WGAW Connect: 2021 Dashboard Dashboard

Welcome to Connect.

Here you’ll find a variety of brief articles to help you navigate the industry, understand Guild priorities, and stay connected fellow writers.

Your Business Affairs Questions Answered
Who are they, what do they do, and why does it take so long?

Revised Schedule of Minimums Includes Rewrites, Polishes of Formats and Bibles
The 2020 MBA requires employers to pay minimums on these early series documents.

WGA’s 101 Greatest Screenplays of the 21st Century (*so far)
This contemporary list, as voted on by WGAW and WGAE members, honors outstanding screenwriting over the last two decades.

Screenwriters, Streamline Your Development Communication with Producers
Use the Project Page to request information and make informed decisions about pursuing job opportunities.

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NAIWC Sees Encouraging Changes in 2021
Despite bleak inclusion report stats, Native & Indigenous writers say progress is being made.

Nightmare on Our Street: Social Commentary in Modern Horror
Writers talk tackling complex issues in horror scripts at recent WGAW panel.

TV Writers Access Project Call for Submissions
Historically underrepresented writers encouraged to submit by Dec. 3 deadline.

2021 State Legislative Roundup
California lawmakers expanded access to broadband, bolstered workers’ rights, and progressed on antitrust reform.

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Screen Deal Tip: Issues Related to the Intended Market
Protect your deal from closing theatrical windows and simultaneous release on streaming.

Superheroes: Genre or Medium?
Screenwriters, series creators, and showrunners share insights on writing superhero movies and shows.

Meet Me at 3rd & Fairfax
Have you listened to WGAW’s podcast lately? Tune in to hear writers talk shop and more.

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A Message from the Sidelines: Disabled People Combat Cultural Invisibility
To coincide with National Disability Employment Awareness Month, DWC Chair David Radcliff weighs in on the state of disability inclusion in the industry.

Ask A Mentor: Next Stop Ahead
Shaun Cassidy advises writers on how to plan for their next job.

Signatory Alert
Do not work for these bad actors on the Strike/Unfair List.

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Understanding Your Feature Contracts
A screenwriter and Guild contracts counsel share their advice for getting the best deal.

I’m Writing a Native Character...Now what?
The NAIWC releases a new guide to creating authentic Native characters and Indigenous plot lines.

COLCOA Celebrates Audiences’ Return to Theaters
RSVP to attend in-person red carpet premieres and screenings at the world’s largest festival dedicated to French cinema and TV.

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Latinx Writers Committee Offers Hope Despite Barriers
Connect sits down with LWC leaders to mark Latinx Heritage Month.

WGA Platform Introduces “Direct Links”
The new feature makes sharing your profile a breeze.

VIDEO: Charles Murray and Malcolm Spellman in Conversations in Genre

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The WGA, As Seen on TV And in Film
In onscreen depictions of the Guild, members show its powerful role.

The Labor Beat
Four current labor fights every Guild member should know about.

Good Cop, Bad Cop: Rewriting Standard Operating Procedurals
Writers of crime dramas address race inequality in the criminal justice system—and on the screen—at recent panel.

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Media Consolidation Hurts Writers — It's Time for That to Change

Young and Hungry: YA & Genre
Writers explore how YA shows use genre to tell their stories.

Signatory Alert
Do not work for these bad actors on the Strike/Unfair List.

Westerns as a Genre of the 21st Century
Writers discuss how they’re updating the genre and doing right by historically misrepresented characters.

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Ask a Mentor: Asking for Direction
Nicole Riegel shares her thoughts on finding the right director for a greenlit project, looking at both sides of the relationship.

Update from The PAC: Virtual Meetup with Senator Patty Murray
The WGAW PAC welcomes the labor rights champion from Washington state.

Craft Corner: Emmy-Nominated Writers
Connect rounds up past Craft stories and 3rd & Fairfax podcast episodes featuring some of this year’s Emmy-nominated members.

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Ask a Mentor: How to Prep for an OWA
Tripper Clancy shares the crucial steps you should take before pitching for an OWA.

Pitch It or Ditch It?
Screenwriter captains identify warning signs that an OWA may be a dead end.

OWAs: How to Pitch Open Writing Assignments to Get Hired
Writers and development execs share tips on pitching for OWAs at virtual panel.

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Writing Samples: Feature, Pilot, Spec?
Anne Kenney speaks to the importance of using original works as writing samples, no matter the type.

DIY: Creating Your Personal Archive
Writers Guild Foundation Archivist Hilary Swett shows you how to take inventory of, organize, and preserve your written work.

Free COBRA Coverage Under American Rescue Plan
Didn’t meet your earnings requirement for health coverage? See if you are eligible for this limited benefit.

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Take Pride
In honor of Pride Month, out writers share their thoughts on the state of the industry, the importance of allies, and why the concept of “Pride” is still relevant in 2021.

