TORONTO – Led by the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC), the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG) is publicly backing the Writers Guild of America (WGA) in its current fight to end U.S. talent agencies’ practices of project packaging and affiliate production.
According to a statement Thursday, the WGA is seeking to institute a new Agency Code of Conduct that it says will “restore fairness and transparency to the process of making film and television for its members”. Ratified by 95.3% of WGA members, the Code stipulates that any agencies wishing to represent WGA writers must not participate in packaging and affiliate production.
The WGA’s current agreement with the Association of Talent Agents is set to expire on April 7.
The IAWG, which represents some 50,000 film and TV writers internationally, pledged to educate its members on the underlying issues of the dispute, the adoption of an Agency Code of Conduct, and the list of non-signatory agents, adding that it will encourage its dual members to ensure that their agents sign on to and adhere to the WGA’s new code.
“After our parents, a writer’s first, best advocate should be their agent,” said WGC president Dennis Heaton, in the statement. “When this relationship becomes dysfunctional, no one wins. The WGC joins our sister guilds in the IAWG to support the WGA’s efforts to repair this relationship.”
