Film Unions and Guilds: Who’s Who in the Industry
Thirteen unions. Over 500,000 members. Each one with different rules about how names appear on screen — and real penalties when you get it wrong.
The American film industry runs on organized labor. Every major studio production operates under collective bargaining agreements with multiple unions and guilds simultaneously, each governing different crafts, different pay scales, and — critically for post-production — different credit requirements.
This guide maps the entire landscape: which organizations represent which roles, what they negotiate, how their rules affect your end credits, and what happens when you don’t comply. Whether you’re a producer navigating your first union shoot or a crew member deciding when to join, this is the reference you’ll keep coming back to.
It’s part of our Guild Compliance series, which covers credit rules for every major entertainment union in detail.
What are film unions and guilds?
Unions vs. Guilds: What’s the Difference?
In practice, very little. Both are labor organizations that negotiate wages, working conditions, and benefits on behalf of their members. The technical distinction:
- Unions (like IATSE and the Teamsters) represent employees — workers hired by a production company and paid hourly or weekly wages.
- Guilds (like SAG-AFTRA, the DGA, and the WGA) historically represent independent contractors — talent engaged for specific creative contributions under negotiated deal terms.
The line has blurred significantly. SAG-AFTRA members are classified as employees in most contexts. The DGA negotiates wages and overtime like any union. The distinction today is mostly historical — inherited from how each organization was founded, not from meaningful structural differences.
What matters for producers: every organization on this page negotiates binding agreements with the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers), and every one of those agreements contains provisions about screen credits.
Union film industry overview
The Major Film Unions and Guilds
The American film industry has six primary labor organizations that cover virtually every role on a production. Together, they represent over half a million workers.
| Organization | Members | Covers | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAG-AFTRA | 160,000+ | Actors, voiceover, stunt performers, broadcasters | 1933 (SAG) / 2012 (merger) |
| IATSE | 170,000+ | Below-the-line crew across 360+ Locals | 1893 |
| DGA | 19,500+ | Directors, ADs, UPMs, stage managers | 1936 |
| WGA | 32,000+ | Screenwriters, TV writers, showrunners | 1933 (West) / 1954 (East) |
| Teamsters Local 399 | ~6,500 | Drivers, location managers, animal trainers, casting | 1903 |
| AFM | 70,000+ | Musicians, composers, orchestrators | 1896 |
Beyond these six, several professional organizations — the PGA, ASC, ACE, and others — function as industry guilds without formal collective bargaining power. They still influence credit standards and professional recognition.
What is SAG-AFTRA?
SAG-AFTRA: The Screen Actors Guild–AFTRA
SAG-AFTRA represents performers across film, television, commercials, new media, music videos, video games, and broadcast journalism. The organization formed in 2012 when the Screen Actors Guild (founded 1933) merged with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
Who they represent:
- Principal actors and supporting cast
- Background performers (extras)
- Stunt performers and stunt coordinators
- Voiceover artists and voice actors
- Singers and dancers
- Broadcast journalists and news anchors
What they negotiate:
- Minimum daily and weekly rates (scale)
- Residuals — payments when content is re-aired, streamed, or distributed on new platforms
- Working conditions — maximum hours, meal breaks, safe working conditions for stunts
- Health insurance and pension contributions
Membership: ~160,000 members. Initiation fee is $3,000 nationally (may vary by local), plus semi-annual dues based on earnings. The most common path in: earn three SAG vouchers on union productions while working as a non-union background performer, or get Taft-Hartley’d (hired directly for a principal role by a union signatory).
For complete details on how SAG-AFTRA rules affect your credits, see our dedicated SAG-AFTRA compliance guide.
What is IATSE?
IATSE: The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees
IATSE is the largest below-the-line union in entertainment — and the most complex. With over 360 Locals organized by craft and geography, it covers virtually every technical and artistic role behind the camera.
