22/02/2011

The Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA), which groups together collective management societies for audiovisual authors’ rights in 17 European countries, has just launched the White Paper on audiovisual authors’ rights and remuneration in Europe.

The document gives an overview of the legal and economic situation of audiovisual authors in Europe and puts forward solutions for meeting the challenges of the digital revolution.

Over one million people currently work in the European audiovisual industry, which generated more than €108bn in gross income in 2009. The SAA’s aim is to keep screenwriters and directors at the heart of the European audiovisual industry and develop a system of remuneration that is in line with the financial success of their work.

SAA Executive Director Cécile Despringre summed up for Cineuropa the importance of this issue: "The digitisation of the value chain is a great opportunity to improve systems for remunerating authors, because it enables the total traceability of the exploitation of work and therefore the flow of money back to creators. The digital revolution shouldn’t only be used to enhance the audience’s experience, it should also let authors share more in the success of their works".

Click here to read the White Paper, which is available in pdf format in English, French and German.