PENULIS mandates fees on proposals, puts an end to “free work”
LAST Friday, Persatuan Penulis Lakon Layar Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor (PENULIS) introduced new charges to ensure its members receive compensation for all proposals written for television and film. In a public announcement on Facebook, PENULIS president Alfie Palermo announced the move as a solution to the mistreatment of local writers, who have never been entitled to fees for proposals requested by content producers.
Under the new rule, producers are to pay no less than RM300 for a telemovie, no less than RM500 for a supertelemovie or drama series, and no less than RM1000 for a film. The fees are separate from the costs of scriptwriting, accessible via PENULIS’s cover letter from last month.
The writer’s association also explained that members cannot be held accountable for rejected proposals. According to PENULIS, producers as businessmen must start accounting for risk of rejection and the opportunity cost of writing a proposal.
Hoping to also curb plagiarism in local filmmaking, members are encouraged to provide copies of emails and sign a non-disclosure agreement with producers.
PENULIS reasserted taking serious action on production houses who defy the new ruling, stating that reports of wrongdoing will be sent out to media, the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS), and authorities. Companies who choose to ignore the charges will also be blacklisted.
The move comes after a long struggle for local writers to improve their occupational standards, still considered well below international levels. On top of having to deal with plagiarism, discrediting and unprofessional working arrangements, Malaysia’s screenwriters are often also given low wages and no royalties.
PENULIS is affiliated with UNI MEI Malaysia, a coordination of seven trade unions and two associations in the local entertainment industry.
For more information on PENULIS, make sure to head over to ! Featured image via LIFO.
I would suggest that PENULIS has a lawyer to represent them and their members…that way every time their writer is backed up/not compensated/breach of contract, legal action can be taken on the said producer and media organization. If this is done, then please ignore this comment
Hi Izan, thanks so much for the comment, we do have a lawyer prepared to work with us in drafting contracts, and for legal representation if and when the need arises. We shall be meeting the Producers union soon to negotiate, and we are meeting Finas soon to table a proposal which will not only be beneficial for writer’s rights, but in the long run beneficial for the entire industry as a whole, and most importantly for our audiences whom we feel have been shortchanged by mediocre product stemming from a long-toxic work ecosystem. God willing:)