Attorney-drafted investor agreement for student, micro-budget, and ultra-low-budget independent films.
The Indie Standard Investor Agreement is built for filmmakers raising modest funds who need legal clarity without the complexity of structured financing or waterfall mechanics.
It helps you document contributions responsibly, set expectations clearly, and protect relationships — while keeping ownership and creative control with the production company.
This is straightforward, protective paperwork for early independent financing.
What Is an Indie Standard Investor Agreement?
An Indie Standard Investor Agreement is a written contract between a production company and an individual contributor that documents:
- How much money is being contributed
- Whether repayment is expected (and if so, how)
- What risks the investor is assuming
- What rights the investor does not receive
Even when funding comes from friends or family, verbal understandings are not enough.
Without a written agreement, misunderstandings about repayment, ownership, credit, or control can become real legal disputes later.
This agreement exists to prevent that.
Why Independent Films Need This (Even at $5K–$10K)
Most micro-budget films are funded informally — until something goes wrong.
Common problems this agreement helps prevent:
- A contributor later claiming ownership of the film
- Disputes over whether money was a gift or an investment
- Family or friends expecting repayment that was never documented
- Confusion when a distributor or festival asks, “Who owns what?”
This agreement puts everyone on the same page from the start, without over-complicating a small project.
How This Agreement Is Structured
The Indie Standard version supports three common early-stage scenarios:
Gift / Support Only
For student films or passion projects where no repayment is expected.
Simple Recoupment (100%)
Ideal for friends and family who expect repayment only if the film generates revenue.
Small Investor (Recoupment + Backend)
For modest private investments that include a premium return and optional backend participation — without requiring a formal waterfall schedule.
You choose the structure that fits your situation.
The agreement reflects that choice clearly in writing.
Important: No Revenue Waterfall Included
This agreement does not include or require a formal Revenue Waterfall.
It is intentionally designed for simpler financing structures where:
- There is no senior debt
- There are limited investors
- Recoupment is straightforward
- Revenue allocation does not require layered priority
If your project involves:
- Multiple unrelated investors
- Senior financing or tax credit loans
- Complex backend participation
- Distributor-required collection accounts
- Structured recoupment tiers
You should use the Investor Agreement (Indie Enhanced) instead.
The Standard version is designed to stay clean and appropriate for early-stage funding.
What This Agreement Is Not
This agreement is not intended for:
- Large equity raises
- Multiple unrelated investors
- Accredited investor offerings
- Complex revenue waterfalls
- Studio or institutional financing
For those scenarios, use the Investor Agreement (Indie Enhanced).
Common Mistakes This Agreement Helps Avoid
- Treating investor money as a “loan” with no documentation
- Promising returns casually without written risk disclosures
- Letting contributors believe they own part of the film
- Raising money without securities acknowledgments
- Using generic promissory notes for film financing
FAQ
This version is intentionally streamlined for small, private contributions. It includes risk disclosures and repayment terms but avoids the complexity of a full securities offering or waterfall.
Yes — this is one of the primary use cases. It helps preserve relationships by setting expectations clearly and professionally.
Absolutely. The Gift / Support Only option is designed specifically to avoid securities issues in student and academic settings.
No. The production company retains 100% ownership. The investor’s rights are limited to contractual repayment or participation, if any.
No. This agreement clearly states that repayment is contingent on the film generating revenue, and that the investor may lose some or all of their contribution.
Yes, for projects at this scale. It documents funding, ownership, and risk clearly — which is what distributors and E&O insurers look for at the micro-budget level.
This agreement does not prevent you from upgrading to a more complex investor structure later. It keeps your early funding clean so scaling is possible.
