Business & contracts 2 signers 2 pages 22 blanks to fill in

Screenwriter Agreement Template

Hire a writer for your film or series one step at a time, with a fee and a deadline for each draft and clear rules on credit and ownership.

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Screenwriter agreement
The blanks in brackets are what you fill in. FileIt adds each signer’s signature and date boxes.
Screenwriter agreement — page 1 of 2
Page 1 of 2
Screenwriter agreement — page 2 of 2
Page 2 of 2
Use this template Fill in the blanks, name who signs, and send — from FileIt eSignature.

What is a screenwriter agreement?

Screenwriting deals are usually done in steps: a treatment, a first draft, a rewrite, maybe a polish. The producer commits to the first step and decides after each delivery whether to go on. That keeps the producer's risk small while making sure the writer is paid for every draft they deliver.

This template engages the writer on a feature, short, pilot, episode or documentary, based on an original idea, the producer's material, or rights the producer holds. It sets an optional treatment step, a first draft and a rewrite, and an optional polish, each with its fee and deadline, payment half on start and half on delivery, and a reading period after each delivery for notes and the go/no-go decision. It covers an optional production bonus, notes and the producer's final creative say, a credit you choose with fair handling where other writers contribute, assignment of the script to the producer, the writer's originality promise, and a clause letting a guild agreement's better terms prevail.

Best for
Independent producers, production companies and screenwriters
Signed by
The producer and the writer
Structure
Step deal: treatment, first draft, rewrite, polish
Length
About 2 pages, initialled on every page

When to use a screenwriter agreement

  • An independent producer commissioning a low-budget feature script
  • A production company hiring a writer to adapt a novel it has optioned
  • A short film funded by a grant, with a fixed fee per draft
  • A web series creator commissioning a pilot episode
  • A documentary producer hiring a writer to shape the script

What you fill in

22 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: producer, writer.

1 The parties

  • Date of agreement*
  • Producer (person or company)*
  • Producer address
  • Writer (and company, if any)*
  • Writer address
  • Guild or union agreement (optional)

2 The project

  • Working title*
  • Format* a feature film · a short film · a television pilot · a television episode · a web or streaming series episode · a documentary
  • Based on*
  • Target length

3 Steps and fees

  • Currency*
  • Treatment fee (optional)
  • Treatment due within (weeks)
  • First draft fee*
  • First draft due within (weeks)*
  • Rewrite fee*
  • Rewrite due within (weeks)*
  • Polish fee (optional)
  • Producer's reading period (weeks)*
  • Bonus if the film is produced (optional)

4 Credit and rights

  • Credit* "Written by" or "Screenplay by", as the Writer's contribution warrants · "Screenplay by" · "Story by" and "Screenplay by"
  • Governing law*

5 Who signs

  • Producer signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The producer or production company commissioning the script.
  • Writer signature and date, initials on every page · The screenwriter. If the writer works through a company, add the company name in the blanks.

What the screenwriter agreement covers

  1. The engagement
  2. Steps, deadlines and fees
  3. Notes and creative approval
  4. Credit
  5. Ownership
  6. General

Using the screenwriter agreement, step by step

1 Describe the project

Enter the working title, choose the format, and say what the script is based on. Add a target length and any guild agreement that applies.

2 Set the steps

Enter a fee and deadline for each step. Leave the treatment or polish fee blank to skip that step.

3 Set reading period and bonus

Choose how many weeks the producer has after each delivery, and add a production bonus if you're offering one.

4 Choose credit and send

Pick the credit form, add the governing law and send to the writer.

Tips before you send it

  • If a writers' guild agreement applies, its minimums override this contract. Check the fees and terms against it before signing.
  • If the producer supplies the idea or holds the rights to a book, say so in "Based on" so the chain of title is clear.
  • Agree how notes will be given, in writing or a call, so the writer knows when the rewrite clock starts.
  • Keep every draft and its delivery date. Financiers and insurers will ask for the chain of title later.

Sign it online in minutes

  1. Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
  2. Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
  3. Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Use the screenwriter agreement template — it’s free

Screenwriter agreement: frequently asked questions

Is the producer committed to every step?

No. The producer commits to the first step only. After each delivery it has the reading period to decide whether to go on. If it stops, the writer keeps the fees for the steps delivered.

Who owns the script?

The writer assigns the treatment, drafts and screenplay to the producer in return for the fees. To the extent the law allows, the writer also waives or agrees not to assert moral rights against the producer's normal changes.

How is credit decided if other writers work on it?

Credit reflects each writer's contribution, decided under applicable guild rules if any, or otherwise in good faith by the producer after hearing from the writer.

Are fees refundable if the producer doesn't like a draft?

No. Once a step is delivered its fee is earned, whether or not the producer is happy with the result. The producer's remedy is to give notes or not take up the next step.

Use this template — free