Why Does the WGC have Digital Guidelines?

The WGC’s Digital Guidelines are meant to act as a roadmap for screenwriters and their agents who are negotiating an engagement contract, regardless of experience. 

The WGC has published updated guidelines for digital productions – such forms as mobisodes, webisodes, interactive dramas, narrative computer or video games and more. The world of digital production has become more complex and the term “Digital Production” can mean many things – since writers and agents have asked for some assistance in determining the appropriate fees, and there are no minimum fees enshrined in the IPA, the WGC Digital Guidelines serve as the Guild’s recommendations for individual negotiations.

It’s important to remember that WGC members must have IPA contracts for their digital writing work, and may only sign with producers who adhere to the IPA, just as they do for any other writing for the screen.  Producers need not be members of the CMPA to choose to adhere to the IPA, and can do so as individuals or as single-purpose production companies.

“Signatory” means producers/production companies that have signed a letter stating their commitment to adhere to the obligations set down in the WGC’s IPA.

What Sorts of Digital Projects Is the WGC Interested In?

The WGC represents writers of audio-visual productions – that is, writers who write scripts which are intended to be performed, or are used to form a narrative with existing footage, such as for a documentary.

A script is defined as a fully-written work for a production in screen terms, embodying individual scenes, full dialogue and/or monologue, Narration (if required), and any other descriptions or details necessary to facilitate production. Such scripts can be for a variety of age ranges, markets, in every genre, and also encompass but are not limited to documentaries, dramas, films, television movies, television series and one-offs, and variety shows.

The types of digital projects that the WGC supports can be split into two categories:

Original and Experimental

Web series and webisodes (live action, puppets, animation, etc.)

Scripted vlogs

Films (long form, short, or serialized)

Scripted video or flash games

Scripted video or flash comics

… or anything similar.

Convergent (Value-Added Content)

Any of the above that is based on a pre-existing broadcast property.
For example: The Being Erica vlogs; Crash & Burn’s game; My Life Me interactive

Things the WGC Doesn't Cover

The WGC only covers screenwriting (i.e. creating an audio-visual script with the intent of being performed; includes such elements as characters, dialogue, worldbuilding, plot, narrative, etc.)

The WGC does not cover:

Tweets (in character or not)

Unscripted podcasts/recorded conversations/radio plays (either online or not)

Blog entries  (in character or not)

Social networking  (in character or not)

Other forms of text written in character: comics, tie-in novels, stories set in the world of the project, or any other form of prose that is just 'words-on-a-screen'.

Commercials (however, we do cover brand-sponsored series)

However, if a digital project covers many kinds of content, please talk to us about how to contract for this work if you are unsure. We are here to help!