May 30, 2024
Continuing our Know Your Contract education series, we’re exploring the July 1, 2024 updates for Television Directors, covering their new Paid Post-Production Rights and Responsibilities and the addition of Juneteenth as a paid holiday.
Expanded Paid Post-Production for Episodic High Budget SVOD/Pay TV Directors
The scope of episodic Television has undergone substantial transformation in recent decades, yet the Director’s role in post-production has remained largely unchanged. During the 2023 negotiations, the DGA TV Creative Rights Committee addressed this issue, by securing an expanded role in post-production for Directors. These new Creative Rights will fundamentally change the Television Director’s role in post for the first time in nearly 50 years.
On qualifying shows, Directors will now receive additional, paid time to collaborate with the Producer on the cut. After delivery of the Director’s Cut, the Producer will have 24 hours to provide notes. The Director will then receive additional time — 1 day for half-hour episodes, 2 days for one-hour episodes — to work with the editor implementing those notes. The additional days will be paid at the pro rata rate and represent the first-time Directors have been compensated for work in post.
These additional edit day(s) significantly increase your minimum fee on qualifying shows. Over the next four years the scale fee on half-hour series will increase 29% from $29,892 (2023) to $38,610 (2026); scale on one-hour series will increase 36% from $50,764 (2023) to $68,849* (2026). *This increase also includes an additional guaranteed shoot day on One-Hour Pay TV & SVOD series.
To qualify a season must meet ALL the below criteria:
- Beginning Principal Photography on/after July 1, 2024
- Made for either: Pay TV, or SVOD services with ≥20 million subscribers
- Budgeted at: ≥$5 million for Half Hour (20-35 min), or ≥$7 million for One Hour (36-65 min)
The TV Creative Rights Committee and DGA have been rolling out an extensive education campaign to members and the industry, to ensure these rights are properly supported by qualifying series. It is critical Directors exercise this new right – and all Creative Rights – which have been fought for and established by your predecessors. When a Right is not exercised the message sent to the production, studio, etc. is that these protections are not essential and that, in turn, contributes to the erosion of all Directors’ Rights.
Click here for more information about newly expanded Paid Post-Production.
If you have questions, please contact DGA Episodic Post-Production Coordinator Jess Haber at jhaber@dga.org or (310) 289-5376.
New Paid Holiday:
DGA Secures Juneteenth for Members
In the latest round of contract negotiations covering 2023-2026, the Directors Guild of America accomplished a significant win for its membership — securing Juneteenth as a paid holiday.
Juneteenth, observed annually in the United States on June 19th, commemorates the end of slavery in the US. While it has long been celebrated, especially in the African American community, it wasn’t until 2021 that Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday.
Securing Juneteenth as a paid holiday marks another stride by the Directors Guild in its mission to uplift members’ rights and foster a more equitable entertainment industry. This hard-won provision builds upon the Guild’s decades-long push for greater inclusivity.
All DGA members employed on DGA-productions under the newly ratified 2023-2026 BA/FLTTA now receive Juneteenth off as a paid holiday.
Want to help other DGA members learn more about their rights and contracts? Join the Outreach Team. To find out more about the Outreach Team, please email outreachteam@dga.org