Guild & Union Compliance
SAG-AFTRA final cast lists, DGA delivery letters, WGA screenplay arbitration. Guild documentation is non-negotiable. When your film reaches a distributor, union compliance is already locked. We coordinate residuals setup, station 12 reports, director credit obligations, and screenplay arbitration claims from production through delivery.
What Guild Compliance Means for Delivery
Guild and union documentation is the legal backbone of film delivery. A distributor cannot pay you without verifying that all applicable union obligations have been met. Missing or incomplete guild docs don't just delay payment - they can trigger hold-back clauses, re-delivery costs, and disputes with union administrations (SAG-AFTRA, DGA, WGA). We manage these workflows in parallel with your mastering schedule so nothing slips.
Guild Compliance = Payment Release Trigger
Distributors conduct union audits during final delivery. They verify your SAG-AFTRA cast list matches the final cut, your DGA delivery letter is complete and signed, and your WGA arbitration statement is on file. If any guild doc is missing or conflicts with what's in the film, payment holds occur. That's not theoretical - it's standard distributor practice across Netflix, Lionsgate, Amazon, and traditional theatrical releases.
Three Guilds. Three Compliance Tracks.
SAG-AFTRA
- Final cast list verification - matches locked cut
- Residuals setup - account codes and payment routing per IFTA standards
- Station 12 reports - broadcast/streaming residuals triggers
- Actor contracts - residuals participation verification
- Credential validation for all credited performers
- IFTA-compliant residuals accounting for all distribution channels
DGA
- Director delivery letter - signed off on final version
- Director credit obligation - placement and duration specs
- Credit card verification (title card compliance)
- Promotional use agreement acknowledgment
- Subsequent distributor notification protocol
- Residuals participation confirmation
WGA
- Screenplay arbitration claims - filed before delivery
- Final screenplay credit - per WGA determination
- Writer contract verification
- Credit card compliance (opening and closing titles)
- Residuals participation setup
- Chain of title (writer ownership)
SAG-AFTRA Final Cast List & Residuals
The SAG-AFTRA final cast list is your definitive proof that every credited actor in the locked cut is properly documented and set up for residuals payment. This is not the original cast list from pre-production or even from principal photography. This is the final list based on what actually appears in the picture after final edit, color, and sound.
What we coordinate: We pull the locked cut, match it against your SAG-AFTRA cast contracts, verify speaking roles and screen time eligibility, establish residuals accounts with SAG-AFTRA administration, file station 12 reports for broadcast and streaming residuals triggers, and prepare compliance documentation for your distributor's union audit. A single name misspelled or a supporting actor missing from the list can halt residuals payments for weeks.
Residuals setup is not generic. SAG-AFTRA has different payment schedules for theatrical, TVOD (transactional video-on-demand), SVOD (subscription streaming like Netflix), and broadcast. We configure your accounts correctly so residuals flow to the right performers through the right channels at the right time - and so your distributor's audit is designed to pass on the first submission.
DGA Delivery Letter & Director Credit Obligations
The DGA delivery letter is the director's formal sign-off that the submitted film represents their final creative version and meets all DGA delivery requirements. This is not optional, and it's not bureaucratic. The letter triggers director payment, establishes director residual eligibility, and confirms that director credit has been placed and timed per DGA specs.
What we coordinate: We work with your director to verify the locked cut matches the DGA delivery schedule, confirm director credit card placement (size, duration, positioning on screen), prepare the formal delivery letter for director signature, submit to DGA administration, and file the notification with your distributor. DGA specs are granular: director credit must appear for a minimum duration (typically 4 seconds for features), may not be obscured by other elements, and must appear in the opening or closing titles per director preference.
Why this matters for delivery: Distributors verify director credit compliance during their QC pass. If the credit card timing is off by even 1 second, or if the letter is unsigned, the delivery is flagged as non-compliant and returned for correction. We handle the coordination so you don't have to chase the director after the film is locked.
WGA Screenplay Arbitration & Credit Determination
WGA screenplay arbitration is the union's formal process for determining screenwriting credit when multiple writers are involved. Credit is not first-come-first-served; it's determined by WGA arbitration rules based on contribution. If your screenplay involved a spec writer, a hired rewrite, and a director polish, each contributor's work is evaluated and credit is formally assigned by WGA arbitration.
