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All good and well, but still there are some "gray areas"...

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Quoting Tracer:

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Quoting Berak:

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All good and well, but still there are some "gray areas"...

There are no gray areas, as far as DVD profiler is concerned "Story by" is Original Material By, regardless of why the Story was written.

Why do you think there are no grey areas? The credit "story by" isn't mentioned in the rules at all.
What about stories that are written for the screen? The notes for OMB credits say it is to be used when "Adapted from another medium".
So it's more accurate to use a "writer" credit in those circumstances.

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But that's the grey area - a story can be an "original screenplay" if it's written for the screen.
The script itself can still be written by someone else.
And I always thought that "adapted from another medium" meant that the work had to have been previously published - is that no longer the case? I've noticed that the examples (book, poem etc.) are now missing from the rules.

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I don't think I explained myself properly.
What I meant was that sometimes the credit "story by" can refer to the screenplay, and the credit "written by" will refer to the script. In those cases, isn't it right to give the "story by" a "writer" credit and the "written by" a "screenwriter" credit?

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Screen Credits Manual

III. Guild Policy on Credits

A. DEFINITIONS

1. Writer

The term "writer" is defined in the Minimum Basic Agreement. In general, the term "writer" means a person employed by a Company to write literary material or a person from whom a Company purchased literary material who at the time of purchase was a "professional writer," as defined in the Minimum Basic Agreement.

For purposes of credit, a team of writers, as defined in the Screen Credits Manual Section I.B., is considered as one writer.

If literary material covered under the Minimum Basic Agreement is written by one member of a team, separate and apart from the work of the team, such literary material shall be considered separate from the literary material by the team for purposes of assessing contributions to the final shooting script. Therefore, such individual is eligible to receive writing credit as an individual writer and/or as a member of a team.

2. Literary Material

Literary material is written material and shall include stories, adaptations, treatments, original treatments, scenarios, continuities, teleplays, screenplays, dialogue, scripts, sketches, plots, outlines, narrative synopses, routines, and narrations, and, for use in the production of television film, formats.

3. Source Material

Source material is all material, other than story as hereinafter defined, upon which the story and/or screenplay is based.

This means that source material is material assigned to the writer which was previously published or exploited and upon which the writer's work is to be based (e.g., a novel, a produced play or series of published articles), or any other material written outside of the Guild's jurisdiction (e.g., literary material purchased from a non-professional writer). Illustrative examples of source material credits are: "From a Play by", "From a Novel by", "Based upon a Story by", "From a series of articles by", "Based upon a Screenplay by" or other appropriate wording indicating the form in which such source material is acquired. Research material is not considered source material.

4. Story

The term "story" means all writing covered by the provisions of the Minimum Basic Agreement representing a contribution "distinct from screenplay and consisting of basic narrative, idea, theme or outline indicating character development and action."

It is appropriate to award a "Story by" credit when: 1) the story was written under employment under Guild jurisdiction; 2) the story was purchased by a signatory company from a professional writer, as defined in the Minimum Basic Agreement; or 3) when the screenplay is based upon a sequel story written under the Guild's jurisdiction. If the story is based upon source material of a story nature, see "screen story" below.

5. Screen Story

Credit for story authorship in the form "Screen Story by" is appropriate when the screenplay is based upon source material and a story, as those terms are defined above, and the story is substantially new or different from the source material.

6. Screenplay

A screenplay consists of individual scenes and full dialogue, together with such prior treatment, basic adaptation, continuity, scenario and dialogue as shall be used in, and represent substantial contributions to the final script.

A "Screenplay by" credit is appropriate when there is source material of a story nature (with or without a "Screen Story" credit) or when the writer(s) entitled to "Story by" credit is different than the writer(s) entitled to "Screenplay by" credit.

7. "Written by"

The term "Written by" is used when the writer(s) is entitled to both the "Story by" credit and the "Screenplay by" credit.

This credit shall not be granted where there is source material of a story nature. However, biographical, newspaper and other factual sources may not necessarily deprive the writer of such credit.

8. "Narration Written by"

"Narration Written by" credit is appropriate where the major writing contribution to a motion picture is in the form of narration. The term "narration" means material (typically off-camera) to explain or relate sequence or action (excluding promos or trailers).

9. "Based on Characters Created by"

"Based on Characters Created by" is a writing credit given to the writer(s) entitled to separated rights in a theatrical or television motion picture on each theatrical sequel to such theatrical or television motion picture.

Where there are no separated rights, "Based on Characters Created by" may be accorded to the author of source material upon which a sequel is based.

10. "Adaptation by"

This credit is appropriate in certain unusual cases where a writer shapes the direction of screenplay construction without qualifying for "Screenplay by" credit. In those special cases, and only as a result of arbitration, the "Adaptation by" credit may be used.