This report by FERA and FSE examines the systemic issues affecting the remuneration of screenwriters and film directors in Europe. Despite the immense economic success of the cultural and audiovisual industries, most creators endure precarious and modest incomes, undermining their ability to sustain creative careers. The report highlights widespread problems such as unfair contractual practices, buyout contracts, limited bargaining power, and unclear rights transfers. It argues that fair remuneration must be proportionate to the revenue generated by each use of a creator’s work and insists on the necessity of collective bargaining, contractual transparency, and enforceable rights. The authors propose concrete policy solutions, including the introduction of an unwaivable right to equitable remuneration for online exploitation, the separation and clear identification of transferred rights, bans on all-rights buyouts, and stronger mechanisms to enforce contract terms. The report calls for urgent legislative reforms at both national and EU levels to ensure audiovisual authors receive a fair and sustainable share of the cultural sector’s value.

http://federationscreenwriters.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/BetterContracts-FERA-FSE.pdf