Who they represent:
- Camera operators, focus pullers, DITs (Local 600)
- Editors, assistant editors (Local 700)
- Art directors, scenic artists, set designers (Local 800)
- Grips, set lighting technicians (Locals 80, 728)
- Costumers, makeup artists, hair stylists (Locals 705, 706)
- Props, set decorators (Locals 44)
- Sound technicians, projectionists
- VFX artists, animators (Local 839 — The Animation Guild)
- Script supervisors, production coordinators
Key IATSE Locals for film production:
| Local | Craft | Coverage Area |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | Props, special effects, greenspeople | West Coast |
| 80 | Grips | West Coast |
| 600 | Cinematographers, camera operators, still photographers | National |
| 700 | Editors, sound editors, story analysts | National |
| 706 | Makeup artists, hair stylists | West Coast |
| 728 | Set lighting technicians (electricians) | West Coast |
| 800 | Art directors, illustrators, matte artists | National |
| 839 | Animation workers (The Animation Guild) | National |
| 871 | Script supervisors, continuity coordinators | West Coast |
What makes IATSE different: The turnaround rule. After years of 18-hour shoot days, IATSE negotiated mandatory rest periods between shifts — typically 10 hours for daily hires and 54 hours over the weekend. This was a landmark safety achievement, and violations carry automatic penalties.
Membership: Joining IATSE means joining a specific Local. Initiation fees range from ~$3,000 (smaller Locals) to ~$10,000 (Local 600, camera). Most Locals require 100+ days of non-union work or completion of a qualified training program. The Industry Experience Roster (IER) serves as the gatekeeper in western states — you accumulate qualifying days, then apply.
“When I joined IATSE as an assistant editor my rate doubled. The health insurance is great and free.” — r/FilmIndustryLA
What is the DGA?
DGA: The Directors Guild of America
The DGA has the most specific and enforceable credit rules of any entertainment labor organization. Founded in 1936, it represents the creative leadership of film and television productions.
Who they represent:
- Directors
- First Assistant Directors (1st ADs)
- Second Assistant Directors (2nd ADs)
- Unit Production Managers (UPMs)
- Stage managers (in television)
- Associate directors (in live broadcast)
What they negotiate:
- Minimum compensation for each category
- Creative rights — the director’s right to a first cut, to be consulted on editing, and to supervise post-production
- Credit placement with exacting precision
- Residuals for directors on all distribution platforms
- The “possessory credit” — the “A Film By” credit, which must be individually negotiated and approved
Why DGA credit rules matter most: The DGA Basic Agreement specifies exactly where director and AD credits must appear — in what order, with what minimum display time, and in relation to which other credits. The UPM credit must appear at the top of the end credits crawl. The director credit must be the last credit before the picture starts (in opening titles) or the first individual credit in the end crawl. Violations trigger mandatory arbitration.
Membership: ~19,500 members. The DGA qualification list requires a specific number of days working in DGA-covered categories. Joining too early is risky — the DGA prohibits members from accepting non-union work, which can limit opportunities for directors still building their careers.
What is the WGA?
WGA: The Writers Guild of America
The WGA operates as two separate organizations — WGA West (Los Angeles) and WGA East (New York) — that share a single collective bargaining agreement. Together, they represent over 32,000 screenwriters, TV writers, and showrunners.
Who they represent:
- Screenwriters (theatrical films)
- Television writers and showrunners
- Writers for streaming/new media
- News writers and editors (WGA East)
- Nonfiction/reality writers (limited)
The 2023 strike and its aftermath: The WGA’s 148-day strike in 2023 — the longest since 1960 — resulted in significant gains around streaming residuals, staffing minimums for TV writers’ rooms, and AI protections. The new contract requires studios to disclose when AI has been used in source material and prohibits requiring writers to use AI tools.
Credit arbitration — unique to the WGA: The WGA is the only entertainment union with a formal credit arbitration process. When multiple writers work on a screenplay, the WGA determines who gets “Screenplay By,” “Written By,” and “Story By” credit through a confidential peer-review process. These credits aren’t just vanity — they determine residual payments and award eligibility. Productions cannot award writing credits without WGA approval on signatory projects.
Key credit distinctions the WGA governs:
- “Written By” — sole credit for both story and screenplay
- “Screenplay By” — adapted from another writer’s story
- “Story By” — original story credit when screenplay was written by someone else
- “Screen Story By” — story derived from previously produced material
- ”& ” vs. “and” — an ampersand (&) means a writing team; “and” separates individual writers
That ampersand rule is one of the most frequently misunderstood credits conventions in the industry. Getting it wrong in your end credits signals to every writer watching that your production doesn’t know what it’s doing.
What are the Teamsters?
Teamsters Local 399: Transportation, Locations, and Casting
Teamsters Local 399 is a Hollywood-specific chapter of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. They cover roles that most people don’t associate with labor unions — but that are essential to every production.
Who they represent:
- Drivers (picture cars, equipment trucks, talent transportation)
- Transportation captains and coordinators
- Location managers and scouts
- Casting directors and associates
- Animal trainers and wranglers
- Dispatchers
Membership: ~6,500 members. Local 399 has its own qualification process, typically requiring sponsorship from a current member and demonstrated work experience.