Today in Guild History: NLRB Okays Screenwriters to Unionize
Decided on June 4, 1938, the case established the right of screenwriters to unionize and created the framework for collective bargaining that exists today.

Ask a Mentor: Cultivating Opportunity
Wendy Calhoun describes how to nurture and grow your network so it continues to bear fruit.

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Call of Duty
WGAW members mentor military vets as part of WGF’s Veterans Writing Project.

Ask a Mentor: Getting What You Want
The Goldbergs’ Peter Dirksen outlines what writers can do to create a strong working relationship with their agent.

WGA Coverage for Animation Deals
Negotiate for the protections and benefits that come with a WGA contract.

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The Number Two in the Room
Upper-level writers discuss tips for thriving as a showrunner’s second-in-command.

Fighting Back
Christina M. Kim and Robert Berens take on issues of inclusion, representation, and racism in the reboot of Kung Fu.

New MBA Improvements In Effect
May 2, 2021 marked the beginning of the second year of the MBA, and with that comes some key rate increases and improvements writers should be aware of.

‘Unseen Latinas’ Sets Sights on Hollywood
Showrunner Tanya Saracho and writer Judalina Neira present powerful testimony to the California State Legislature as they examine systemic barriers Latinas face in Hollywood.

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ICYMI: TV Weekly Pay Calculator
TV writer-producers, use this tool to negotiate better deal terms.

Based on a True Story
In a discussion of non-fiction adaptations, screenwriters weigh fidelity to the facts against creative license.

Ask a Mentor: Transitioning From TV to Feature Writing
Oscar nominee and former TV staffer Virgil Williams has advice for TV writers who want to cross over.

Connect Wants to Hear from You

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Searching for Power in Numbers
In honor of Women’s History Month, a look at the early days of the WGAW Women’s Committee.

Ask a Mentor: Your Second Act
Showrunner Oliver Goldstick encourages TV writers to focus on three things when looking for work after their first staffing job.

2021 Writers Guild Awards Puts the Union in Unity
The 73rd annual awards ceremony was the first ever of its kind.

Eight Screenwriters Tell Us Which Movies Inspired Them to Write Their Own
Publicity & Marketing Committee teams up with Los Angeles Magazine to tell their stories.

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Series Writers, Beware of These Company Practices
The Guild is ready to assist you.

2021 Writers Guild Awards
Tune in to the first-ever streamed show.

Ask a Mentor: The Youth Movement
Linda Mathious answers a member’s question about writing in a different genre.

WATCH: PR 101 Virtual Panel
Build your brand with advice from social media-savvy writers and publicity experts.

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Black Writers Who Inspire Us
Members of the CBW honor fellow Black writers who made an impact.

Black History Month: Remembering Daryl G. Nickens
Nickens left an indelible mark on his fellow writers through a prolific body of work and a lifetime of community service.

Writing Teams: This Rule Could Impact Your Health Coverage
Learn about the Health Fund’s Excess Earnings Extension for teams.

Ask a Mentor: Navigating the Sea Change
Feature writer Cory Goodman answers a question about working during the pandemic and shares words of wisdom about keeping focused when the world intrudes.

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Today in Guild History: The End of the 07-08 Strike
Writers gained coverage of “new media” and a foothold in today’s massive streaming market.

The Gay World of Feature Writing
Screenwriters John August, Alan Ball, Clea DuVall, and Alice Wu talk career, the challenges of getting LGBTQ+ films made, and more.

#WriteInclusion Panel Series Addresses Accurate Representation and Authentic Storytelling
In commemoration of Black History month, the Feb. 17 kickoff event spotlights Black writers.

Powerful New Tool For Screenwriters
WGA Platform Launches Feature Development Tracker

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The Essentials
The writers of NBC’s Superstore proved uniquely equipped to take on the stark realities of being a retail worker during COVID-19, while still managing to find some much-needed laughs.

Signatory Alert
Do not work for these bad actors on the Strike/Unfair list.

COVID Concerns?
Get answers and assistance from the Guild on workplace safety and your contractual and employment rights.

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Spotlight On: Find A Writer
Are you sure your representation information is up to date?

High-Budget SVOD Residuals: How Do They Work?
Domestic subscriber tiers, program length, and exhibition year determine amounts.

Where Are We Now?
Psychotherapist Dennis Palumbo gives an update on how writers are adapting after 10 months of staying safer-at-home.

Written By Web Extra: Her Dark Materials
With her feature premiere Promising Young Woman, Emerald Fennell creates a funny, horrifying world unto itself. Only in the latest Written By Web Extra.

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Ask A Mentor: Cracking the Code
Aaron Rahsaan Thomas gives advice to a fellow Black writer on code switching.

Looking Ahead to the Biden-Harris Administration
The opportunities and challenges to come.

Get Started with the Start Button
Help the Guild help you get paid on time with this simple and effective online tool.

WGAW Genre Committee Hosts Creators Damon Lindelof and Ronald D. Moore
The Dec. 8 event was the first in the series “Conversations in Genre.”

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