| SECTION B - CONDITIONS GOVERNING ENGAGEMENT |
| ARTICLE B1 – CONDITIONS GOVERNING ENGAGEMENT FOR ALL PROGRAM TYPES |
| B101 |
Any
amount in excess of the minimum Script Fees may be paid on a schedule to be
negotiated by the Writer and Producer, but in any case shall be paid in full no
later than delivery of the last stage provided for in the original contract.
In the case of termination, any amounts in excess of the minimum Script Fees
shall be paid pro rata with the minimum Script Fees, and paid at the time of
termination.
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| B102 |
A
contract between a Writer and a Producer shall not provide for more than three
stages and a Polish to be prepared by the Writer unless the Producer and the
Writer agree on the appropriate additional fee for any additional stage.
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| B103 |
Subsequent
to the delivery of the Second Draft Script, or Optional Third Draft, the
Producer may request further revisions for which a fee shall be negotiated
between the Producer and the Writer.
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| B104 |
The
Producer shall notify the Writer in writing within twenty-one (21) calendar
days of the receipt of a Treatment, Outline or First Draft Script whether or
not the Producer wants the Writer to proceed with the next stage. Should the
Producer not notify the Writer in writing of its decision regarding a
Treatment, Outline or First Draft Script within the required twenty-one (21)
calendar days, the Producer shall be deemed to have accepted the Treatment,
Outline or First Draft Script and the Writer shall at once proceed to the next
stage.
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| B105 |
If
the Producer wants the Writer to polish the Second Draft Script, he shall
notify the Writer within twenty-one (21) calendar days of the delivery of the
Second Draft Script. Such alterations shall not involve any substantial change
in the story or structure, or the introduction of any major characters not
included in the Script. One Polish is included in the Script Fee. If the
Producer has not requested any revisions within twenty-one (21) calendar days,
he shall be deemed to have accepted the Second Draft Script.
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| B106 |
The
Producer shall pay for all stages contracted (except in the case of
termination) even if the Producer waives delivery of a stage.
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| B107 |
Where
the Writer has been contracted for more than a single stage in any contract,
the Producer may terminate such contract at the end of any stage except where
the Script has been contracted with no right of termination. In the event of
such termination, no rights shall pass to the Producer subject to B108 and
B111.
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| B108 |
Should
a Producer wish to commission:
- the writing of a
Script pursuant to C111 based on a Treatment after termination;
- the writing of a
Script pursuant to C309(b), C310(a), C409(b) or C410(a), based on a Story or
Screen Story contracted under this Agreement;
- the writing of a Script
pursuant to C310(b), C410(b), or based on an Outline after a termination; or
- the Rewrite of a Script from a Writer other than the first Writer,
subject to B110, the
original Writer and the Producer shall first negotiate the terms and conditions,
including payment, to the original Writer on which such commissioning of
another Writer or Writers may take place and a contract shall be executed
between them prior to the commissioning of another Writer.
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| B109 |
If
the Producer licenses existing Script Material at any stage, the Producer shall
pay the Writer one hundred percent (100%) of the appropriate Script Fee for all
stages up to and including the stage licensed on signing of the contract.
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| B110 |
Script Changes
- The Writer of an original Script shall be consulted in regard to all proposed
changes, modifications, additions or deletions affecting meaning, intent,
theme, characterization or plot development of the Script, and all editorial
changes of a major nature. Any such changes to which the Writer agrees shall
be made by the Writer.
- It shall not be a breach of this Article for the Producer to make minor Script
changes during the production to meet the production needs. Any change that
affects the meaning, intent, theme, characterization or plot development of a
Script or any editorial change of a major nature shall not under any
circumstances be considered “minor Script changes during the production to meet
production needs”.
- If an agreement has been entered into between a Writer and a Producer pursuant
to B108 or if a Writer’s contract has been terminated and an agreement has been
entered into pursuant to B111, B110(a) shall not apply to that Writer in
relation to changes made by a subsequently contracted Writer, unless the
original Writer’s contract provides otherwise.
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| B111 |
In
the case of a drama Series where a Bible for Series is provided to the Writer
by the Producer, the Producer may terminate a contract on delivery of any stage
contracted under C409 or C410, except where the Television Script has been
contracted with no right of termination. In the event of such termination, the
Producer may proceed with the work contracted by contracting another Writer, it
being understood that the Producer has acquired a license to use the Script
Material upon payment of the appropriate Script Fee. The Writer shall receive
the appropriate percentage of the Production Fee and Distribution Royalty
according to the credits accorded.
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| B112 |
If
the Producer claims that a Writer has been contracted to write a Television
Script based on a Story composed or created by a production executive or
employee of the Producer (other than a Story Editor), the Story and Television
Script shall be subject to a credit arbitration as provided in Article A9.
