2017 FLTTA

Directors Guild of America

Freelance Live and Tape Television Agreement

The Freelance Live and Tape Television Agreement (FLTTA) covers live productions and projects shot on videotape made under an agreement with the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). This contract applies to Directors, Associate Directors and Stage Managers working in these areas.

2017 Freelance Live and Tape Television Agreement (PDF 4MB)

click link to download PDF of the FLTTA as a single document

Table of Contents (PDF 59KB)

List of Signatories (PDF 53KB)

Article 1 (PDF 75KB)

		p7		A.		Defintion of Terms
		p10		B.		Scope

Article 2 (PDF 60KB)

p14	A.	Directors
p15	B.	Associate Directors
p17	C.	Stage Managers
p19	D.	Construction

Article 3 - Recognition (PDF 57KB)

p21

Article 4 - Guild Security (PDF 57KB)

p22

Article 5 - Reporting of Earnings (PDF 44KB)

p23

Article 6 - Basic Minimum Compensation and Conditions for Directors (PDF 143KB)

p24	A.	Dramatic Programs
p27	B.	Variety Programs
p29	C.	Quiz and Game Programs
p30	D.	Strip Programs
p32	E.	All Other Programs
p34	F.	Sports
p35	G.	News and Commentary Programs
p38	H.	Local Freelance Directors
p38	I.	Budget Table
p39	J.	Segments
p39	K.	Lead-Ins
p40	L.	Talent Test
p40	M.	Intended Broadcast Pattern and Adjustment of Director's Salary
p42	N.	Pilots, Presentations and Workshops
p46	O.	Additional Days
p46	P.	Special Provisions Applicable to Serials
p48	Q.	Compensation on Recall for Particular Services
p49	R.	Double Length Episode
p49	S.	Payment for Combined or Extended Programs
p50	T.	One Director to a Prime Time Dramatic Program
p51	U.	Literary Material
p51	V.	Director Residency

Article 7 - Additional Compensation for Reruns, Segment Re-Use and Foreign Use Payments (PDF 107KB)

p52	A.	How Paid
p53	B.	Additional Compensation for Reruns
p58	C.	Rerun Payments
p59	D.	Additional Compensation for Foreign Telecasts
p66	E.	Basic Cable Exhibition
p67	F.	Copyright Royalty Tribunal
p67	G.	Residual Audits

Article 8 - Commercials and Promotional Announcements (PDF 45KB)

		p69		A.		Commercials
		p69		B.		Promotional Announcements

Article 9 - General Conditions (PDF 128KB)

p70	A.
p78	B.
p91	C.	Safety
p92	D.	ISAN Numbers

Article 10 - Basic Minimum Compensation and Conditions for Associate Directors and Stage Managers (PDF 149KB)

Part 1. Prime Time Dramatic Programs

p93	A.	Minimum Salaries
p96	B.	Other Working Conditions
p110	C.	Duties
p112	D.	Budget Disclosure
p112	E.	Termination
p113	F.	No Credit or Offset

Part 2. Programs Other Than Prime Time Dramatic Programs

p114	A.	Associate Directors
p114	B.	Stage Managers
p115	C.	Associate Director/Stage Manager Combination (where permitted)
p115	D.	Hours of Work

Part 3. Provisions Applicable to all Associate Directors and Stage Managers

p121	A.	Employment Criteria for Associate Directors and Stage Managers
p122	B.	Preparation Time
p124	C.	Cancellation of Calls
p124	D.	Vacations
p124	E.	Meal Period
p124	F.	Confirmation of Employment
p125	G.	Production Reports
p125	H.	Replacement
p126	I.	Elimination of Duplicate Contributions for Associate Directors/ Review of Associate Director Rest Periods
p126	J.	Work in the New York Metropolitan Area
p127	K.	Camera Placement for Awards Programs

Article 11 - Pension and Health and Welfare (PDF 48KB)

		p128		A.		Pension
		p129		B.		Health

Article 12 - Pension and Health - Trust Funds and Delinquencies (PDF 48KB)

p131	A.	Trust Agreements
p131	B.	Trustees
p131	C.	Delinquent Contributions
p131	D.	Arbitration
p132	E.	Loan-Outs
p132	F.	Claims Period

Article 13 - Motion Picture and Television Fund (PDF 38KB)

p134

Article 14 - Contracts of Employment (PDF 51KB)

p135	A.	Contracts
p137	B.	Employment
p138	C.	Individual Contracts
p139	D.	On or About

Article 15 - Authority of Directors (PDF 34KB)

		p140		A.
		p140		B.
		p140		C.
		p140		D.
		p141		E.

