I only mention this because it is a fundamental provision that allows the company that hires you to own what they pay you for. And you can drop the phrase in cocktails to impress your friends. Most writers will come up against different types of legal agreements in their careers, but here are my first six. Of course, I know that reading this article is not the same as a law school or hiring an entertainment lawyer, but if you work at showbiz, you will probably come across most of them. Do you really want it to be a surprise? When the time comes, I would like readers to take active steps to protect their interests. Over the past twenty years, the business of selling scripts has become much more difficult. As a result, a “trade deal” is widespread. As the name suggests, it is an agreement between an agent or manager and his client. The agreement allows the agent to act on behalf of the client in a very specific way and to be compensated accordingly. Here is an example agreement as a whole that you can read and understand. (Link to the Film Writers Association Website) As a result, many newer screenwriters begin their careers without any legal agreement of any kind. .