U.K. Directors Confront Streamers Over ‘Slow Pace’ of Royalties Talks

Directors from some of the U.K.’s top shows have called on the streaming platforms to agree a deal on royalties.

Among those who have signed the letter are directors Saul Metzstein, James Hawes and Jeremy Lovering from Apple TV‘s “Slow Horses,” “Black Mirror” helmers Sam Miller, John Crowley and Colm McCarthy, “The Crown’s” Sam Donovan, Erik Richter Strand and Jessica Hobbs as well as “Rivals” director Dee Koppang o’Leary plus Ben Palmer, who directed “The Inbetweeners” and “The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.”

The letter, organized by our copyright management organization Directors U.K., says: “behind every programme you commission is a director whose creativity, craft and vision are integral to that success. You know the value we directors bring – now we need you to show it.”

It goes on to explain that U.K. public service broadcasters plus Comcast-owned Sky contribute to a royalties scheme allowing directors to be paid for repeat showings and sales. “While the ongoing payments made under this scheme are modest by anyone’s standards, they can be a crucial source of income in the highly precarious world in which we directors operate,” the letter says.

It notes, however, that the streamers have not signed up to any form of royalties scheme in the decade they have been operating in the U.K. “This is despite the fact that we are legally one of the original owners of the copyright in the programmes we direct for these companies,” the letter says, pointing out Directors U.K. has been trying for some time to negotiate with them.

“We want to send a clear message to you all: royalties are a lifeblood for directors, however successful we may be at some point in our careers,” it continues.

Variety has contacted Apple TV, Disney+, Netflix and Prime Video for comment.

Read the full letter below and see the list of signatories here:

The global streaming services enjoy huge success, critically and commercially, and your catalogues are enjoyed by audiences around the world. But behind every programme you commission is a director whose creativity, craft and vision are integral to that success. You know the value we directors bring – now we need you to show it.

For over 25 years, all the UK’s public service broadcasters plus Sky have contributed, along with their production partners, to a scheme which allows directors of UK television programmes to be paid copyright royalties for repeat showings and sales of the programmes they direct. Before this scheme was established, most UK television directors would be paid once for their services and then never receive a penny, regardless of the ongoing popularity of the programme they created. While the ongoing payments made under this scheme are modest by anyone’s standards, they can be a crucial source of income in the highly precarious world in which we directors operate.

In contrast, your companies, which have been commissioning television programmes in the UK for over 10 years, have still not signed up to any form of royalty or residual scheme for the benefit of UK directors. This is despite the fact that we are legally one of the original owners of the copyright in the programmes we direct for these companies, and despite the best efforts of Directors UK, our copyright management organisation, to engage in negotiations.

While we applaud the investments you make in original UK production, we cannot help but note the contrast between your enthusiastic take up of UK tax incentive schemes and the very slow pace of discussions on an appropriate royalty scheme for UK directors.

We want to send a clear message to you all: royalties are a lifeblood for directors, however successful we may be at some point in our careers.

In the US, and in many countries in Europe and Latin America, practices have evolved to secure ongoing payments for directors – whether through collective bargaining or copyright laws. Please treat us with equal respect, and agree a timetable with Directors UK to conclude negotiations to ensure the future of the directing talent you rely on for your success.