The New Zealand Writers Guild (NZWG) is a professional association of script writers and is a registered trade union. The Guild represents the interests of writers in the fields of film, television, theatre, and radio. We seek to keep writers informed by publishing information and advice, and provide opportunities for skill development by organising events, networks, and legal advice. The Guild:
•
lobbies government to improve conditions for writers
• represents the interests of writers when dealing with funding bodies and other industry organisations
• publishes and provides information and advice to writers
• arbitrates on script credits
• provides opportunities for writers
• Provides members with fortnightly copies of the Guild’s e-news publication The Write Stuff
• Provides members with access to the NZWG Library, which includes many film and television scripts, books on screen writing, and industry publications from around the globe
• Provides script registration services available at http://www.nzwritersguild.org.nz/services/library.html
• Provides advisory services for contracts with producers available at http://www.nzwritersguild.org.nz/contracts
The Guild was founded in 1975, Unionised in 1976. It was initially established to set minimum rates and conditions for writers working in television, but has since expanded to encompass all script writing fields. Today, the Guild has more than 400 members and includes most of the professional script writers working in New Zealand. The NZWG is affiliated with three major union organisations: the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU), the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG) and Union Network International (UNI).
