WGAw screenwriter survey
WGAw screenwriters should have received an email yesterday about an online survey the Guild is conducting. Please find the email — it might get stuck in your spam filter — and click the link.1
The survey takes five minutes, and will help set priorities for the Guild.
I was one of the beta testers for the survey, helping revise some of the questions about economic conditions and industry practices. It’s your choice whether to include your name or do it anonymously, but please participate. It’s important to let the Guild get a sense of what’s changing for screenwriters.
Generally, it’s much easier to get feedback from television writers — you can visit a show’s writers’ room and ask. Since screenwriters tend to work alone, each writer might think her situation is unique, when it’s actually become common.
This survey will help put numbers to hunches.
- Each email has a unique link to the survey, to ensure that the participants really are WGAw members. ↩
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November 6th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Small point of order: if each link is unique, doesn’t that invalidate the option to be anonymous? Or is it sort of assumed that, although they know who you are when you click the link, they won’t store that when they save the rest of your survey data?
November 7th, 2009 at 8:19 am
I wanted to know. Since I`m a writer outside of the us, is it possible to get WGA memberships? -(Is it in a previous post somewhere?) Screenwriting is also very different here, and rooted differntly because my culture is more Russian rooted. Writing is represented at the state schools. Any one of you guys have any cool thoughts on that?
November 7th, 2009 at 8:21 am
sorry. writing is NOT represented at my state schools. And that`s a major problem.
November 7th, 2009 at 9:41 am
The link did not work for me. It got me to survey monkey but the survey wouldn’t take any of my input. So I copied the address and switched browsers. Does this mean my survey won’t be counted?
November 7th, 2009 at 11:16 am
I’m a member of the UK Writers Guild, which is supposed to bring associate membership of the WGA, but we never seem to get included on those mailouts :)
November 8th, 2009 at 8:49 am
bjoern if you sell a feature script or have the required amount of TV writing credits for a WGA signature company (i.e. a major Hollywood studio), you will be able to join the guild.
There are writers who live outside America but work in Hollywood. They’re in the WGA.
November 8th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
So the best path for me would be like writing a Heroes or Carnivale episode, and give them for free. Or should I write my movie and get an agent. Like normal people do. How much time should I spend writing one project if I want to become this premium writer?
November 8th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
@Earl Newton:
I thought of that, too. You’re essentially going on faith that the URL-generation mechanism is simply kicking out unique URLs without keeping track of which one corresponds with which email address.
I’m curious if readers can propose a system that further guarantees both anonymity and membership.
@Bjeorn, Dave Morris:
The point of the survey is very specifically how things have changed for feature screenwriters working for the major studios. Even within the WGA, it’s a narrow target sample.
November 8th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
John, I never got the email. Is there someone to email to get the link? As a newer member, I really want to partake. Thanks.
November 8th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
RE: -I’m curious if readers can propose a system that further guarantees both anonymity and membership.
-a locked forum online could arrange locked polls inside the page. There are existing programs for this. Several. And two people could handle the count so no one is cheating?
Thank you for answering my question.
November 9th, 2009 at 2:35 am
Mr. August,
Is there a way non-WGA members could at least see what kind of questions you’re asking, so other screenwriters around the world (which surely have worse conditions) can get to know what worries you guys?
Thanks!
November 9th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
bjoern, no to your question in post #7. You have to be paid for your work.
You can read the WGA’s website for information on what their rules are for membership.
Also check out the archives on this site for excellent information on screenwriting, getting an agent/manager and basic information on how things work in Hollywood.
Good luck.
November 9th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
*Thanks. I`m getting as much info as I possibly can. Downloaded pilot episodes. Not exactly the easiest stuff in the world. Michaelangelo here i go :=) Thanks N-Y-C,) for the great advice and links.
November 11th, 2009 at 1:41 am
I am also a WGAw member/feature writer in good standing who did not get the email.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Like M and Jen, I’m a WGA member in good standing and never received the survey. I called the WGA this week, but nobody seemed to know what I was talking about. Can you tell me which department was handling it? Thanks, and many thanks for the great blog.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Checked with Sarah Singer, who is running the survey. If you’re a WGA screenwriter who didn’t get emailed a link to the survey, you can contact her at:
memberservices@wga.org
November 13th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Thank you for taking the time to track that down. Much appreciated.
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:06 am
I just wanted to add some value, for a change. Since Hollywood is rushing out features, something is gotta happen. Take the weather man for example with niclas cage. Awesome movie. If it had been better titled, like “it
s the weather. Man." or labeled psychological. Then Id go see it in the theatre. Like it was right now, i watched it for the first time on TV last night or something. Just saying that movie lost atleast my ticket on the road collecting money. And the nines didn`t even hit the theatre.