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Did you know that Producers Guild membership stands at more than 8,400 people?
For over the last 70 years, the Producers Guild of America has been an advocate for entertainment professionals with tremendous benefits for those who join it.
In this post, we’ll explain what the PGA is, who can join—and most importantly—what those tremendous benefits are. And if you think PGA membership is out of reach just because you’re not a producer, think again!
Membership is open to many different parts of a producing team, so read on to see if you too might be eligible.
The Producers Guild of America, or PGA, is a trade association comprising those working in a producing capacity in film, television, and new media.
This industry body serves to protect its members’ interests, including but not limited to job training and placement, working conditions, producing credits, health benefits, and general welfare.
Naturally, those with the title of “producer” are eligible for Producers Guild membership. However, they are just a segment of the individuals eligible for Producers Guild membership, as many projects require extensive producing teams that guide them from concept to delivery.
Eligibility to the Producers Guild does require varying degrees of experience. However, what follows is a list of positions that qualify for PGA membership:
The types of new media platforms seem to grow by the day, which is why those working in this medium must know which ones are approved for potential Producers Guild membership:
The landscape of the entertainment industry is continually evolving. If you are part of a producing team but do not see your position listed above, it’s worth reaching out to the PGA to see if you may still be eligible for Producers Guild of America membership.
For the most up-to-date criteria, please visit the PGA site.
Now that we’ve established who can receive Producers Guild membership, let’s discuss how to get into the Producers Guild of America.
PGA membership is partially contingent on the credits a person has earned while working on various productions. We’ll take a deeper dive momentarily into the details of those productions that can qualify a person for the Producers Guild, but the following gives a general overview of the types of projects that can help qualify someone for membership:
How to get into the Producers Guild of America can be broken down by several criteria: professional experience, references, additional application materials, other eligibility factors and payment.
We mentioned that the type of productions a person has worked on can help to determine PGA membership eligibility. Below is a detailed breakdown by medium of the credits an applicant must have to be considered for Producers Guild membership.
Keep in mind that for feature films, these credits must have been received within seven (7) years of applying for Producers Guild membership. For all other mediums, the credits must have been received within five (5) years.
Applicants must have at least two (2) feature films that qualify according to these stipulations:
For a complete list of qualifying platforms and festivals, click here.
Note: Direct-to-consumer, transactional video-on-demand, or non-curated distribution platforms are not considered qualifying forms of distribution. Films distributed on combination direct-to-consumer/curated platforms, such as Amazon or Google Play, must be evidenced as part of their curated subscription platform.
Applicants must have at least five (5) short films that qualify according to these stipulations:
For a complete list of qualifying platforms and festivals, click here.
Applicants must have at least thirteen (13) episodes of episodic television that qualify according to these stipulations:
Episodic television includes scripted series or major reality, documentary, and non-fiction shows.
Applicants must have at least one-hundred (100) episodes of non-episodic television that qualify according to these stipulations:
Non-episodic television includes clip, countdown, game, infotainment, news magazine and talk shows.
Applicants must have at least two (2) long-form television programs that qualify according to these stipulations:
Long-form television includes major specials, miniseries and movies-of-the-week.
The following breaks down the requirements to qualify for PGA membership for broadband only new media:
Applicants must have at least two (2) new media projects that qualify according to these stipulations:
Distribution through DVD/Blu-ray, game console/PC or mobile phone/tablet/wireless device of branded content, branded entertainment productions, digitally-enabled interactive storytelling productions, special venue productions, transmedia productions or video game productions.
The inclusion of references is a mandatory part of the Producers Guild membership application. Applicants must submit a total of three (3) references; references must have direct knowledge of the applicant’s production experience and should have worked with or supervised the applicant, or have a significant professional relationship with them in the past.
References are not limited to peers within the producing profession. Applicants can use other "high level" personnel from the production (e.g. director, editor, etc.) to provide verification of work performed. Listing references that can comment on your experience and your production work significantly speeds up the application process.
Any individual serving in a representative capacity or is employed by the applicant, cannot serve as a reference (e.g. agent, manager, entertainment attorney, etc.)
