If any participating writer objects to the proposed credits, credit for the film enters arbitration. In addition, if a production executive (i.e. the director or producer of the film) is being proposed for writing credit and there are other, non-production executive participating writers on the project, an automatic arbitration is required..

In the case of an original screenplay, the first writer must contribute more than 33% of the screenplay to receive "screenplay by" credit. Subsequent writers must contribute 50% of the screenplay to receive "screenplay by" credit, unless the subsequent writer is a "production executive" (a producer or director), who must contribute more than 50% of the screenplay to receive "screenplay by" credit...

Credit can be apportioned separately for the story, and for the screenplay or teleplay itself when all writers were not equally involved in the creation of both. "Story" is defined as "all writing covered by the [MBA] representing a contribution distinct from screenplay and consisting of basic narrative, idea, theme or outline indicating character development." "Screenplay" - for theatrical motion pictures - and "Teleplay" - for television and new media motion pictures - is generally defined as "the final script (as represented on the screen) with 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." [12] When the same writer or writers are entitled to both "Screenplay by" and "Story by" credit or "Teleplay by" and "Story by" credit, the credit will read "Written by."

Now, J.J. Abrams says they were able to tell the same story that they would have had Carrie Fisher lived. The Rise of Skywalker features about eight minutes of Leia footage, according to Todd Fisher, which doesn't sound like a lot. With that being said, Abrams is pretty confident that they did her story justice. He explains."There are scenes where she's interacting with other characters in a way that is uncanny. Hopefully, if it works, it will be an invisible thing and if you didn't know, you would never know. But we got to tell the story with Leia that we would have told had Carrie lived. And that's kind of incredible."