IAWG brings global writers to Mumbai: contracts, royalties, and AI take center stage
The Screenwriters Association of India hosted the annual general meeting of the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds in Mumbai, uniting guilds from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The focus was direct: fair contracts, fair pay, and enforceable rights. Across sessions, writers called out broken royalty systems, predatory contracts, and pressure tactics that keep writers quiet.
The meeting also tackled Artificial Intelligence, pushing for clear, enforceable policies on consent, credit, and compensation. The tone was consistent-writers want sustainable careers, not empty promises.
What was discussed
- No royalties and weak residuals outside a few markets.
- Contracts that strip rights, block audits, and normalize free rewrites.
- Undignified pay and interference from powerful producers to weaken guild action.
- AI policies: consent for training on scripts, disclosure and credit for AI use, and guardrails that protect jobs.
Double standards called out
Anjum Rajabali argued that global streamers apply one set of rules in the West and another in India: "It's modern-day colonialism… The same companies that give them residuals, mandated by law, are resisting royalties to us, again mandated by law."
Laura Blum-Smith, who helped lead the WGA's 2023 action, added, "The companies have taken the transition to streaming as a means of exploitation and erosion of the sustainability of screenwriting jobs. We are getting to do more work for less pay."
Who was in the room
The panel featured critic Baradwaj Rangan as moderator, with Laura Blum-Smith (WGA West), Jennifer Davidson (IAWG and Writers' Guild of Ireland), Anjum Rajabali (SWA), and Peter Matessi (Australian Writers' Guild). SWA leadership present included Zaman Habib and Tumbbad writer Mitesh Shah. For India, hosting the IAWG AGM marked a first-and a statement of intent.
Action plan for working writers
Use the momentum from Mumbai to strengthen your position, one contract at a time.
- Insist on royalties/residuals or performance-based bonuses wherever the law allows. Add audit rights to verify backend.
- Set paid rewrite limits. Every additional pass triggers a new fee or step deal.
- Define room weeks, script fees, and overages in writing. No open-ended "polish" work.
- Protect credit: follow standard credit procedures, with arbitration where applicable.
- Payment discipline: deposits on signing, clear milestones, late-fee penalties, and kill fees.
- Maintain email trails. Confirm verbal changes in writing the same day.
- Share rate cards privately with trusted peers. Collective transparency raises floors.
- Join and stay active in your guild. Collective agreements are leverage you can't match alone.
AI clauses you should start using
- Consent: Your work cannot be used to train AI without explicit, written permission and compensation.
- Disclosure: Producers must disclose any AI-generated material provided to you and its source.
- Credit: AI is not a writer. Human authorship and credit rules prevail.
- Compensation: Any AI-assisted work that reduces scope must not reduce your fee or minimums.
- Indemnity: You are not liable for IP issues arising from AI material supplied by the producer.
- Data security: Drafts and notes are not to be uploaded to third-party models without approval.
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Quick contract checklist before you sign
- Scope, deliverables, and number of drafts clearly defined.
- Fee, schedule, late fees, kill fee, and bonus triggers documented.
- Royalties/residuals participation where applicable, plus audit rights.
- Rewrite limits and paid steps for each pass.
- Credit procedure and arbitration path.
- Rights granted (exclusive vs. non-exclusive), term, territory, and reversion.
- AI clause covering consent, disclosure, credit, and liability.
- Moral rights and derogatory treatment protections where available.
- Indemnity and E&O responsibility assigned to producer.
- Confidentiality scoped to protect your future work.
- Jurisdiction, dispute resolution, and union coverage called out.
Why this meeting matters
The WGA's 2023 action proved collective action can reset industry norms, especially on streaming practices and AI guardrails. The Mumbai AGM extends that push globally, aligning guilds to close loopholes that undercut writers in non-U.S. markets.
To stay informed or involved, start with your local guild and these resources: WGA and SWA India. The message from Mumbai is clear: organize, standardize your contracts, and don't leave money-or credit-on the table.
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