Other required components of the Producers Guild membership application are the applicant’s resume and biography. These documents allow individuals to communicate any aspect about their work not covered in other areas of their application and will assist the Guild in arriving at a determination.
In short, applicants should not overlook the importance of these materials.
Under certain circumstances, some individuals may automatically qualify for Producers Guild membership.
Should they apply within two (2) years of it, those who have received a nomination in a certain producing category for the Oscars or the Producers Guild Awards can receive automatic membership. However, ahead of applying for Producers Guild membership, interested individuals should contact the PGA to confirm that their specific nomination qualifies them.
The Producers Mark can also provide automatic qualification for Producers Guild membership. Indicated by the lowercase letters “p.g.a.” after an individual’s name in the screen credits of a film,“the Mark” is a certification granted to those who perform a majority of the producing functions on a specific feature film. To receive the Producers Mark, potentially eligible producers must request it through a formal submission process and offer supporting evidence of their work.
Any producer with Producers Marks on at least two (2) films with qualifying distribution automatically qualifies for Producers Guild Membership.
The final part of the Producers Guild membership application process is payment, which consists of the application fee ($50 USD), initiation fee ($600 USD), and annual dues ($400 USD).
With Producers Guild membership, individuals are placed into one of three councils: the Producers Council, the Associate Producers Council (AP Council), or the New Media Council (NMC). Think of the councils as PGA sub-groups.
Placement into this PGA membership structure is determined by three (3) factors: member title, the member’s career experience or career intentions, and the recommendation of the Membership Committee.
For placement into the Producers Council, individuals must have primary producing responsibilities for the entirety of a project. Positions that typically are part of the Producers Council include:
PGA members normally placed in the AP Council are individuals with the following positions:
Like those placed in the Producers Councils, PGA members who are part of the New Media Council must have primary producing responsibilities for the entirety of a project.
However, as with Producers Guild membership eligibility, placement in the NMC is likewise dependent upon the new media platform. The following details both the positions and corresponding platforms that determine New Media Council placement:
While the process of getting Producers Guild of America membership can be extensive, the benefits are worth it–and we’re not just talking about screeners!
One of the Producers Guild’s main objectives is to get and keep its members working. As such, it provides access to:
Outside of employment opportunities, Producers Guild benefits also include access to health insurance options, including employer-paid medical and dental coverage through the Motion Picture and Television Industry Plan those who are eligible.
Producers Guild membership provides general benefits as well, including:
So that it can continue to provide Producers Guild benefits, the PGA does have yearly Producers Guild of America membership dues.
Dues are $400 for all members.
Member or not, all individuals wanting to contact the PGA can reach out through the main Producers Guild of America phone number: 310-358-9020.
With their Producers Guild login, members may also look up their profile information and access other Producers Guild benefits not available through the general public part of the website. Those interested in becoming a Producers Guild of America volunteer may also call the above number or reach the PGA via email at info@producersguild.org for more information.
Having a Producers Guild membership is a great way to reap the benefits for years of hard work. But whether you're already a member or hope to be one soon, take advantage of other resources in the here and now. Next up, we get into the key release forms every producer just gotta have.
To join the Producers Guild of America, you need to meet five key requirements: professional experience, references, application materials, eligibility factors, and payment.
Your past work on specific productions plays a big role in qualifying for PGA membership. Each of these factors helps determine if you're eligible to join.
You may qualify for automatic PGA membership if you've been nominated for an Oscar or a Producers Guild Award in a producing category in the last two years. Just make sure to apply within that two-year window to stay eligible. Certain conditions may apply, so don't miss the deadline.
At Wrapbook, we pride ourselves on providing outstanding free resources to producers and their crews, but this post is for informational purposes only as of the date above. The content on our website is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal, accounting, or tax advice. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances.
Anna Keizer originally hails from the Chicagoland area. After receiving her B.A. in Film/Video from Columbia College Chicago, she moved to California and finished her M.A. in Film Studies from Chapman University. She has also graduated from UCLA’s Writing for Television Professional Program and is currently in post-production on the short She Had It Coming, which she wrote and is executive producing.
