Industrial Advice

The Australian Writers’ Guild provides our members with extensive industrial support

HomeIndustrial Advice

We work with members to ensure that performance writers get the pay and conditions they deserve.

The AWG gives writers an active political voice by lobbying for the improved status of writers, for industry development and for the protection of writers’ creative rights.

On behalf of our members we establish recommended minimum rates and conditions for writers and provide model contracts for series and serials, children’s television, theatre and feature film (see below for the full list).

We provide our members with free industrial advice related to their professional work, including advice with individual contracts and credit arbitration. This advice is unlimited for full members and limited to 6 hours per year for associate members. Please note it does not include services of legal representation.

For further information please contact one of our Industrial Officers on 02 9319 0339 or industrial@awg.com.au

Industrial contracts and rates available to members

To access the below industrial contracts, rates and industrial resources, current AWG members can log in to the member portal here. If you are not a current AWG member, you can join or renew your membership here.

To access the below contracts, rates and resources, please ensure your AWG membership is up to date and log in to the member portal.

Industrial Contracts

Negotiated Agreements

These agreements have been negotiated by the AWG with other organisations. The agreements covering television writing have been negotiated with Screen Producers Australia (SPA). The Theatre Industry Agreement was negotiated with the Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG).

Theatre Industry Agreement 2016
Children’s Television Agreement (CTA) 2011 & Writers Contract with 2025 Rates
Miniseries and Telemovies Agreement (MATA) 2010 with 2025 Rates
Miniseries and Telemovies Agreement (MATA) Writers Contract 2010 with 2025 Rates
Series and Serials Agreement (SASA) 2008 with 2025 Rates
Series and Serials Agreement (SASA) Writers Contract 2 January 2008 with 2025 rates

Recommended Agreements

The AWG recommended agreements provide writers with favourable terms which are a good starting point for negotiations with producers.

Brainstorming Agreement
Corporate Commercial Contract
Corporate Non-Commercial Contract
Executive Producer (Series Creator and Showrunner) Agreement
Feature Film Agreement
Feature Film Option Agreement – Including Assignment Deed
Script Editor Agreement
Short Film Writers’ Contract
Short Form Option Agreement Adaptation
TV/VOD (Original Concept) Option and Assignment Agreement

Miscellaneous Agreements

AWG Rights Assignment Letter
Confidentiality Agreement
Co-writers Agreement

Rates

These are standard minimum rates the AWG has negotiated over many years, and are accepted as an industrial standard. They are the minimum rates that an Australian writer ought to receive and should by no means prevent you from negotiating a higher fee.

Casual Writing and Research Minimum Rates 2025
Children’s Television Agreement Rates 2025
Corporate DVD Minimum Rates 2025
Documentary Rates 2025
Feature Film Minimum Rates 2025
Freelance Narrative Designer – Games and Interactive 2025
Freelance Script Editors and Assessors 2025
Low Budget and Short Film Rates 2025
Miniseries and Telemovies Agreement (MATA) Rates 2025
Series and Serials Agreement (SASA) Rates 2025
Script Department Rates 2025 (Showrunner, Script Producer, Script Editor, Script Coordinator, Storyliner, Note-taker)
Theatre Industry Agreement Minimum Rates 2025

Members Only Industrial Resources

Screen Credits Manual
Moral Rights Accord
AI Position Paper

Copyright Information

Copyright law creates incentives for people to invest their time, talent and other resources in creating new material – particularly cultural and educational material, which benefits society.

In Australia, copyright law is set out in the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). This is federal legislation, and applies throughout Australia.

Although the Act dates from 1968, it sets out how copyright applies for material created both before and after that date. It has been regularly amended since 1968, to bring it up to date with evolving technologies and concerns. In addition to dealing with copyright rights, the Act also deals with performers’ rights and the “moral rights” of individual creators.

Copyright raises a number of questions for writers and we have answered some of common ones below, however, more useful information may be available in this booklet issued by the Australian Copyright Council.

No. The law does not protect ideas. Copyright only protects the form in which an idea is expressed, that is your script and the way the idea is expressed in your script, and not the idea itself.

No. Names and titles cannot be copyrighted as they aren’t original and/or substantial enough to warrant copyright protection. Names and titles can however be registered as trademarks through IP Australia. For further information visit their website at www.ipaustralia.gov.au

In most countries, yes. Australia is a signatory to a number of treaties relating to copyright including the Berne Convention and the agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. As a result your script is afforded copyright protection in other countries that are signatories to the treaties, which includes most countries. Similarly Australia provides protection to copyright holders from these countries too.

By registering your script you establish the completion date and ownership of your work. It does not confer copyright on your script, but it provides evidence of your claim to authorship of the literary material involved and its date of completion. Remember that priority of ownership may not necessarily be proved if your script is sent to a reader or producer before it is registered with the Australian Writers’ Guild.

To register your script, head here.

There is no need to register it in the USA if it is registered in Australia, though in some cases it may be helpful. Australian copyright is recognised in the USA, so your script is protected. However if a case arises in the USA over the ownership of the script, it is simpler if the script is registered in the USA.

Prior to 1 January 2005 copyright lasted until 50 years from the end of the year in which the creator died, or for some material, until 50 years from the end of the year in which the material was first published. This period has now been extended, in most cases, to 70 years from the end of the year in which the creator died or 70 years from the end of the year in which the material was first published.

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