Pilot Deal Guide Dashboard Dashboard

(Updated May 2025)

Using information from approximately one thousand pilot deals made during the term of the 2023 MBA, including those provided by agencies through the franchise agreement, the Guild is releasing a new guide to key pilot compensation terms.

Pilot Compensation Terms Across All Markets

Key compensation terms in pilot deals include pilot script fees and episodic fees in the event the pilot is picked up to series, and series sale bonus compensation. Compared to the 2021 Pilot Deal Guide, median rates for all deal terms have increased, except Series Sale Bonuses which have remained the same.

One-Hour Pilots
	Median	Change vs. 2021	Maximum Reported
Pilot Script	$300,000	+$125,000	$1,175,000
Episodic Fee	$70,000	+$26,250	$250,000
Series Sale Bonus	$25,000	-	$300,000

Half-Hour Pilots
	Median	Change vs. 2021	Maximum Reported
Pilot Script	$250,000	+$100,000	$500,000
Episodic Fee	$62,500	+$25,000	$350,000
Series Sale Bonus	$25,000	-	$100,000

Historically, pilot producing fees were paid at a premium relative to episodic fees, though many deals now contain a single rate for all episodes inclusive of the pilot as the industry has moved away from a pilot production process towards ordering an entire season.

Pilot Compensation Terms for Streamers

Since the last pilot deal guide, streaming has become the dominant market for series television. The median deal points for pilots specifically made for streaming are very similar to the rates across markets, with slightly higher median episodic fees for half-hour pilots.

Streaming One-Hour Pilots
	Median	Change vs. 2021	Maximum Reported
Pilot Script	$300,000	+$100,000	$1,175,000
Episodic Fee	$70,000	+$20,000	$200,000
Series Sale Bonus	$25,000	-	$100,000

Streaming Half-Hour Pilots
	Median	Change vs. 2021	Maximum Reported
Pilot Script	$250,000	+$100,000	$500,000
Episodic Fee	$65,000	+$25,000	$150,000
Series Sale Bonus	$25,000	-	$100,000

If you are making a pilot deal without knowing what network or service might eventually produce the series, consider negotiating higher episodic fees to account for a potentially shorter episode order.

Overscale Span

Hundreds of pilot writers now include overscale span protections in their deals in the form of a specified weekly floor, or a limit on the number of weeks the episodic fees will cover, requiring additional pay for weeks worked beyond a certain threshold (i.e., $20,000 per week after 52 weeks). Writer deals documented in this period have contained rates up to $30,000 per week.

If/Come Deals

Working on an “if/come” basis? Beware the free work traps associated with these deals. An “if/come” agreement gives a company a limited right to obtain financing or generate network interest in a writer’s project without paying an option fee. A company, or producers acting on the company’s behalf, may not ask you to write literary material for potential buyers for free, or for a flat fee that’s less than MBA minimum, even if they tell you it’s “just a pitch.”   

Have you been asked to perform free work in TV development for an if/come deal or another project? Contact Business Representative Chris Milliken.

Below Minimum Rates in Post

Look out for below-minimum terms in your pilot deal paying you $5,000 or $3,500 (or less) a week in post-production if the series gets made. Writers continue to work in post and must be paid MBA minimums and receive pension and health contributions through the duration of their work on a series—not a below-minimum weekly rate without pension and health contributions. The Guild is bringing enforcement actions where this is happening and has reached settlements with studios for MBA minimums, contributions, and interest.

Are you working in post, or have you worked in post, for less than MBA minimum or without P&H contributions? Contact Contracts & Information Analyst Missy Brown.

Additional Resources

Please make sure to check out our other resources for TV writers, including the Weekly Pay Calculator and the Span Guide. These guides can help you and your reps assess what overscale terms you may need to address the amortization of your episodic fee.

Looking for more specific information on pilot deals with a particular studio? Contact the Agency Department.

If you aren’t represented by an agency, please remember to submit your contracts directly to the Guild. As a reminder, WGA Working Rule 3 requires writers to provide the Guild with a copy of all employment, option and purchase contracts no later than one week after receipt of the contract. Aggregated compensation information, as used in this analysis, is extremely valuable to guide members and representatives’ deal-making.