The WGC Showrunner Code
The Showrunner model of production is proving - nationally and internationally - the most reliable route to a quality TV show. The WGC invited more than 30 member showrunners to share their experiences of and insights into the craft and business behind the role of showrunner. The WGC Showrunner Code comes from our members to our members. The WGC Showrunner Code describes the nature of the showrunner role, sets out the conditions under which the showrunner is best positioned for success, and establishes guidelines for individual negotiations. The WGC also gave screenwriter agents the opportunity to feed into the Code, and it is being distributed to Canadian agents to use as a template for negotiations. Please read and download the WGC Showrunner Code here.
WGC Screenwriting Awards Finalists
The WGC Screenwriting Awards honours excellence in screenwriting and will celebrate the winning words of 2009 on April 19 at the 14th Annual WGC Screenwriting Awards held in Toronto. This year, more than 148 scripts vied for the judges’ attentions. The entries have been narrowed to 43 finalist scripts across 11 categories, including screenwriting for feature film, episodic half-hour and one-hour, documentary film and more. In all, 76 screenwriters are up for awards. Hosting the WGC Screenwriting Awards this year is the always-hilarious, Canadian Comedy Award-winning Debra DiGiovanni. The Awards will be written by Canadian Comedy Award-winning writers Steven and Daniel Shehori in collaboration with Ms. DiGiovanni.
And the Finalists are…right here
WGC seeks Research/Organizer
The WGC is looking for a skilled and energetic person to do research and organizing activities in the areas of digital media and animation, relating to organizing members of the writing community, strengthening the community of writers, and growing the Guild membership. For more on this opportunity, please see the full job posting here.
Panel - Creating Success: Feature Film Writing in Montreal
The past year has seen the work of several Montreal feature writers achieve strong success, from international acclaim and distribution deals to festival awards. Steve Galluccio (Mambo Italiano), Mark A. Krupa (The Wild Hunt), Doug Taylor (Splice) and Jacob Tierney (The Trotsky) will talk about the realities of being a feature writer living in Quebec and Canada. They will discuss craft, financing, festivals, distribution and their favourite films.
Friday, March 26, 2010, from 6:30 to 8:30pm in room 232 of the Leacock Building at McGill University. Click here for more information.
Digital Mash-up Meeting - Toronto, March 25 - Free to WGC Members
Join members of DATA, WGC, and WIFT-T for a discussion on the challenges and successes of cross-platform production, as a broadcaster and a digital producer share their insight and experience. Participants will learn what it’s like to fund, develop, and platform digital projects. The evening concludes with an informal networking reception. Digital MashUP – Thursday, March 25th (6:00 pm to 9:00 pm). For more information, visit here. Contact Elaine Mannila to register e.mannila@wgc.ca
Story Editing Summits and Fees
The new IPA defines story editing as including participation in group sessions often called “story summits” or “pitch summits”, which occur in both live action and animation. As such, the rate of pay for the work is negotiable, and fringes are required to be paid on the agreed sum. After discussion with industry agents, it was agreed that a fair rate for an individual attending these group story-editing summits should be no less than $300 for a minimum of four hours (up to eight hours) in a day. As you negotiate the terms of these story-editing meetings, please work with your agent to get this rate or better.
Travel and per diem allowances as in Article C1201 also apply to Story Editors, and therefore should be applied to these engagements as well.
CHRC professional cultural workers' survey
For professional artists, cultural workers and employers! The Cultural Human Resources Council has engaged the Conference Board of Canada to undertake a survey to examine the HR issues faced by the cultural sector in Canada. All responses to the survey are important and greatly appreciated. Survey respondents will have the option of being notified when the report is available for download from the Cultural Human Resources Council's website. The survey can be accessed at: www.conferenceboard.ca/culturesurvey.aspx
iLunch Series - The Future of Screen Series
The WGC is a media sponsor for Interactive Ontario's lunch series The Future of Screen, held at the Gladstone Hotel. The series features case studies and panel discussions examining successful business practices and strategies in the digital media industry. WGC members receive a discounted registration. For more information, please visit here.
Call For Nominations - WGC Showrunner Award
Our jury is looking for a showrunner who has a big vision and a body of work that expresses it. Help us celebrate our country’s best showrunners by submitting a nomination.See details here.
New IPA 2010-2011 Rates
Members of the Writers Guild of Canada voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new agreement with the Canadian producers associations (CFTPA & APFTQ). The WGC’s Independent Production Agreement (IPA), which governs English-language screenwriting in Canada, was set to expire on December 31, 2009. The new collective agreement will take effect January 1, 2010, and set the terms of engagement until December 31, 2011. The new agreement includes a 2% increase across the board to the minimum script fee in each of the two years of the agreement. For an explanation of the new rates effective January 1, 2010, please click here. If you have any questions please contact Laurie Channer
Membership Incentive Offered
The WGC is offering time-limited offers on membership to qualifying animation, feature-film and documentary writers. Get more information.
Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund industry consultation process is now complete. During the CMF focus groups, the WGC advocated for Canadian programs written by Canadians and made for Canadians first. The Writers Guild of Canada's submission can be read here.
Canadian screenwriters attended the sessions across the country and made thie positions known, and the WGC appreciates that engagement and activism. Thank you for speaking out, and reminding the CMF about the central place of Canadian screenwriters in the Canadian television industry.
As the guidelines take shape over the coming months, the WGC will continue to work with the CMF to ensure a positive outcome for Canadian screenwriters and Canadian audiences.
Canadian Programming Can Pay its Way
WGC, ACTRA, DGC and CFTPA release Nordicity analysis that shows Canadian broadcasters can make a profit from Canadian programming. Broadcasters say they spend big on U.S. drama (almost half a billion dollars last year) as a way to pay for making Canadian. Nordicity analysis reveals broadcasters shouldn't be using Canadian drama as an excuse for shopping sprees in the U.S. Read study here.