Article 16 - Credits (PDF 49KB)

p142	A.	Television Credits
p147	B.	Credits to Determine Controversy Over Credits
p147	C.	Notice of Credits

Article 17 - Staging (PDF 36KB)

		p148		A.
		p148		B.
		p148		C.

Article 18 - Strikes - Unusual Duties (PDF 38KB)

p149

Article 19 - Non-Discrimination (PDF 52KB)

p150	A.	Policy
p150	B.	Reports
p151	C.	Representatives
p151	D.	Arbitration
p152	E.	Diversity Meetings

Article 20 - Arbitration (PDF 79KB)

p153	A.	Matters Subject to Grievance and Arbitration
p154	B.	Grievance Procedure
p155	C.	Arbitration Procedure
p160	D.	Expedited Arbitration Procedure
p162	E.	Arbitral Remedies
p163	F.	Court Proceedings
p165	G.	Withdrawal of Services

Article 21 - Waivers (PDF 33KB)

p166

Article 22 - Posting of Bond (PDF 33KB)

p167

Article 23 - Other Uses of Television Programs (PDF 87KB)

		p168		A.
		p170		B.

Article 24 - Supplemental Markets (PDF 99KB)

p183	A.	Programs Covered
p183	B.	Definitions
p185	C.	Supplemental Market Distribution other than by Cassettes
p189	D.	Supplemental Market Distribution on Cassettes
p193	E.	Participating Employees
p194	F.	Reports and Manner of Payment
p197	G.	Assumption of Obligations
p199	H.
p199	I.

Article 25 - Radio (PDF 33KB)

p200

Article 26 - Notification - Use of Facilities (PDF 35KB)

p201

Article 27 - Agreement to be Interpreted in Accordance with Law (PDF 35KB)

p202

Article 28 - Effective Date and Term (PDF 36KB)

		p203		A.
		p203		B.
		p203		C.

Article 29 - Minimum Salaries and Residual Compensation for Directors of Programs Produced Mainly for the Pay Television and Videodisc/Videocassette Market (PDF 154KB)

p204	A.	Applicability of this Article
p206	B.	Directors' Minimum Salaries
p210	C.	Residual Compensation for Pay Television and Videodisc/Videocassette Exhibition
p212	D.	Residual Compensation for Pay Television, Excluding (i) Pay-Per-View and (ii) Sports and Non-Staged Event Programs
p225	E.	Residual Compensation for Pay Television Exhibition (Including Pay-Per-View) of Sports and Non-Staged Event Programs
p227	F.	Residual Compensation for Pay-Per-View Exhibition Other Than Sports and Non-Staged Event Programs
p227	G.	Residual Compensation for Videodiscs/Videocassettes
p228	H.	Residual Compensation for Exhibition of Covered Programs in Other Markets
p231	I.	Miscellaneous Provisions
p237	J.	Application of Free Television Provisions

Article 30 - Responsibility for Residual Payments (PDF 128KB)

p238	A.	Distributor's Assumption Agreement - Television Reruns, Basic Cable Exhibition, Foreign Television Exhibition, Theatrical Exhibition and Supplemental Markets Use
p246	B.	Financial Assurances
p248	C.	Qualified Residual Payors
p250	D.	Buyer's Assumption Agreement
p259	E.	Security Interests – Effect on Buyer's Rights
p260	F.	Qualified Buyer

Article 31 - Programs Made Primarily for the Basic Cable Market (PDF 82KB)

p262	A.	Terms and Conditions for High Budget Dramatic Programs One-Half Hour or More in Length Made Primarily for the Basic Cable Market
p269	B.	Terms and Conditions for Low Budget Dramatic Programs One-Half Hour or Longer Made Primarily for the Basic Cable Market
p269	C.	Terms and Conditions for High Budget Variety Programs Made Primarily for the Basic Cable Market
p272	D.	Terms and Conditions for Other Entertainment Programs Made Primarily for the Basic Cable Market

Article 32 - Terms and Conditions for New Multi-Camera Prime Time Dramatic Pilots, Presentations and Series (PDF 45KB)

p273

Exhibit 1 (PDF 41KB)

p275

Qualified Residual Payor Letter of Agreement

Exhibit 2 (PDF 38KB)

p279

Standard Letter of Guaranty

Exhibit "A" (PDF 48KB)

p282

Instructions; Employment Data Report

Exhibit "B" Part I (PDF 65KB)

p285

Subscriber Rates for Programs Made for Pay Television Services with Fewer
than 6,000,000 Subscribers in the First Exhibition Year of the Program

