The Production Designer is responsible for the world your audience sees.

From sets and locations to props and visual tone, production design shapes the look and feel of your film in a way that directly impacts storytelling, continuity, and audience perception.

But despite how central the role is, most indie productions rely on generic crew agreements that don’t reflect what Production Designers actually do.

That’s where problems start.

Design ownership becomes unclear. Art department responsibilities blur. Assets get lost or disputed. And when it’s time for festivals, distributors, or insurance review, the paperwork doesn’t hold up.

The Production Designer Agreement (Non-Union) is built specifically for film and media productions that need clear, enforceable terms around visual design and art department work.

This is not a basic crew contract.

It reflects how production design actually functions—covering set design, props, visual concepts, supervision of the art department, and the handling of production assets from prep through wrap.

Whether you’re building sets, dressing locations, or creating a full visual world, this agreement helps ensure your production is organized, protected, and taken seriously.

What Filmmakers Get Wrong About Hiring a Production Designer

These issues show up all the time on indie productions:

1. Treating production design as “just sets”
Production design impacts the entire visual identity of the film—not just physical builds.

2. Not defining ownership of designs and assets
Sketches, plans, props, and set elements can become disputed without clear ownership terms.

3. Blurring art department responsibilities
Without structure, roles overlap and accountability gets lost.

4. Ignoring budget and approval control
Design decisions often involve costs—without approval language, spending can get messy.

5. Using generic crew templates
Most templates don’t address the scope or authority of a Production Designer.

Why This Agreement Works

This Production Designer Agreement is structured to reflect real production workflows while staying accessible for indie filmmakers.

It:

• Defines the Production Designer’s role and department authority
• Clarifies ownership of designs, sets, props, and production assets
• Establishes approval and control over design-related expenditures
• Covers supervision of the art department
• Includes work-for-hire and ownership protections
• Addresses confidentiality and social media restrictions
• Includes termination, indemnification, and no-injunction protections
• Supports E&O insurance, distribution, and delivery requirements

It gives your production structure—without overcomplicating it.

Learn More

• Film rights Ownership Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions