Communication Studies and Language Communication Studies

Negotiate Scriptwriting Contracts Training

SAQA US 117967 | NQF 7 | Credits 5 | Duration 2 Days
From $832 per delegate

Description

This course equips learners with the skills to negotiate scriptwriting contracts effectively within the South African media and entertainment industry. Participants will gain a thorough understanding of contract law fundamentals, intellectual property rights, and negotiation strategies specific to scriptwriting. The course aims to enhance professional practice by enabling learners to secure fair terms and protect their creative and financial interests.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply knowledge of contract law and intellectual property rights to evaluate scriptwriting contract terms.
  • Analyze negotiation scenarios to identify interests, options, and leverage points.
  • Evaluate proposed contract clauses to ensure alignment with industry standards and legal requirements.
  • Design a negotiation strategy that balances creative integrity with commercial viability.
  • Implement effective communication and persuasion techniques during contract discussions.
  • Demonstrate the ability to finalise and document agreed terms in a legally binding contract.

Target Audience

Scriptwriters, content creators, freelance writers, and media professionals who engage in contract negotiations for scriptwriting projects. This course is also suitable for agents, producers, and anyone involved in commissioning or acquiring scriptwriting services.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment.

Course Outline

Day 1: Foundations of Scriptwriting Contracts and Negotiation

Objectives:
• Understand the legal framework of scriptwriting contracts in the South African context.
• Identify key clauses and terms commonly found in scriptwriting agreements.
• Apply basic negotiation principles to scriptwriting contract discussions.
• Recognise the role of intellectual property rights in scriptwriting.
• Develop strategies for effective communication during negotiations.

Topics:
• Overview of contract law applicable to scriptwriting.
• Key elements of a scriptwriting contract: scope, deliverables, payment terms.
• Introduction to negotiation theory: positions vs interests.
• Intellectual property rights: copyright, moral rights, and licensing.
• Practical exercise: analysing a standard scriptwriting contract.
• Communication skills for negotiators: active listening and questioning.
• Ethics in negotiation and contract formation.

Day 2: Advanced Negotiation Tactics and Contract Finalisation

Objectives:
• Apply advanced negotiation techniques such as BATNA and anchoring.
• Draft and modify contract clauses to protect creative and financial interests.
• Resolve common disputes and deadlocks in scriptwriting negotiations.
• Finalise a scriptwriting contract through a simulated negotiation.
• Evaluate contract terms for fairness and compliance with SAQA standards.

Topics:
• Advanced negotiation tactics: BATNA, ZOPA, and value creation.
• Drafting and redlining contract clauses: payment schedules, credit, termination.
• Handling difficult negotiations: impasse resolution and concessions.
• Simulated negotiation exercise: negotiating a scriptwriting contract.
• Reviewing and finalising contract documents.
• Post-negotiation best practices: documentation and follow-up.
• Case studies of successful scriptwriting contract negotiations in South Africa.

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Thu 10 Sep 2026 Fri 11 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $832 Register
Mon 28 Sep 2026 Tue 29 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $832 Register
Tue 20 Oct 2026 Wed 21 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $832 Register
Thu 10 Dec 2026 Fri 11 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $832 Register
Mon 11 Jan 2027 Tue 12 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $832 Register
Tue 16 Feb 2027 Wed 17 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $832 Register
Wed 03 Mar 2027 Thu 04 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $832 Register
Thu 11 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $832 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Tue 16 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $832 Register
Tue 08 Jun 2027 Wed 09 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $832 Register
Wed 30 Jun 2027 Thu 01 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $832 Register
Thu 22 Jul 2027 Fri 23 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $832 Register
Mon 06 Sep 2027 Tue 07 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $832 Register
Tue 28 Sep 2027 Wed 29 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $832 Register
Wed 20 Oct 2027 Thu 21 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $832 Register
Thu 09 Dec 2027 Fri 10 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $832 Register
Mon 27 Dec 2027 Tue 28 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $832 Register
Tue 18 Jan 2028 Wed 19 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $832 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 492 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Tue 11 Aug 2026 Abu Dhabi, UAE Winter 2026 $4,217 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Tue 11 Aug 2026 Dubai, UAE Winter 2026 $4,217 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Tue 11 Aug 2026 Mauritius Winter 2026 $2,813 Register
Wed 12 Aug 2026 Thu 13 Aug 2026 Cape Town, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,057 Register
Wed 12 Aug 2026 Thu 13 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,247 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 14 Sep 2026 Tue 15 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,080 Register
Tue 06 Oct 2026 Wed 07 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,080 Register
Wed 28 Oct 2026 Thu 29 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,080 Register
Mon 14 Dec 2026 Tue 15 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,080 Register
Tue 19 Jan 2027 Wed 20 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,080 Register
Wed 24 Feb 2027 Thu 25 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,080 Register
Thu 11 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,080 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Tue 16 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,080 Register
Tue 23 Mar 2027 Wed 24 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,080 Register
Wed 16 Jun 2027 Thu 17 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,080 Register
Thu 08 Jul 2027 Fri 09 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,080 Register
Mon 26 Jul 2027 Tue 27 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,080 Register
Tue 14 Sep 2027 Wed 15 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,080 Register
Wed 06 Oct 2027 Thu 07 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,080 Register
Thu 28 Oct 2027 Fri 29 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,080 Register
Mon 13 Dec 2027 Tue 14 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,080 Register
Tue 04 Jan 2028 Wed 05 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,080 Register
Wed 26 Jan 2028 Thu 27 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,080 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

View Sessions & Register Get A Quote Download Course Brochure
Have an account?

Sign in to track your applications and manage your cart.

Related Courses

Other Communication Studies and Language courses at NQF level 7 learners on this page also viewed.

Browse the full Communication Studies and Language category for communication studies and language training programmes.
GET A QUOTE / APPLY COURSE CATALOGUE