A question about the first point in the UPDATE: I recently rewrote a feature. Never met the original writer, only read the script. As per the director/producer, I practically did a page one rewrite, with only the general plot, characters, and concept remaining intact. Humbly, the final draft I delivered is probably 80% me. Now the question. Who gets credited first? Or is it possible for me to receive a "Screenplay by" credit and the first writer to get "Story by"? The way my contract's written it really doesn't matter financially (it's a non-WGA production) -- it's more for the sake of how much credit I should take/get when writing my resume. Thanks.

Forgive me if this is a really stupid question, but when you have (as per the example with A-Team movie) a writing team (duo) who are separated w/ an "&" and a third guy who's "and"... how exactly does that work on the writing side? In my mind I'm picturing two guys sitting around hashing out a script like Affleck & Damon for Goodwill Hunting or Damon & Krasinski for The Promised Land, so where does the third guy come in as separate? How does one contribute separately? Too semantic? Interested to see answer to @Zach's Q above, too.

A lot more convoluted than you would think.

Zach since the production is non-WGA, you are in the Wild Wild West whereby the producers aren't bound by much in the way of rules. If they believe you did in effect a page one rewrite, then there's every reason for them to give you at least a shared "Screenplay by" credit with you in first position. But even though you rewrote 80% of the script, here's one thing you did NOT do: Come up with the idea. That credit goes to the first writer and in my view, given how important the story concept is, and how much of the story is about derives from that concept, I think you should ask yourself if you honestly believe the first writer only deserves a "story by" credit. Is the Protagonist indicated in the story concept? Is the Nemesis? The genre? The setting? How much of the final product derives from that initial story concept? Speaking without any knowledge of your project, since it makes zero difference for you in terms of $$ per this project, I would think you should be happy with this credit: Screenplay by Zach Jansen and *** You are in first position, that means something. The "and" conveys the fact you did not work the first writer, that you successfully rewrote the project and it was your draft of the script that was shot. IMHO.

Despina, the "and" typically means the writers worked separately on the project, and oftentimes didn't even meet or talk with each other. There was a situation like that with "Up In The Air" in which the final credit is this: Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, based on a novel by Walter Kirn It got awkward because the script awards from the Golden Globe, WGA and the Academy. If you Google it, you can find some articles in which Turner described how he actually met Reitman for the first time at, I believe, the Golden Globes. Imagine that: They both shared credit for writing UPIA, but did not actually meet until an awards ceremony. There is a good story to convey what "and" can mean in a screenplay by or written by credit.

Hey Scott, Just wondering - do you have a sense of how likely newbie writers are to get screwed in the rewrite process? I read somewhere that sometimes established writers who are brought in for a rewrite change enough of a script so they can get a more meaningful credit. Do you think this happens often, or do you think that it would be highly difficult for them to do so? And how supportive would the studio be of the original writer? Maybe the answer varies by genre or other factors?

UpandComing, sounds like the basis of a Reader Question post. How about I address your question next week? I do have some thoughts on the matter.

Thanks, Scott. Of course I'm not out to take full credit for the script (it was just a question of what you thought the credit should be in the situation), but the producer was intent on trying to get me full credit -- which I know I don't deserve. I had no intention to screw the original writer. Given the work I put in, I'm more than satisfied with being credited first -- which is what I told the producer. In fact, my suggestion to him was what you suggested: I get first credit on the script and the original writer also gets the "Story by" credit: He gets credit for the idea and writing the original script, and I get credit for writing the production draft. Thanks for the input

Excellent - thanks!!

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