Society of Audiovisual Authors

What Society of Audiovisual Authors does

The Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) is an International Non-Profit organisation (AISBL) registered in Brussels, Belgium, founded on 11 May 2010. It represents the collective interests of 33 European collective management societies across 25 countries, which collectively manage rights for over 100,000 film and television screenwriters and directors. SAA's three stated objectives are to defend and strengthen the economic and moral rights of audiovisual authors, to secure fair remuneration for every use of audiovisual works, and to develop, promote and facilitate rights management by member societies.

SAA operates exclusively as a policy advocacy and rights representation organization. Its core activities include publishing research reports (notably the annual Flash Report on the European audiovisual market, which valued the sector at €141 billion), submitting policy contributions to EU consultations on the AVMS Directive, AI Act, and Copyright Directive, organizing expert seminars, and coordinating joint statements with partner organizations. It does not sell products or services, maintain proprietary technology, or hold any patents. The organization is funded through membership dues from collective management societies and has a small staff of 1-10 employees.

SAA's commercial model is effectively non-existent; its measurable "outputs" are policy outcomes rather than revenue. Quantifiable outcomes include the Belgian Constitutional Court ruling on mandatory streamer contributions (March 2026), the European Parliament resolution on Copyright and Generative AI (March 2026), and the WIPO Standing Committee's adoption of a proposal for a global study on audiovisual authors' rights (December 2025). Its distribution channels are EU policy channels, coalition-building with 18+ audiovisual bodies and 200+ cultural sector organizations, and direct engagement with the European Commission, Parliament, and Member States.

Name

Society of Audiovisual Authors

Legal name

SAA - Society of Audiovisual Authors

Website

https://saa-authors.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) is a Brussels-based international non-profit association representing 33 collective management organizations across 25 European countries that defend the rights and remuneration of film and television screenwriters and directors through EU policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Industry Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Performance Rights Administration (PRO Affiliation, Cue Sheet/Setlist Processing) (MPAIABAE)

Keywords

• Audiovisual authors rights
• Copyright policy advocacy
• Collective rights management
• Screenwriters directors representation
• European creative policy

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: SAA operates as an international non-profit association (AISBL). The organization does not generate commercial revenue from products or services. It is funded through membership fees from collective management societies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) is an International Non-Profit association (AISBL) based in Brussels that represents 33 collective management organisations across 25 European countries, covering more than 100,000 audiovisual authors (screenwriters and directors). It defends and strengthens the economic and moral rights of audiovisual authors, secures fair remuneration for every use of their works, and develops, promotes and facilitates rights management by member societies through EU policy advocacy, research publications, expert seminars and coalition-building with EU institutions.

Product overview

The Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) is an International Non-Profit organisation (AISBL) based in Brussels, Belgium, that represents collective management societies and audiovisual authors (screenwriters and directors) at the European level. Rather than offering commercial technology products, the SAA serves as a policy advocacy and rights representation organization. Its activities include publishing research reports (such as the annual Flash Report on the European audiovisual market), submitting policy contributions to EU consultations (on the AVMS Directive, AI Act, Copyright Directive), operating a website and newsletter service for communications, and engaging in collective action to defend and strengthen the economic and moral rights of audiovisual authors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EU policy advocacy and representation Pan-European advocacy service representing audiovisual authors (screenwriters and directors) before EU institutions on copyright, AVMS Directive, AI Act and remuneration frameworks, delivered to 33 member organisations across 25 European countries.
• Flash Report on the European audiovisual market and authors' royalties Annual research report quantifying the size of the European audiovisual market and the share of royalties flowing to audiovisual authors, used to support SAA's policy positions.
• Expert seminars on audiovisual policy and AI Convening events bringing together policymakers, member societies and experts to debate AI impact on audiovisual creators and shape SAA policy positions.
• SAA Newsletter (4 issues per year) Quarterly email newsletter (four times per year) delivered via MailChimp to SAA subscribers, providing updates on EU audiovisual policy, copyright and authors' rights.

