DGA Agency Update
A Publication of the Directors Guild of America
Volume 4, Issue 2 - Summer 2002
Late Delivery of Scripts for Episodic Television
The DGA Basic Agreement requires producers to provide episodic television directors with a completed shooting script no later than the day before the preparation period begins. Despite this contractual requirement, late script delivery is common, with scripts sometimes being delivered well into the prep period.
The consequences of late script delivery are costly and far ranging. Shows cannot be properly prepared and scheduled, which in turn results in:
- cost overruns due to production inefficiency
- the inability to get the desired cast
- the inability to obtain the best locations
- the loss of necessary prep time for designing shots
- inadequate rehearsal time
- lower quality of the production
- negative impact on a director's reputation
As you know, when the quality of your director clients' work suffers due to circumstances beyond their control, this also impacts your ability as agents to secure future employment for them.
In addition, since producers are less inclined to throw new directors into situations in which they receive the script in pieces, they are more likely to hire experienced directors. This serves as yet another barrier to opportunities for women and minority directors.
A single-camera subcommittee of the DGA's Television Creative Rights Committee was recently formed to address this problem and search for potential solutions. The Subcommittee Co-Chairs are Mel Damski and Rod Holcomb, and its members include Paris Barclay, Bob Berlinger, Bob Butler, James Frawley, Charles Haid, Victoria Hochberg, Jonathan Kaplan, Elodie Keene, Alan Myerson and Mark Tinker. A multi-camera subcommittee has also been formed to deal with issues related to multi-camera programs.
To address the problem of late script delivery head on, the Subcommittee met with CEOs and network executives to show them the enormous financial and creative costs incurred when the director does not have the script in time to prep. The CEOs and network heads were supportive of the DGA's goal, and agreed to help arrange meetings between directors and show-runners to begin finding ways to ensure that scripts are delivered to directors per the DGA contracts.
Realizing this is only the first in a series of steps, the Guild is committed to solving this issue.
We are also interested in hearing from you about the extent to which late script delivery impacts your director clients and what you think are effective ways to address this problem.
Related Items:
For other information about agencies see the Association of Talent Agents website - a nonprofit trade association composed of companies engaged in the talent agency business.
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