Cover Pages on Literary Material Dashboard Dashboard

It is important that the cover pages on all literary material comply with the provisions of the MBA. The provision covering names on literary material is Article 37 of the MBA, which provides in relevant part as follows:

Upon commencement of pre-production, Company shall place the name of the initial writer on literary material written hereunder, following which the word “revisions” shall precede the names of all subsequent writers.

A sample of the proper form for cover pages is below.

Correct format for the cover pages on literary material alleviates disputes over material during the arbitration process. As set forth above, Guild rules require that until the final determination of credits, the cover page of each piece of material must include the name of the first writer on the project followed by the word "revisions" and then the names of all subsequent writers. The contributions of a subsequent writer are indicated by putting the words "current revisions by" followed by the writer’s name and the date the material is submitted to the Company.

It is crucial that the cover page of each piece of literary material accurately reflects 1) the prior writers on the project and 2) the writer who is responsible for the changes in that specific document (i.e., “current revisions by”), regardless of how insignificant the changes are. Accordingly, do not remove the names of earlier writers, even if you believe that not one word of their material remains in the current draft.

Remember: The cover page is NOT a statement of authorship of the project or an assessment of writing credit, but is a means of tracking who the writers on a project are and which writer is responsible for the changes in each draft, no matter how extensive or how minor. The final credits will be determined by the Guild at the end of production.