SPADA and Equity New Zealand reach new actors’ agreement

SPADA and Equity New Zealand are pleased to announce, after three and half years of negotiations, that agreement has been reached on a standard Individual Performance Agreement and Backend Agreement for use on NZ based and funded film and TV drama programs.

The Agreements had additional input from the Actors’ Agents’ Association of NZ, and have been approved for use by all parties.  We look forward to working together to implement and monitor the new arrangements.

These Agreements replace what is commonly referred to in the industry as The Pink Book (The Code of Practice for the Engagement of Cast in the New Zealand Screen Production Industry, 2005).  The Pink Book, negotiated by SPADA, Equity New Zealand, New Zealand Actors’ Agents’ Guild and the Actors’ Agents’ Association of New Zealand, replaced The Guidelines for the Engagement of Cast which was negotiated in 1992 by SPADA’s forerunner, the IPDG and Equity New Zealand.

SPADA will be responsible for issuing the Agreements to producers on a production-by-production basis, and Equity New Zealand members will be able to access the Agreements for review.

The final details regarding the administration of the Agreements are currently being worked through; but so as to allow the Agreements to be utilised while those discussions continue over the next three months SPADA and Equity New Zealand have agreed that the Agreements will be available for use by SPADA members with immediate effect and without charge; and to non-SPADA members subject to the payment of a modest licence fee.

Both SPADA and Equity New Zealand hope to conclude discussions on the administration of the Agreements within three months, with the joint aim of having the Agreements universally employed on all NZ based and funded film and TV drama programs.

While these discussions are taking place neither party will be making any additional comments to media.