Credit implications: Transportation and location credits appear in the end credits crawl within their respective departments. There are no strict guild-mandated formats, but industry convention dictates the Transportation Captain appears before individual drivers, and the Location Manager appears before scouts and assistants.
What is the AFM?
AFM: The American Federation of Musicians
The AFM represents instrumental musicians who perform on film and television soundtracks. If your production uses live recorded music — orchestral scores, studio sessions, any performed instrumentation — AFM rules apply.
Who they represent:
- Session musicians (orchestral, studio, solo)
- Orchestrators and copyists
- Conductors and music contractors
- Electronic musicians on union sessions
What they negotiate:
- Session rates for recording and re-use
- New Use payments when scores are reissued on soundtracks or new formats
- Pension and health contributions per session
- Residuals on streaming and syndication
Credit implications: The AFM doesn’t mandate specific credit formats with the same specificity as the DGA or WGA, but union musicians must be credited. The convention is listing musicians under a “Music” or “Orchestra” department in the end crawl. On large-budget features, individual musician credits are standard; on smaller productions, a collective credit (“Music performed by the [studio orchestra name]”) may satisfy the agreement.
Film unions and guilds list
Professional Organizations That Aren’t Unions
Several influential organizations in the film industry are not labor unions — they don’t negotiate collective bargaining agreements or set minimum wages. But they carry significant weight in professional recognition, credit standards, and industry access.
| Organization | Full Name | What They Do |
|---|---|---|
| PGA | Producers Guild of America | Professional association for producers; administers the “Produced By” credit mark |
| ASC | American Society of Cinematographers | Honorary society; invitation-only; members use “ASC” after their name in credits |
| ACE | American Cinema Editors | Honorary society for editors; “ACE” designation in credits |
| CDG | Costume Designers Guild (IATSE Local 892) | Hybrid — a guild within IATSE that also operates as a professional society |
| ADG | Art Directors Guild (IATSE Local 800) | Same hybrid structure as CDG |
| SMPTE | Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers | Technical standards body — no individual credit implications |
| AMPTP | Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers | The employer-side negotiator; represents 350+ production companies in labor negotiations |
The PGA’s “Produced By” credit mark deserves special attention. The PGA doesn’t negotiate wages, but it administers a certification process that determines who earns the “p.g.a.” mark after their name in credits. This mark indicates the producer performed a specific set of creative functions — it’s not automatic for anyone with a “Producer” title. The mark appears in end credits as part of the individual’s credit line: “Produced by JANE DOE, p.g.a.”
How to join a film union
Union Membership: Paths, Costs, and Timing
Joining a union is a career milestone — but timing matters more than most newcomers realize. Join too early and you’ll lose access to non-union work (which may be your primary income). Join too late and you’re leaving money, benefits, and protections on the table.
General paths into union membership:
- Accumulate qualifying days — most IATSE Locals require 100+ days of non-union work in the craft you’re joining. SAG-AFTRA requires three union vouchers or a Taft-Hartley hire.
- Training programs — some IATSE Locals accept completion of approved training programs (e.g., Hollywood CPR at West LA College for Local 44).
- Roster/list system — the Industry Experience Roster (IER) for western IATSE Locals, the open availability list for DGA.
- Taft-Hartley — a producer hires you for a union-covered role on a signatory production, filing paperwork that grants you union eligibility. Common for SAG-AFTRA and some IATSE Locals.
Initiation costs by organization:
| Organization | Initiation Fee | Annual/Semi-Annual Dues |
|---|---|---|
| SAG-AFTRA | $3,000 | Based on earnings (1.558% of covered earnings) |
| IATSE Local 600 (Camera) | ~$10,000 | Varies by Local |
| IATSE Local 700 (Editors) | ~$5,000 | Varies by Local |
| IATSE Local 728 (Electricians) | ~$7,000 | Varies by Local |
| DGA | ~$20,500 | Semi-annual, based on earnings |
| WGA West | $2,500 | 1.5% of covered earnings |
“I think about this a lot. Do I want to pay eighteen thousand dollars to join? Or do I want to be able to live my life for the next 10 months.” — r/FilmIndustryLA
When to join — the professional consensus: “If you’re in a place with your career where there’s frequent enough opportunities for union work that you’re literally turning down because you’re not a member, you should definitely join.” Wait until the math makes sense — until union job availability in your craft exceeds what you’d lose by giving up non-union work.
