Over the past month, the WGA has rolled out several new tools to help members better represent themselves without agents, including the Staffing Submission System, the WGA Weekly Feature Memo, and the Find A Writer directory.
For screenwriters working on assignment – and TV writers working on pilots – an existing WGAW tool can be especially helpful in confronting the twin problems of free work and late pay.
The Start Button is a simple way to record when you begin working on a draft and when you hand it in. It helps the Guild protect writers from abusive requests for unpaid rewrites and delayed checks.
I made a little video to walk writers through how the Start Button works, and why members should make it standard practice when beginning an assignment.
Like all WGA tools, the Start Button is designed to help members take more control over their work and career. In this period when most members don’t have agents, writers need to advocate for themselves and others. The Guild is there to back you up.
(Music by Matthew Chilelli, of course.)