Exhibit "B" Part II (PDF 65KB)

p292

Subscriber Rates for Programs Made for Pay Television Services with 6,000,000
or More Subscribers in the First Exhibition Year of the Program

Exhibit "C" (PDF 54KB)

p299		Accountable Receipts Plateau
p299	A.	High Budget Programs
p299	B.	Dramatic Programs
p300	C.	Dramatic Programs
p301	D.	Quiz and Game Programs
p302	E.	Strip Programs
p303	F.	All Other Programs (Including Segments of Reality-Type Programs)
p304	G.	News and Commentary Programs

Exhibit "D" (PDF 52KB)

p305

Associate Director and Stage Manager Deal Memorandum

Exhibit "E" (PDF 50KB)

p307

Director Deal Memorandum

Sideletter 1 (PDF 29KB)

p309

re “Included Days”

Sideletter 2 (PDF 35KB)

p310

Employment on Commercials

Sideletter 3 (PDF 28KB)

p313

re Assignment of UPMs on Tape Programs

Sideletter 4 (PDF 29KB)

p314

Testing of Television Tape and Film Programs on CATV Systems

Sideletter 5 (PDF 30KB)

p315

Network Prime Time Dramatic or Variety Summer Programs

Sideletter 6 (PDF 36KB)

p316

Programs Produced Primarily for the Basic Cable Market

Sideletter 7 (PDF 29KB)

p319

Peremptory Challenges to Arbitrators

Sideletter 8 (PDF 47KB)

p320

re Director Employed on a Non-Dramatic Program Assigned to Direct Scenes
for a Strip Quiz and Game or Strip Variety Program

Sideletter 9 (PDF 29KB)

p321

re Security of Employees Working at Film Lots or Network Facilities in Los Angeles

Sideletter 10 (PDF 50KB)

p322

re Second or Subsequent License of High Budget Dramatic Programs
Made for Basic Cable to the Same or a Different Basic Cable Service

Sideletter 11 (PDF 38KB)

p324

re New Residual Formula for One-Hour Network
Prime Time Dramatic Series in Article 7.B.1.(c)(i)

Sideletter 12 (PDF 31KB)

p328

re Distributor's/Buyer's Liability for Residuals; Notice and Opportunity to Cure Default

Sideletter No. 13 (PDF 41KB)

p329

re Employment Criteria for Associate Directors and Stage Managers

Sideletter No. 14 (PDF 106KB)

p330

re Exhibition of Programs Transmitted Via New Media

Sideletter No. 15 (PDF 70KB)

p343

re DGA, Inc.

Sideletter No. 16 (PDF 49KB)

p348

re Los Angeles Panel of Arbitrators for Major Studios and Networks

Sideletter No. 17 (PDF 88KB)

p350

re Arbitration of Disputes Concerning Tri-Guild Residuals Audits

Sideletter No. 18 (PDF 49KB)

p365

re License of Free Television, Basic Cable or Pay Television Motion Pictures
or Motion Pictures Made for Home Video to Secondary Digital Channels

Sideletter No. 19 (PDF 49KB)

p367

re Experiment in Syndication of Half-Hour Series in Markets
Representing 50% or Fewer of U.S. Television Households

Sideletter No. 20 (PDF 46KB)

p369

re Terms and Conditions for New Non-Prime Time Multi-Camera Dramatic Programs

Sideletter No. 21 (PDF 32KB)

p370

re Address Verification / Local Hires

Sideletter No. 22 (PDF 47KB)

p372

re Diversity

Sideletter No. 23 (PDF 54KB)

p373

re Virtual MVPD Services

Sideletter No. 24 (PDF 46KB)

p376

re Diversion of Pension Plan Contributions

Sideletter No. 25 (PDF 85KB)

p377

re "Supersized" Episodes

Sideletter No. 26 (PDF 47KB)

p388

re Over-the-Top Delivery of Pay Television Services

Sideletter No. 27 (PDF 25KB)

p389

[Deleted]

Sideletter No. 28 (PDF 111KB)

p390

re Programs Produced for New Media

Sideletter No. 29 (PDF 52KB)

p407

re Serious Misconduct

Contact

FLTTA - LA, DGA Contracts Line (310) 289-2010
contracts@dga.org

FLTTA - NY, Michael Berger (212) 258-0802
mberger@dga.org

MOA

BA/FLTTA

2020

Click the image above to see the negotiated changes to the 2017 DGA Basic Agreement and Freelance Live and Tape Television Agreement for the term beginning July 1, 2020.

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