Quantifiable outcome

• Belgium Constitutional Court ruling in favor of mandatory streamer contributions to audiovisual production (March 2026)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• FERA - Federation of European Screen DirectorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026SAA works closely with FERA on joint statements, policy advocacy for audiovisual authors' rights, and coordinated positions on EU legislation affecting screen directors.
• FSE - Federation of Screenwriters in EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026SAA and FSE jointly advocate for screenwriters' rights, share policy positions on copyright and AI, and collaborate on European Parliament resolutions.
• CEPI - European Audiovisual Production AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Part of the 18-organization joint statement coalition advocating for Creative Europe MEDIA programme and European film sector support.
• UNIC - International Union of CinemascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Part of joint statement coalition supporting European cinema funding and MEDIA programme continuation.
• GESAC - European Groups of Authors' SocietiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026SAA collaborates with GESAC on broader copyright and authors' rights issues affecting creative sectors.
• CICA - International Confederation of Arthouse CinemascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Part of joint statement supporting cultural diversity and European film ecosystem.
• European Film and Audiovisual Sector Coalition (18 organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Coalition including ATC, CEE Animation, CICAE, Collective of Film Festivals, EPC, Eurocinema, Europa Distribution, Europa International, FAME, FIAD, FIAPF, IVF, and others united for Creative Europe MEDIA programme support.
• 200+ European Creative and Cultural Sector OrganizationsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Broad coalition of over 200 organizations across music, visual, audiovisual, literary, publishers, producers, and distributors calling for EU AI Act approval.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• GESAC - European Groups of Authors' Societies: Sister European-level advocacy body representing authors' societies across all creative sectors (music, visual arts, literature, audiovisual). Directly comparable as a Brussels-based authors' rights coalition, with SAA representing the audiovisual subset within GESAC's broader umbrella.
• FSE - Federation of Screenwriters in Europe: Direct peer and stated strategic partner; SAA and FSE jointly advocate for screenwriters' rights, share positions on copyright and AI legislation, and collaborate on European Parliament resolutions, serving overlapping but distinct creator constituencies.
• BIEM - Bureau International des Sociétés Gérant les Droits d'Enregistrement et de Reproduction Mécanique: International body representing CMS organizations on mechanical reproduction rights; comparable as a sibling rights-administration coalition that similarly works through collective societies to secure creator remuneration.
• FIA - International Federation of Actors: Global federation representing performers including audiovisual actors; comparable as a creator-side advocacy organization tackling similar rights, remuneration, and AI issues from a different artistic constituency.
• UNIC - International Union of Cinemas: European cinema trade body listed as a SAA coalition partner on joint statements for MEDIA programme continuation and European film sector support; directly comparable as an audiovisual industry advocate.
• CEPI - European Audiovisual Production Association: European-level trade association for audiovisual producers. Directly comparable as an industry coalition that partners with SAA in 18-organization joint statements on EU audiovisual policy, representing an adjacent constituency within the same value chain.
• UNI Global Union - Media, Entertainment & Arts (MEI): Global union federation for media, entertainment, and arts workers including audiovisual creators. Comparable as a transnational advocacy organization representing creator-side interests across policy and labor forums.
• FERA - Federation of European Screen Directors: Direct peer and listed partner coordinating with SAA on policy advocacy for audiovisual authors; represents the directors' side of the same author-rights agenda SAA pursues.

Broad incumbents

• CISAC - International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers: Global umbrella body for collective management organizations; SAA's member societies largely sit within CISAC. CISAC operates at a broader (all-authors, worldwide) scope while SAA focuses specifically on the audiovisual slice in Europe.

Regional players

• SACD - Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques: Major French CMS for dramatic audiovisual and stage authors, whose Secretary General (Patrick Raude) serves as SAA Vice-chair. Functions as both a SAA member and a comparable national-level rights-management body in its own right.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/saa/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/Society-of-Audiovisual-Authors-142294982538425
• LinkedInbe.linkedin.com/company/saabrussels
• Instagraminstagram.com/saabrussels
• Xx.com/saabrussels

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Society of Audiovisual Authors