WRITERS’ VOICE
Screen credit
Theo Jones, contracts adviser at the SoA, outlines the deal when you work with television producers
Theo Jones
In our casework with writers, we advise many who work with television production companies. The obvious cases are those writing scripts, or others whose novels are adapted for television.
But there is a less well-known group of writers whose involvement with television often goes unseen – namely non-fiction writers whose work is used as source material in programming.
And because they are the less visible face of television writing, they often go unrewarded for the work they do.
If you write history, biography, science books or other factual work, you may find yourself approached by a researcher or producer, working on behalf of a television production company, inviting you or asking for your work to be included within a piece of factual TV programming. This can happen be either during the initial research and development stage of a production or in during preparation of a commissioned programme.