A production company I spoke to were happy to give me a 'written by' credit but pooh-poohed 'created by'. They mocked it as simple egomania on the part of writers.
...Or are they trying to put one over on me here? Should a writer insist on a 'created by' credit?
Depends on your ego, yes you technically created it, but frankly I would be happy with a "Written by" credit any day of the week.
I wouldn't.
Not if I had created it. What if it was a big smash hit & someone wanted to do a spin off of it. That would mean you had no rights wouldn't it?
Created by is only used when the show was written by someone else, or - in the case of Hippies - written by one less.
It's not legally binding - unless the contract says it is.
Depends what's in your contract surely, Rosebud? Maybe run it past
the Writers' Guild? Congratulations BTW!
Edit
Looks like SeeFacts beat me to it! Both posting at exactly the same time!
Hi SeeFacts!
Surely 'created by' would refer to an original idea, concept or character.
If this is to what you refer then I'd certainly want a credit for that.
That's if you don't mind! 
Quote: Charley @ April 4 2008, 7:41 PM BSTI wouldn't.
Not if I had created it. What if it was a big smash hit & someone wanted to do a spin off of it. That would mean you had no rights wouldn't it?
You have a point this same thing has happened to Simon Pegg and Spaced, because he basically had to sell his writing soul to write it, he has no rights and now there's going to be a shitty remake of it.
Quote: Paul W @ April 4 2008, 9:08 PM BSTYou have a point this same thing has happened to Simon Pegg and Spaced, because he basically had to sell his writing soul to write it, he has no rights and now there's going to be a shitty remake of it.
That would suggest he didn't read the contract?
He, knowingly or not, signed it away and it's come back and bitten him on his arse.
Thanks, but don't congratulate me yet - nothing has been signed and everything is still up in the air.
Thanks also for the feedback. I don't care about 'billing' or anything like that, but I do want control over the format for exactly that Simon Pegg rip-off malarky reason. Should anything ever come of the project. Chickens before eggs hatched and so forth...
There are rights implications in relation to "Created by" and you'd be well advised to seek proper advice on any contract you may have signed.
As for an ego it's not a crime to want to have correct titles especially if you want to drop it and write something else after! ;-)
But well done and keep it going!!
Hi Guys,
If you come up with an idea, copyright it, and manage to sell it to a broadcaster with 50 percent of the copyright intact (the broadcaster HAS to have 50 percent, but they will try for at least 51 because that gives them full control) then you will be credited as Creator and Writer.
It's not a big deal for starters, BUT if the show is a success it means a hell of alot further down the line.
A production company will tell you it's not a big deal, because it's in their financial interest to do so.
Cheers,
IAn
Ah well there you go. I didn't know there was that much too it, thanks for the explanation guys...
Knowledge is power
If you came up with the show idea, you are the creator. Don't let them pooh pooh you. If you're writing it too, then it's "Created and Written By" that needs to go on the titles. Simple as, surely?
Quote: Perry Nium @ April 4 2008, 10:14 PM BSTIf you came up with the show idea, you are the creator. Don't let them pooh pooh you. If you're writing it too, then it's "Created and Written By" that needs to go on the titles. Simple as, surely?
You'd never have both, it'd be a non-sequiter.
Surely just 'By' would suffice?
The format is created, the script is written. Two different things.The BBC for example are keen on long running/team written shows - which means different writers but usually only one or two format creators.