Should such a credit arbitration not award a credit to the production executive
or the employee of the Producer, the Production Fee payable to the credited
Writer(s) shall be calculated without taking into account the Script Fee paid
to such uncredited production executive or employee. In the case of a Story
Editor, the standard credit arbitration procedures shall apply.
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| B113 |
- Where a Writer originates in Script Material any Story, concept or format that
becomes the basis for or is used in any subsequent program or episode of a
Series or Serial s/he shall receive payment and credit but no share of the
Distribution Royalty or Production Fee for each such use in each program or
episode of a Series or Serial other than in a Television Script written by the
Writer.
- Where a Writer originates in Script Material any character that appears in any
program or episode of a Series or Serial subsequent to the program for which
the material was created, s/he shall receive payment for each such use in each
program or episode of a Series or Serial except:
- in a
Television Script written by the Writer;
- in a program or
episode of a Series or Serial for which the Writer is receiving a royalty
payment under B113(a).
- The payment the originating Writer shall receive for each such use under
B113(a) or B113(b) shall be subject to individual negotiation between the
Writer and the Producer and such negotiation shall take place at a time prior
to the commissioning of any Television Script from any other Writer. Payment
shall entitle the Producer to, in the case of B113(a), the exclusive license to
use the Story, concept or format, and in the case of B113(b) the exclusive
license to use the character, in any program, Series or Serial subsequent to
the program for which the material was created. The payment shall in no case
be less than:
- in
the case of B113(a), 15% of the minimum Script Fee applicable to the
originating Writer’s services and;
- in
the case of B113(b), 7.5% of the minimum Script Fee applicable to the
originating Writer’s services for each character. This minimum shall
apply only to the first two characters on any one program or episode of a
Series or Serial.
- These royalties shall not be deducted from the Production Fee or Distribution
Royalty.
- Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to Script Material for Series
contracted prior to the commencement of this Agreement, the provisions of the
agreement in effect when such Series was contracted shall apply to all episodes
in the Series in lieu of the provisions of B113(c) and (d).
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| B114 |
When
a Television Script is contemplated for use after its initial telecast as the
basis of a Series, as an alternative to Article B113, the Producer may acquire
the exclusive license to use the characters and Script Material of the original
Television Script as the basis for subsequent Series upon payment of a
negotiated fee not less than fifty percent (50%) of the Script Fee, and shall
acquire such license on payment of the negotiated amount. The Writer may also
negotiate a royalty. No payments under this Article shall be applied against
the Production Fee or Distribution Royalty of the subsequent Series.
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| B115 |
Conversion to Theatrical Use
- Should the Producer wish to acquire the rights to distribute or license the
distribution of a Television Production for theatrical use, the Producer shall
first contact the Writer(s) and pay the Writer(s) a sum calculated as follows:
- for any program more than sixty (60) minutes in
length, not less that the difference between the current minimum Script Fee for
a Feature Film stipulated in Article C101
and the then current minimum Script Fee for the program.
- for
any program sixty (60) minutes or less in length; not less than a sum
calculated as follows: one percent (1%) of the current minimum Script Fee for a
Feature Film as stipulated in Article C101 for each minute of the program as
originally contracted;
and
such payment shall be in addition to any previous payments made to the
Writer(s).
- In any contract for the conversion of such program to theatrical use, the
Producer shall remain liable for the payment of the Distribution Royalty for
the converted program as required underC11 of this Agreement.
- Should the Producer wish to contract a Writer to write a Television Script and
include in that contract the right to distribute or license the distribution of
the program for theatrical use, the Producer shall first contract for a
Television Script and subsequently contract for conversion to theatrical use
under B115. This requirement shall apply equally to any program prepared under
any co-production agreement or contract to which the Producer is in any way a
party.
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| B116 |
Excerpts
- The Writer(s) of the program in which Excerpts are inserted shall be contracted
under C409, C410, C508, C510, C608 or C706 of this Agreement and receive the
full Script Fee.
- When Excerpts comprise more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the program time,
the Writer(s) of the program which incorporates the Excerpts will receive a
share of the Production Fee and Distribution Royalty based on the number of
minutes in the program written by him/her divided by the number of minutes in
the program. The remaining Production Fee and Distribution Royalty will be
divided among the Writers of the Excerpts in the same manner.
- When Excerpts comprise twenty-five percent (25%) or less of the program time,
the Writer(s) of the program which incorporates the Excerpts will receive one
hundred percent (100%) of the Production Fee and Distribution Royalty.
- When Excerpts comprise twenty-five percent (25%) or less of the program time,
Writer(s) of the Excerpts shall receive at least $175 for each minute or
portion thereof.
- Credited Writers of Excerpts shall be listed under the credit “EXCERPTS WRITTEN
BY...”.
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