The Fair Play
Manifesto
Filmmaking is hard. Really, really hard. Even with unlimited resources, it is a beast. Without them, it requires a healthy dose of shared delusion to believe we can pull off something great on a shoestring budget.
We love making indie films, but we love making them with sanity, mutual respect, and zero toxic drama even more. Orson Welles put it best:
"The enemy of art is the absence of limitations."
If we are going to work together, here is how we roll.
How We Work
- Story is KingWe all bring strong personal tastes, but the narrative is our North Star. Decisions must serve the project, even when that means letting go of a favorite line, shot, or idea.
- Radical ResourcefulnessConstraints breed brilliance (and occasionally a few tears). When an obstacle hits, we do not ask, “Can we throw money at this?” (Spoiler: we can't). We ask how to solve it creatively.
- Assume Good IntentionsIndie production moves fast, and sleep-deprived brains are not always diplomatic. If something lands wrong, rewind it in your head with a generous tone. Critique the work, not the person.
- No “Cousin as DP” SurprisesWe believe in absolute transparency and taking ownership. If a creative risk you strongly lobbied for goes sideways, you help own the fix.
- Keep the Therapy Off SetWe talk through communication styles, potential dealbreakers, and expectations upfront instead of on day 12 when we are two hours behind schedule and losing daylight.
Creative Decisions & Governance
We treat collaboration as the default setting. In low-budget production, resourcefulness means folding roles together: most above-the-line personnel work in multiple capacities. By necessity, our jobs overlap, and we believe that shared investment makes for a closer, more collaborative set.
To protect both the vision and the team, we require all core collaborators to sign our Indie Film Creative Voting & Decision Framework before principal photography begins. It establishes a fair, transparent protocol for resolving standoffs so creative energy stays on the screen:
- Lane Discipline & RespectEven with blended roles, we respect primary focus areas. Directors lead creative execution (blocking, performance, shot selection), while Producers protect the story, budget, schedule, and safety.
- Enhanced Director AuthorityOn pure on-set execution, staging, and performance, the Director holds weighted voting power. Producers defer to the Director unless there is a material impact on budget, schedule, or safety.
- Majority Voting for Major ShiftsBig adjustments (script changes, budget reallocations, delivery-impacting schedules, casting, and sensitive scene coverage) are resolved via a simple majority vote among key stakeholders.
- The Financier OverrideExecutive Producers retain an emergency unilateral override, reserved strictly for genuine legal exposure, safety issues, delivery breaches, or severe financial risk.
We tackle every project with humor, grit, and high standards. If you want to make bold work with thoughtful, grounded partners, we would love to talk.