Indie Film Contracts 101: Protecting Your Project from Legal Nightmares

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Indie Film Podcast

43 episodes

4 days ago

Our Goal with Indie Film Podcast is to share all of the mistakes we’ve made in our film making journey, so you can avoid them! We are owners of over 75 rejection letters from film festivals. In spite of producing several well-received films, neither of us has managed to turn our passion into a career. Our continued efforts to follow the advice doled out by the gurus has given us a plethora of experience in nearly every filmmaking role, but also, a negative balance in our bank accounts. Follow us on our journey as we attempt to break into the national film scene, or just incur more debt.

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Indie Film Contracts 101: Protecting Your Project from Legal Nightmares

Indie Film Podcast

32 minutes 21 seconds

1 month ago

Indie Film Contracts 101: Protecting Your Project from Legal Nightmares

Indie film contracts and legal pitfalls can make or break your project. In this episode, Victoria and Chuck talk with filmmaker and lawyer Ellen Smith about the not-so-glamorous (but absolutely essential) legal side of filmmaking. From actor release forms and image rights to NDAs, SAG vs. non-union contracts, and distribution deals, Ellen breaks down what every filmmaker needs to know before stepping on set—yes, even if you’re an actor.

We cover:

Why bad contracts can sink good films
Common legal mistakes indie filmmakers make (and how to avoid them)
Affordable ways to protect your film without a massive budget
How contracts serve as safety nets, not obstacles
Real-life legal horror stories from film sets

Whether you’re a film student, first-time filmmaker, or seasoned indie director, this episode will help you protect your work, your collaborators, and your future projects.