The financial reality after joining:
- Pre-union income in craft roles: $30,000–$40,000/year (commonly reported)
- Post-union income in the same roles: $120,000–$150,000/year
- Health insurance and pension described as “priceless” and “second to none” by working members
“Working in props and set dec my annual income went from about 35k a year doing non-union to making up to 120k a year.” — r/FilmIndustryLA
Union vs non-union film production
Union vs. Non-Union: What Changes on Set
The decision to sign with unions fundamentally changes how a production operates — from budgeting through post-production.
Union productions must:
- Pay minimum rates (scale) for every union-covered role
- Contribute to health and pension funds per worker per day
- Follow turnaround rules (minimum rest between shifts)
- Comply with overtime rules and meal penalty provisions
- Credit union members according to each organization’s requirements
- Display union/guild logos in end credits
Non-union productions:
- Set their own rates (subject to state labor law minimums)
- No required contributions to external benefit funds
- No mandatory turnaround periods (though state OSHA rules apply)
- No union credit or logo requirements
- Greater flexibility in crew arrangements — but also greater risk of exploitation
The “flip” risk: If a non-union production hires enough union members, the relevant union can “flip” the production to union status — requiring retroactive compliance with all union terms, including back pay differentials and benefit contributions. This is especially common with SAG-AFTRA and IATSE. Productions operating near the line should consult a labor attorney before hiring.
Low-budget union agreements: Every major union offers tiered agreements for independent and low-budget productions:
- SAG-AFTRA: Ultra Low Budget (under $250K), Modified Low Budget ($250K–$700K), Low Budget ($700K–$2.5M)
- DGA: Low Budget (under $6.5M), Ultra Low Budget (under $1.25M)
- WGA: Low Budget Agreement for films under $1.5M
- IATSE: Area Standards Agreements negotiated by individual Locals
These tiered agreements reduce minimum rates and contribution requirements, making union compliance accessible for indie productions.
“Minimum wage is $17.87 in LA right now. For 12 hours, your minimum is $250.18. $200/12 is an illegal rate.” — r/FilmIndustryLA on non-union PA rates
Union credit requirements film
How Film Unions Affect End Credits
This is where it gets specific — and where most “film unions overview” articles stop. Each union has different rules about how credited names must appear on screen. Some are contractually mandated and enforceable. Others are industry convention so strong they function as rules.
The hierarchy of credit obligations:
| Level | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Contractual mandate | Spelled out in the CBA; violations trigger arbitration or fines | DGA director/AD placement, WGA writing credit format, SAG-AFTRA logo placement |
| Negotiated individual deal | Agreed in the performer’s or key creative’s contract | Above-the-line billing position, card size, “A Film By” credit |
| Industry convention | Not in any CBA but universally expected | Department ordering in end crawl, head-of-department credit before team |
| Courtesy | Nice to have, no enforcement mechanism | Individual musician credits, additional crew acknowledgments |
DGA — the most prescriptive credit rules:
- The director’s credit must be the last credit before the start of the picture (in opening titles) or the first individual credit in the end credits
- The UPM credit must appear first in the end credits crawl
- 1st AD and 2nd AD credits have specified placement within the crawl
- Minimum display duration per credit card
- “Directed By” is the standard form; “A Film By” (possessory credit) requires separate negotiation and DGA approval
WGA — formal credit arbitration:
- The WGA determines all writing credits on signatory productions through arbitration
- Productions cannot assign writing credits without WGA approval
- The ampersand (&) means a writing team; “and” separates individual writers
- Credit forms (“Screenplay By,” “Written By,” “Story By”) carry specific legal meanings and residual implications
SAG-AFTRA — fewer rules, real penalties:
- Most billing terms (position, card type) are individually negotiated, not guild-mandated
- Cast must be credited (principals by name, background by collective credit or individually)
- Credit scroll must be legible — minimum font size relative to screen, minimum display duration
- The SAG-AFTRA logo must appear in end credits; omission violates the agreement
- Violations can trigger arbitration, financial damages, and correction of all prints
IATSE — convention over mandate:
- No guild-wide credit format requirements in the CBA
- Individual Locals may have specific provisions
- Industry convention governs: department heads before their teams, departments in rough production-workflow order
- Union fines can result from failing to credit union members, even without explicit CBA language
Union and guild logos: Every union signatory agreement requires the organization’s logo to appear in end credits. These typically appear as a “logo block” — a dedicated section after the crew crawl containing DGA, WGA, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, Teamsters, and AFM logos as applicable. Missing a logo is one of the most common compliance violations, and one of the easiest to avoid.
