High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! In the United States, screenwriting credit for motion pictures and television programs under its jurisdiction is determined by either the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) or the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW). Since 1941, the Guilds have been the final arbiter of who receives credit for writing a screenplay or original story, or credit for creating the original characters. A production company that signs the Guild Basic Agreement must comply with the Guild rules on screenwriting credits.