Screenwriting : How can I get a WGA membership? by Wardan Tiple

Windows Genuine Advantage?

there are too many people who love acronyms, in truth sometimes I find it difficult to look like a Windows Genuine Advantage? Doesn´t it?

Wardaan, I believe you're referring to the WritersGuildofAmericaWest.org. Their website should answer most of your questions. Best wishes as you pursue membership.

You can't simply apply, it's not like a club. You need to work for a company that is a Guild signatory.

Extract from the WGA site - "If your employer is a signatory to a Guild contract, and your field of work falls within that contract’s jurisdiction, then you are eligible to become a member of the Writers Guild."

You cannot join the WGA. It is granted to you (compulsory membership) if you have been or are contracted to by a WGA signatory company (studio or production company).

Once you are a member you are excluded from doing Non-Union work.

Each country got it's own registration for the scripts. SWA is enough for Indians making films in India. You can surely register with WGA or best would be Library of Congress US copyright. But WGA or LoC doesn't work for Indians making films in India.

Reason is simple like Craig D Griffiths said, only if you have some association with an US production houses who liked your script, or you want to sell to some Hollywood or US entertainment production unit who are investing in your script, or like someone from US wants to read through your script for any script assistance work, than sure you are told or required to register in US based WGA or Library of Congress or many such private Law firms who deal with these.

Few of my American novelist, screenwriter friends asked me to register my scripts in LoC since they were telling me to approach US production houses to fund if competing for scriptwriting or filmmaking so that they can better associate with me, but it's risky too and quite expensive.

LoC will charge me around $150 + depending on many collaterals in later stages too. Average is around $90 online submission. For WGA it's around $20 to $50+ so it's kind of not for me at this moment. But if you wish you can check it out on their websites https://www.wga.org/ or best my recommendation would be http://www.copyright.gov/

Rohit, I believe Wardaan was enquiring about joining WGA rather than registering a script. Also, you might want to verify those LoC rates or the process you follow. If you're talking US dollars then $150+ to register or even $90 on average is absolutely not true

Pierre Langenegger When Indians talk about membership of an association they have a long term goal in mind, an idea of benefits they get. So what benefits he is probably looking for? Script registration in itself. It's a simple context to understand. Now the Library of Congress office recommended a new fee change for electronic submissions to record documents say $95 around. So overall with additional any further expenses will be easily around $100+ itself which I pointed it as collateral . You can check it out https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-02-19/pdf/2020-03268.pdf

For WGAW, Current membership: initiation fee is $2,500 and for Associate membership he or she has had writing employment and/or sales within the Guild's jurisdiction and with a "signatory" company but has acquired less than 24 units in the three years preceding application. Upon final qualification, Associate membership is available for a total of three years at a cost of $100 per year. Link: https://www.wga.org/the-guild/going-guild/join-the-guild

So do you really think Wardaan is looking for that like $2500 or $100 sort of membership he is going for? or just wanted to have his script registered to connect with fellow Filmmakers or writers from US for any collaboration. Think of it yourself. For $2500 membership he can do 2 low budget short film itself.I often have data or forethought before saying something.

Rohit Kumar I think you are assuming what he wants. You may see script registration. But he may see calls for scripts that state “WGA Writers only”, which happens as well as the opposite “NON WGA Writers only”. I don’t assume anything. I do not register with the WGAW or LOC on congress and have no problem selling to companies. Protection is only needed if you are dealing with people you need protection from.

Craig D Griffiths just now how you assumed trying to defend one other's argument. Sometimes I think it's just obvious/logical to understand what one is expecting. Like if someone in India asks, how to go to Yosemite Park in USA sitting on his bike, we ask are you going by bike or what's your mode of transport and all that. So it's just logical pre-calculation I did to help him better. If I was wrong to read that, let Wardaan speak for himself rather than trying too hard scratching one other's back to feel good about nothing.

My view is simple, an Indian guy from India who is on Stage32 looking for "How to get membership WGA" , either wouldn't be aware of WGA or even LoC so only he is here. Or else a simple google search would gave him results. LOC in such case would be more legally useful for him than WGA which I think neither of you mentioned it. So I mentioned something which helps him to dig in, to know which one better legally helpful him.

Even commercial Indian filmmaker's profiles are hardly are in Stage32 as I haven't seen many . And even if there are, they know how to get their executives in collaboration with different studios across world dealing internally related to script registrations, etc. Reason I'm pointing is, someone looking for Guild membership or paying high for such have a thought of use of being part of association, meethings so on which also involves traveling . Do you think most new film makers from India or anywhere acorss will be doing all that somersaults to get registration for associations? To me it's a common sense.

Associations like SWA in India or similar across every country works slightly different than WGA. So anyone coming from any other country obviously will have their own views, expectations and a pattern of how things works unaware of the new system. That's what I was pointing at.

"Protection is only needed if you are dealing with people you need protection from?? This doesn't make any point, it's diversion from post.. .

Rohit Kumar Okay

If I recently saw a course with a 10% discount that costs what in my country is 11, 897 pesos, or 599 dollars, the teacher dedicates time to you and makes an effort so that you understand it and get the job wow for the industry, yes later You become famous, you get your investment back four times, but only if you get the producers to say yes !!!!! let's go with you, I must think about those details.

Sell a screenplay to a WGA signatory Production Company.

here is the link with the rules for joining break a leg - https://www.wga.org/the-guild/going-guild/join-the-guild

Thank you so much for your enlightening comments Rohit, Kacee, William, Craig, Pierre and Erik. At present, WGA seems a far away dream. I will be happy with SWA.

And Ariadne, please don't spam!