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Build a production file while the work is happening
Create one folder for each production, including its working title if it differs from the final title. A consistent filename helps, for example YYYY-MM-DD_document-description_sender-or-source_version. Keep originals and backups, and log each item’s date, what it records, where it came from, and whether the original is preserved. Make redacted working copies when sharing sensitive material.
Protect confidential production materials, personal information, and private contact details. Preserve records for the claim process; do not circulate scripts, call sheets, or private information indiscriminately.
Record the job and the terms
- Identify the production: title and alternate working title, company, signatory or payroll entity if known, department or role, supervisor, dates, and locations.
- Save the terms: signed contract, deal memo, offer and acceptance emails, amendments, and any written language about credit form or placement. Keep written approvals or waivers too. Note who made the agreement and whether they had authority to do so.
For WGA-covered writers, the WGA Screen Credits Manual says to file the employment contract promptly and keep copies of all work. Confirm which agreement and manual govern your project; the manual’s theatrical writing-credit guidance applies to notices after November 12, 2018.
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Preserve work and submission records
- Keep dated, labeled drafts, deliverables, version histories, and other work product.
- Save correspondence that transmits the work, written notes or suggestions submitted to the company, and acknowledgements.
- Record when and to whom each item was submitted; retain complete message context and original metadata where possible.
For WGA writing arbitration, work must have been submitted to the company to be considered, and dated communications can place suggestions on the record. The manual states, “For fair credit determination, it is vital that writers keep copies of all work done.” It also states, “In the event of conflicting claims, literary material always prevails.” Those rules concern the WGA’s covered process, not every film-credit dispute.
Document dates and presence
Keep call sheets, time records or timecards, performer sign-in/out forms, pay stubs or payroll statements, receipts, and production communications that connect you to the production and dates worked. SAG-AFTRA recommends several such records for covered performer claim inquiries; its guidance does not make every item necessary or sufficient for every role.
Capture the finished credit separately
If the dispute is whether your name appeared in the released film, preserve a lawful copy or screener and make a clear capture of the relevant opening or end-credit sequence. Note the film title, version, and timecode, and include enough surrounding context to identify the film and the credit. Keep any capture in a form you are permitted to retain and share.
IMDb distinguishes on-screen billing evidence from proof that someone worked on a production. Its help page says, “Cast/crew call sheets, contracts, payment receipts, etc. are not evidence of on-screen billing.” A contract or call sheet may help establish other facts, but it cannot show that the released version displayed your credit.
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Match each claim to the evidence that can prove it
| Question | Evidence to gather | What it does not establish by itself |
|---|---|---|
| I worked on the film | Agreement, call sheet, time record, payroll record, receipts, production communications, or other reliable records tying you to the production and period. | That a credit was contractually owed or appeared on screen. |
| I was promised or entitled to a credit | The contract or deal memo, amendments, and written confirmation of the credit terms; identify the parties and the authority of the person who made the agreement. | That every informal promise is enforceable. That depends on the agreement and jurisdiction. |
| My contribution qualifies me for a credit | Work product and submission records that meet the applicable credit rules. For WGA writing arbitration, the manual says decisions are based on literary material, and a writer’s statement is not a basis for the award. | That proof of presence or a personal account alone establishes authorship under the applicable rules. |
| The promised credit is missing from the released film | A lawful copy or screener, clear capture of the relevant credits, title and version information, and timecode; separately preserve the agreement establishing the credit terms. | Whether the credit was contractually owed. The finished film shows what appeared, not what the agreement required. |
| A database does not list my credit | Submit through the database’s current contribution process with evidence that meets its rules. | That the database’s decision determines contractual entitlement. |
Choose the process for your role and coverage
First identify your contract or collective agreement, employer or signatory, production, jurisdiction, and whether a union or guild covers the work. There is no single procedure or deadline for every film worker. Ask the relevant organization which agreement, submission requirements, and deadline apply to your specific work.
WGA-covered writing
Use the current Screen Credits Manual and contact the WGA Credits Department. The WGA determines final credits for projects under its jurisdiction and administers its arbitration process. Under the manual, a writer should not publicly claim screen authorship before a final determination or contrary to it.
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SAG-AFTRA-covered performer work
Contact the relevant local or department promptly about a claim inquiry. SAG-AFTRA’s claims guidance explains that deadlines vary by contract and gives examples of short deadlines for some claim types; those examples should not be assumed to apply to every role or agreement. The union investigates inquiries and may file a formal claim if the inquiry has sufficient validity.
DGA-covered directing credit
The DGA Credits Department reviews submissions for covered feature films and television. The DGA says it is the final arbiter of disputes over directorial credit within its system.
Other crew roles or work outside those systems
For other crew roles, non-signatory productions, or work outside those guild systems, start with the contract, employer, jurisdiction, and any applicable collective agreement. The available routes differ; the relevant local, guild, union, employer, or a qualified legal adviser can help identify the process and any deadline. If the agreement is disputed, consider advice from the relevant guild or a qualified lawyer.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep a database correction separate from a credit claim
IMDb has its own eligibility and verification rules. Its eligible credits guidance explains limits on what it lists, while its credit verification guidance describes evidence for its editorial process. Verification requirements may rise with a title’s rank. Submitting work records to a database can support a factual listing under that database’s rules, but database acceptance is not a decision that a production breached an agreement or owes you a credit.
Quick Recap
Before sending a claim
- State precisely what you are asking to establish: work performed, a written credit promise, a contribution under credit rules, on-screen billing, or a database listing.
- Check the agreement, role, production, employer or signatory, guild coverage, and country that govern the work.
- Match the records to the question instead of sending an unrelated pile of documents.
- Keep dated requests for correction and responses, including complete message context.
- Ask the applicable union or guild promptly about the deadline; do not wait for a database edit to preserve evidence or check a contractual time limit.
- Do not treat a call sheet as a guarantee of screen credit, or publish confidential production records as a substitute for using the proper process.
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