The Writers Guild of America has advised members not to work with Constantin Film, a German company that the organization claims is not a signatory to the 2020 Minimum Basic Agreement.
In a statement issued Friday afternoon, the WGA informed members that it is enforcing Working Rule 8 to prevent members from working for Constantin Film Development. The Munich-based large independent German film and television production firm also has a Los Angeles branch.
The WGA claims that the corporation is refusing to comply with some provisions of the guild’s standard film and television contract. The guild has fought copyright offices and other content regulating organizations for decades in order to collect residuals for its members when U.S. movies and TV series appear on TV and now streaming platforms in other countries. Constantin Film is accused of refusing to pay part of the foreign levies, as well as to contribute to the WGA’s pension and health fund, as all mainstream Hollywood union contracts mandate.
Constantin Film representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Constantin Film has a history of balancing in-house development with collaborations with well-known Hollywood studios.
It is now developing or co-producing a constant stream of genre films and literary adaptations for theatrical distribution and streaming platforms, such as Disney Plus’s “Black Beauty” in 2020 and Sony Pictures’ Screen Gems label’s “Monster Hunter” in 2020.
The WGA’s freshly installed leadership team of president Meredith Stiehm, vice president Michele Mulroney, and secretary-treasurer Betsy Thomas sent the following memo.
We are writing to alert you that effective immediately members of WGA are prohibited under Working Rule 8 from working for Constantin Film Development, Inc. (Constantin), which is not a signatory to the 2020 MBA.
The Guild has an ongoing serious dispute with Constantin because of its refusal to pay residuals for most foreign reuse. Constantin has also failed to pay pension and health contributions for some writers.
It is crucial that Constantin be prevented from undercutting writers’ standards and conditions.
While the Guild works to fix this situation as quickly as possible, Constantin will not be able to use writing services given by WGA members until that time.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact legal@wga.org.
In solidarity,
Meredith Stiehm, President
Michele Mulroney, Vice President
Betsy Thomas, Secretary-Treasurer