards explain how we intend to continue serving and
writers of support who decide to keep our agencies, despite the incredible pressure of the
Guild to end relationships with non-franchised agencies, that is, agencies that have refused
sign their recently implemented "code of conduct". It brings clarity and stability to the editor
customers and your agencies to the extent that it offers transparency, disclosure, guarantees and choices.
Agencies will not participate in additional chaos. This is the guild plan. Their
course of action threw the entire ecosystem of entertainment into an abyss, affecting
all stakeholders.
By embarking on unknown territory, we must not lose
given the fact that the WGA code is unacceptable to all agencies – from those that employ
two agents to those employing 2,000. The code would give the guild an unprecedented experience
level of control to dictate the functioning of your agency and how it regulates the conduct of agents
in all respects, even those going beyond the jurisdiction of the guild.
Each agency will develop its own unique contingency plan for agents and agents.
customers, ATA remains committed to serving all member agencies and is available to assist
manage this process with each member agency. The toolbox available on our website
includes our agency standards for customer representation, a frequently asked questions
document, Agency Representation Contracts to be used in California and New York, and an editor
Rider representation for your use. You will find the representation agreements and the rider in the
Section reserved for members of our website.
We will do everything in our power to mitigate the damage done by the Guild.
implement their strategy. We are ready to continue fighting for a long-term solution that
protects our customers and serves all ATA member agencies.
Regards,
Karen Stuart
Executive director
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