Legal Guide
Non-Union Actor Contract Template: What It Must Cover
Most indie film productions work with non-union talent. SAG-AFTRA agreements come with specific obligations, rate requirements, and union oversight — and for many micro-budget, student, and independent productions, working non-union is the practical reality. That doesn’t mean going without agreements. A non-union actor contract still needs to cover the same fundamental issues as any performer…
Educational Article
How to Give Cast and Crew Equity in Your Indie Film
Watch the Reel that inspired this guide: @LexNovaLawyer “Sing Sing Cast & Crew Equity” What the Sing Sing Film Deal Actually Looked Like — And What You Need to Replicate It Every person on the set of Sing Sing — from Colman Domingo to the production assistant — was paid the same day rate. And…
Educational Article
How Film Revenue Waterfalls Work: A Real Example for Indie Producers
Every filmmaker who raises money for a production will eventually face this question: when the film makes money, who gets paid first? The answer is the revenue waterfall — the sequence in which money flows from a film’s gross receipts to the various parties who have a claim on the production’s earnings. Most first-time producers…
Educational Article
What Happens When a Film Option Expires: A Producer’s Guide
A film option gives you the exclusive right to develop and purchase underlying material — a novel, a screenplay, a life rights agreement, a short story — for a defined period of time. When that period ends without exercise or renewal, the option expires. What happens next depends on how far development went, what work…
Educational Article
Background Actor Release Form: What It Must Include
Most indie productions know they need agreements for their principal cast. Most also know — at least in principle — that extras need some kind of paperwork. The gap is in the details. A background actor release form that’s too generic, too narrow, or missing key provisions creates exactly the kind of chain-of-title gap that…
Backend Participation in Indie Film: What to Offer Each Role
A producer asked me recently whether offering 5% backend to their lead actor was too much. I asked one question first: “5% of what?” That question matters more than the percentage. Because 5% of a clearly defined net profits waterfall with audit rights and a gross corridor is a real offer. And 5% of ‘whatever’s…
Educational Article
Actor Deal Memo Template: What Every Indie Film Needs
You’re casting a short film. The actor is a friend, a classmate, or someone who responded to your breakdown. They’re working for free or for a small stipend. A full SAG-style performer agreement feels like overkill — but you know you need something in writing. That’s exactly what an actor deal memo is for. This…
