Writers Guild Negotiates Package Fee-Free Deal With ATA

Kaplan Stahler Agency on Monday grew to become the primary expertise company that may be a member of the Association of Talent Agents (ATA) to interrupt ranks and negotiate a take care of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) that can see the company put an finish to packaging charges.

According to the 2 sides’ settlement, which was modified from the WGA’s code of conduct it requested businesses to sign up April, Kaplan Stahler brokers will not have the proper to barter package deal charges efficient June 28, 2020.

“Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to prohibit Agent’s negotiation of the right to receive a fee based on package representation in lieu of a percentage commission based on client compensation,” the settlement reads. “During that period, where Writer is the sole initiating element of the package, Writer shall have the right to choose if the project can be packaged by Agent. In all other circumstances, Agent shall disclose to Writer its intent to seek a packaging fee and the financial terms thereof, and Writer shall be given the choice of whether to be part of the package.”

Also Read: WGA Success: How #WGAStaffingBoost Could Change How Writers Do Business

Last month, the WGA and Abrams Artists Agency failed to come back to phrases on a deal, although the company provided to drop packaging charges. And in May, Verve grew to become probably the most distinguished literary company to signal an amended model of the WGA’s code of conduct. That settlement additionally put an finish to packaging charges.

Verve, nevertheless, isn’t a member of the ATA, the affiliation that has been representing Hollywood expertise businesses of their negotiations with the WGA.

The two sides have been publicly squabbling for months, with the WGA demanding that businesses abandon packaging charges — these  collected when businesses bundle expertise and current them as a package deal to a studio or community for movie or TV initiatives.

The WGA has been criticized by the ATA for exhibiting little interest in negotiating in good religion. The guild’s settlement with Kaplan Stahler, which makes just a few adjustments to the unique code of conduct, goes a great distance in exhibiting the guilds intention.

Also Read: Why Verve Gave Up Packaging Fees – While Bigger Hollywood Agencies Will Fight to Keep Them

“Our goal remains to move the negotiation process forward with all unsigned agencies,” the WGA negotiating committee wrote in an e mail to members Monday. “One modification the Guild agreed to addresses issues that Kaplan Stahler raised about assembly their fiduciary responsibility to observe a person consumer’s directives on disclosure of economic data. In at the moment’s settlement, the company might be required to offer writers’ contracts, invoices and deal memos to the Guild except a author information a written objection.

“The company will ship any such written objection to the WGA, in addition to notify the WGA every time it finalizes a contract, deal memo, or bill for that author consumer,” the e-mail continued. “The WGA would then have sufficient information to enforce Working Rule 3, which says members are required to file their contracts with the Guild within one week of receiving them. Other changes negotiated with Kaplan Stahler include a five-year term instead of a three-year term and two additional named arbitrators.”