Directors' contract breakthrough

New guidelines on directors' contracts are now in force following agreement with UK broadcasters.

All TV directors' contracts will now be based on these guidelines following several months negotiations between all the UK broadcasters and BECTU, the Directors Guild of Great Britain (DGGB) and the Personal Managers Association (director's agents).

The negotiations were carried out under the umbrella of the Directors' Forum, which was set up after a long campaign that included directors assigning their rights to the Producers and Directors Society (DPRS).

This tactic put pressure on employers to concede secondary rights payments via the DPRS.

While some issues remain unresolved, such as moral rights, the new agreement means improvements in directors working lives such as explicit holiday provisions in contracts.

The guidelines also address the longstanding abuse of some directors' time when they have been expected to work on post production without pay.