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Did you know that Producers Guild membership stands at more than 7,000 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.
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The Producers Guild of America, or PGA, is a trade association comprising those working in a producing capacity in film, television and new media.
Jennifer Lynne Jorgenson was invited to the PGA after working on hit show, Top Chef. Listen to her experience as a a production assistant for three days before snagging an associate producer role.
Those in the PGA either have to earn enough of credits or, like Jen, get invited.
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.
Of course, eligibility to the Producers Guild does require varying degrees of experience. However, what follows is a list of positions for which the PGA allows Producers Guide membership, according to medium and pending individual eligibility.
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 or platform listed above, it’s worth reaching out to the PGA to see if you may still be eligible for Producers Guild of America membership.
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 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:
An exclusive U.S. theatrical run in at least two (2) cities, one of which with a population of more than one-million people; or Video on Demand (VOD) distribution by a major cable or satellite television provider; or wide commercial DVD/Blu-ray release; or online streaming through an approved digital portal. Films may also screen as an official selection in a major film festival.
Applicants must have at least five (5) short films that qualify according to these stipulations:
Broad theatrical release; or national distribution through streaming video; or national distribution through DVD/Blu-Ray; or the win of a qualifying award at a competitive film festival.
Short films are defined as 40 minutes or less in their entirety.
Applicants must have at least thirteen (13) episodes of episodic television that qualify according to these stipulations:
Broad airing in the U.S. domestic territory; or airing on a major channel with at least one-million verified viewers; or streaming through a major streaming service with at least one-million paid subscribers.
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:
Broad airing in the U.S. domestic territory; or airing on a major channel with at least one-million verified viewers; or streaming through a major streaming service with at least one-million paid subscribers.
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:
Broad airing in the U.S. domestic territory; or airing on a major channel with at least one-million verified viewers; or streaming through a major streaming service with at least one-million paid subscribers.
Long-form television includes major specials, miniseries and movies-of-the-week.
Broad distribution via the broadband extension of a major media network of at least seventy-five (75) short form broadband episodes with a running time between 30 seconds and 19 minutes each; or online distribution via major video-sharing websites and/or curated broadband channels of at least three (3) hours of broadband content consisting of at least two (2) unique programs; or online distribution via major video-sharing websites and/or curated broadband channels of at least two (2) live-streaming/singular events with a running time of at least three (3) hours each; or broad distribution via the broadband extension of a major media network, major video-sharing websites and/or curated broadband channels of at least five (5) broadband projects.
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; one must come from a current PGA member who acts as the applicant’s sponsor and two from other industry references who can testify to the applicant’s production expertise.
Other required components of the Producers Guild membership application are the applicant’s resume and biography. While fairly standard materials, the resume and bio can be highly instrumental in providing the PGA’s Membership Committee with more detailed information about the applicant and help to more easily determine Producers Guild membership.
In short, applicants should not overlook the importance of these materials.
Under certain circumstances, some individuals may qualify for automatic Producers Guild membership.
Should they apply within two (2) years of it, those who have received a producer nomination from either the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences 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. The Producers Mark is typically indicated as “p.g.a.” after an individual’s name in the credits of a film. What that mark demonstrates is that according to the standards of the Producers Guild of America, that person held primary producing responsibilities for the entirety of that project.
The Producers Mark was first introduced in 2012 as a means to acknowledge the individuals who have guided a film through development, production, post-production and beyond. To receive the Producers Mark, potentially eligible producers must request it and offer supporting evidence of their work that’s then evaluated against the PGA’s Producers Code of Credits.
Along with qualifying distribution for the film, any producer with Producers Marks on at least two (2) films can gain automatic Producers Guild Membership.
The final part of the Producers Guild membership application process is payment, which consists of the application fee, initiation fee, and annual dues.
While the application is a flat $50 for all applicants, the initiation fee and annual dues are dependent on how the member is categorized in the PGA membership structure, which is explained in depth below. For individuals who place into the Producers Council, the initiation fee is $725 and annual dues are $425. For those who place into either the Associate Producers Council or New Media Council, the initiation fee is $350 and annual dues are $250.
If the above information indicates that you may not be ready or eligible for a Producers Guild membership, there’s always the opportunity to become a Producers Guild of America volunteer.
A volunteer position can provide qualified individuals with the chance to network, have access to various PGA events and better understand the benefits of the Producers Guild of America until the time comes when membership is attainable.
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. Pending individual eligibility, members can (1) receive employer-paid medical and dental coverage in the Motion Picture and Television Industry Plan or (2) group discount rates for the self-pay Producers Health insurance plan.
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.
For members belonging to the Producers Council, it is a $425 annual fee.
For those belonging to either the AP Council or New Media Council, the Producers Guild of America membership dues are $250. Members should note their individual initiation date upon gaining membership, as it will serve as the date when their Producers Guild of America membership dues must be paid.
Member or not, all individuals wanting to contact the PGA can reach its Los Angeles office 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 one be soon, take advantage of other resources in the here and now. Next up, we get into the key release forms every producers just gotta have.
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.
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