Rules current as of 2026. Verify with each guild for your specific production type and budget tier.
Film union strikes and recent changes
The 2023 Strikes and What Changed
The 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes reshaped the industry’s labor landscape. Combined, they shut down Hollywood for the better part of a year — the longest work stoppage since the 1960 SAG strike that gave actors TV residuals.
WGA strike (May–September 2023, 148 days):
- Won streaming residuals tied to viewership performance
- Secured staffing minimums for TV writers’ rooms
- AI protections: studios must disclose AI-generated source material; writers can’t be required to use AI tools; AI output can’t be credited as “literary material” under the MBA
SAG-AFTRA strike (July–November 2023, 118 days):
- Won increased streaming bonuses and residuals
- AI protections: digital replicas require informed consent and compensation; AI-generated performances require negotiated agreements
- Background performer protections against digital scanning and reuse
IATSE 2024 contract:
- 7% wage increase over three years
- Improved streaming residual contributions to health and pension funds
- Better enforcement of turnaround rules
“Best contract in years. A lot of the old timers are saying best contract they’ve seen in a long time.” — r/FilmIndustryLA on the 2024 IATSE agreement
The broader picture: studios accepted improved terms partly because the industry is using fewer workers overall. As one Reddit commenter put it: “They gave in to new better contracts because the play is to give people better terms but use fewer employees.” The structural shift to streaming, international production, and — eventually — AI tools means fewer jobs even as per-job terms improve.
International film unions
Film Unions Outside the United States
If your production shoots internationally — or distributes globally — you may encounter these organizations:
| Country | Organization | Equivalent To |
|---|---|---|
| UK | BECTU (Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union) | IATSE (crew) |
| UK | Equity | SAG-AFTRA (performers) |
| Canada | DGC (Directors Guild of Canada) | DGA |
| Canada | ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) | SAG-AFTRA |
| Canada | IATSE (Canadian Locals) | Same organization, different Locals |
| Australia | MEAA (Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance) | Combined SAG-AFTRA + IATSE |
| France | SRF (Société des Réalisateurs de Films) | DGA (advisory) |
International co-productions often must satisfy credit requirements from multiple jurisdictions simultaneously. A US-Canada co-production, for example, may need to comply with both DGA and DGC credit rules — which can conflict on placement and format.
Film union compliance checklist
Producer’s Compliance Checklist: Before Final Delivery
Use this checklist before locking your final credit sequence:
- DGA credits: Director placement correct (last in opening or first in end)? UPM first in crawl? AD credits present? Minimum display duration met?
- WGA credits: Writing credits approved by WGA arbitration? Correct use of ”&” vs. “and”? Proper credit form (“Screenplay By” vs. “Written By”)?
- SAG-AFTRA credits: All principal cast credited? Credit scroll legible at intended display size? Minimum scroll speed met?
- IATSE credits: All union crew members listed? Department heads credited before their teams? Departments in conventional order?
- AFM credits: All session musicians credited per agreement? Music contractor and conductor listed?
- Logo block: All applicable guild/union logos present? Logos use current, approved artwork?
- Low-budget provisions: If using a tiered agreement, are credit requirements different from the standard CBA? Verify with each union.
- International: If co-production, do credits satisfy all jurisdictional requirements?
Missing even one of these items can trigger a grievance after delivery — and fixing credits post-release means reprinting DCPs, re-authoring streaming masters, and updating all promotional materials. Get it right the first time.
Create guild-compliant credits automatically with EndCreditsPro — our templates include pre-configured credit ordering, logo placement, and format standards for every major union agreement.
Sources and further reading
Official Union Websites and Resources
- SAG-AFTRA — Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
- IATSE — International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees
- DGA — Directors Guild of America
- WGA West — Writers Guild of America, West
- WGA East — Writers Guild of America, East
- Teamsters Local 399 — Hollywood Teamsters
- AFM — American Federation of Musicians
- PGA — Producers Guild of America
- ASC — American Society of Cinematographers
- AMPTP — Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
Related Guides
- SAG-AFTRA Credit Requirements: Complete Compliance Guide — detailed breakdown of performer credit rules
- Film Credits Format and Order Guide — how to structure your entire credit sequence
- Associate Producer — one of the most common above-the-line credits questions
- Gaffer — understanding key below-the-line credit conventions
Rules and membership figures current as of April 2026. Union agreements are renegotiated periodically — verify with each organization for your specific production type, budget, and distribution plan.