What we coordinate: We coordinate filing of the screenplay arbitration claim before delivery (typically 30 days before final submission), support the arbitration process by compiling writing chronology and contributions, receive the final WGA credit determination, and assemble the credit card to match WGA's decision exactly. If your film goes to arbitration, the final credit is binding - your distributor will verify the credit card matches the WGA award during their audit.
Compliance point: A mismatch between your credit card and the WGA credit determination is a non-compliance that will be flagged. We track the arbitration timeline and ensure credits are updated before final delivery submission. For union-signatory productions, this is mandatory; for independent films, it's a distributor requirement for Netflix, Amazon, Lionsgate, and most major platforms.
Common Guild Compliance Failures
What Goes Wrong When Guild Docs Are Missing or Incomplete
- SAG-AFTRA cast list mismatch: A character is credited in the film but not on the final cast list submitted to SAG-AFTRA. Distributor flags it. Residuals don't flow. Actor discovers the issue weeks later.
- Residuals account misconfiguration: Cast list is submitted, but residuals accounts are configured for theatrical-only instead of TVOD + SVOD. When the film hits Netflix or Amazon, residuals don't trigger because SAG-AFTRA has no account set up for streaming payments.
- DGA delivery letter unsigned: Director verbally approved the final cut, but the formal DGA delivery letter was never signed and submitted. Distributor holds payment pending DGA compliance. Director is unreachable post-wrap.
- Director credit card timing off: Director credit appears for 3.5 seconds instead of the contractual 4-second minimum. Distributor's QC catches it. Film must be re-rendered. Delivery is delayed by 2 weeks.
- WGA credit arbitration skipped: Multiple writers worked on the script, but arbitration was never filed because the producer assumed the original writer "owned" it. Distributor's legal audit discovers the gap. Film is not cleared for submission until arbitration is conducted retroactively.
- Station 12 reports missing: Residuals setup is complete, but station 12 reports (which trigger broadcast and streaming residuals) were never filed. Six months later, when the film airs, SAG-AFTRA can't process residuals because there's no station 12 on file.
These are not hypothetical. These happen because guild compliance is handled as an afterthought, delegated to someone without distributor delivery experience, or expected to happen organically during post-production. It doesn't. Union administrations operate on strict timelines and documentation standards. We manage the entire compliance calendar in coordination with your mastering schedule.
Our Guild Compliance Process
Guild coordination is not linear. It runs in parallel with mastering and locked picture to ensure everything converges at delivery time.
- Locked picture + production wrap: We receive the list of all writers, directors, and principal actors. We pull contracts and residuals participation agreements.
- Parallel track 1 - SAG-AFTRA: Cast list is verified against locked cut. Residuals setup begins. Station 12 reports are prepared for broadcast/streaming residuals. IFTA-compliant residuals accounting is configured.
- Parallel track 2 - DGA: We work with the director to confirm the final cut is their approved version. Delivery letter is prepared. Director credit card timing and placement are verified. DGA notification is scheduled.
- Parallel track 3 - WGA: If applicable, screenplay arbitration claims are filed within the filing window. We monitor the arbitration process and receive the final credit determination.
- Convergence point: All guild docs are complete and on file. Credit cards match final guild determinations. Residuals accounts are set up and tested. Distributor's union audit checklist is complete.
- Final delivery: Compliance documentation is packaged with masters and legal docs. Distributor verifies guild setup during their QC pass. Payment trigger fires on union compliance sign-off.
Attorney Review & Legal Coordination
Guild compliance documentation may require legal review, particularly for complex productions with multiple writers, re-shoots, or unusual residuals arrangements. We partner with Kordestani Legal Partners for attorney review on an as-needed basis. Attorney review is not included automatically - it's available on a per-project basis when the production or distribution agreement calls for it.
We handle the operational coordination (dates, timelines, compliance checklists). Legal review is available when needed. This hybrid approach keeps costs reasonable while building guild documentation designed to hold up to distributor scrutiny.
Residuals Are Not Delivery. But They Start at Delivery.
Setup Now. Payments Later.
Guild residuals are not paid during post-production. They're triggered when the film goes to air or streams on a platform. But if your residuals setup is incomplete at delivery, the payments won't process when the trigger fires. A SAG-AFTRA actor won't receive residuals from a Netflix SVOD broadcast because you didn't configure a streaming residuals account. A writer won't receive residuals from a broadcast run because their station 12 report was never filed. These gaps don't get caught until residuals are due - months after delivery. We set it all up now, before the film ships to the distributor, so residuals flow automatically when they're due.
Related Services
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