WGA rejects credit rules change

The Writers Guild of America rejected a proposed change in credits rules that opponents believed would have watered down the clout of first writers on projects by making it easier for producers and directors who also write to claim credit, thus collecting pay that is tied directly to screen credit.

Some members also felt the proposal would have enabled big-name rewriters brought in after a lesser-known original writer turns in a script to earn credit by simply doing minimal polishing. Credits determine, among other things, the amount of bonuses and residuals.

Guild members rejected the proposal, 1,238 to 946.

This was the fourth and final item in a list of proposals that members voted on.

The other three put screenwriters in line with television writers on maintaining anonymity of writers during the arbitration of credit disputes, tightening credit rules that govern reworking source material and basing the order of writers names in credits on the chronological order of their participation when agreement cannot otherwise be reached.