Press Release
Authors’ Council “Writers and Directors Worldwide”
Relaunches and Calls for a Unified Voice on Creators’
Rights
Fair Remuneration for Audiovisual, Dramatic and Literary Creators
Ensures Their Vital Contribution to the World’s Economy and Culture
Paris, France – 5 March 2014. The newly relaunched “Writers and Directors Worldwide”
authors’ council has called for a simplified debate on creators’ rights as latest reports put the
economic contribution of the creative sector at record levels. The group that dates back to
1966 and was previously known as the International Council of Dramatic, Literary and
Audiovisual Creators (CIADLV) has streamlined both its name and message in today’s
announcement.
“The authors in these repertoires entertain millions across the world by creating films, TV
series, books or theatre plays and simply need to receive a fair remuneration for their work:”
said Yves Nilly, French author, screenwriter and newly re-appointed chair of Writers and
Directors Worldwide. “Unfortunately, the reality is that the overwhelming majority of creators
in this sector — individuals, often self-employed — cannot make a living from being an
author. Authors’ rights are the key; without it they have to find other jobs and their creative
contribution to culture, diversity and the economy is lost.”
This contribution takes two equally significant forms. In economic terms, the work done by
writers and directors is usually the first step in launching productions that the British Film
Institute for example, estimates has contributed over €5 billion last year to the UK economy
alone. The second contribution is to the world’s culture, described in the recent United
Nations Creative Economy Report as “both a driver and an enabler of human and
sustainable development”.
The next generation of creators, those struggling to launch new projects today, especially
need to be supported. The nature of writers and directors’ work also often encompasses
long, single and sometimes speculative projects with the flow of income neither constant nor
assured. “The only way to maintain a sustainable creative industry is to guarantee a fair
remuneration to authors for every use and re-use of their back catalogue,” said Nilly.
Writers and Directors Worldwide has a full agenda for the coming months beginning with a
new international action plan to support the struggle of directors and screenwriters for
recognition in national copyright laws of fair remuneration rights for every use of their work. It
will liaise with authors’ unions in countries such as Colombia, Brazil, India or China to share
best practice and provide support in protecting rights in these fast growing regions.
Press Release
Media Contacts
Cécile Roy
Director of Communications, CISAC
Tel: +33 (0) 1 55 62 08 86
Email: cecile.roy@cisac.org
Notes for Editors:
About Writers and Directors Worldwide
Writers and Directors Worldwide is an umbrella organisation that provides a forum for
cooperation, networking and support for dramatic, literary and audiovisual creators in all
regions of the world. It helps to facilitate the sharing of ideas, information, best practices and
practical advice to defend authors’ rights in these important artistic repertoires.
The history of this creators’ council stretches back almost 50 years to the formation of the
International Councils of Dramatic Authors and Composers (CIAD) and of Literary Authors
(CIADL) in 1966. These bodies merged and formed the group that was renamed Writers and
Directors Worldwide in 2014. It is one of three creators’ councils within CISAC; the world’s
largest network of authors’ societies.
Writers and Directors Worldwide is made up entirely of creators from dramatic, literary and
audiovisual societies around the world and its chair is French author and screenwriter, Yves
Nilly. Through regular working group and executive committee meetings the group acts as an
advisory body to CISAC, providing specific experience and expertise as well as the vital
“voice of the creator” upon which both organisations are founded.
About CISAC
CISAC is the leading worldwide network of authors’ societies and represents more than 3
million creators from all creative genres including music, film, visual arts, and literature. The
organisation unites 227 authors’ societies in 120 countries and in 2012, total royalties
collections by CISAC members on behalf of creators exceeded €7.8 billion.
CISAC aims to both protect and promote creators’ rights across the globe to enable
collective management organisations to seamlessly represent creators and ensure that they
receive royalties for the use of their works anywhere in the world. CISAC places good
governance at the centre of its operations and is the only international organisation in its field
with a binding code of conduct for professional standards to which every member society
must adhere.
Press Release
Founded in 1926, CISAC – the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and
Composers – is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation with worldwide headquarters
in France and regional offices in Chile, China, Hungary, and Burkina Faso. The
organisation’s president is renowned French electronic music artist Jean-Michel Jarre and he
is supported by four vice presidents representing CISAC’s creative repertoires: Beninese
creator and singer Angélique Kidjo; Senegalese sculptor Ousmane Sow; Indian poet,
scriptwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar; and Argentinean film director Marcelo Piñeyro. CISAC’s
director general is Olivier Hinnewinkel who was appointed in October 2011. Learn more at
www.cisac.org.
Images:
The revised logotype for Writers and Directors
Worldwide
Yves Nilly – Chair, Writers and Directors
Worldwide. Author and scriptwriter, vice president
of SACD.
Logotype for CISAC (Confédération Internationale
des Sociétés d'Auteurs et Compositeurs)