Table of Contents
Production Documents
Welcome to the Production Documents page! Here, you can find templates for various production documents and contracts* (*see disclaimer) needed at each stage of the production process.
Uncommercials are created with the intention of promoting social causes and raising awareness, rather than generating commercial gains. All participants volunteer their time and skills to produce these projects, driven by a shared commitment to making a positive impact. These works are released under a Creative Commons license, allowing anyone to use, share, and adapt them freely, provided proper attribution is given to the original creators. This collaborative and open approach ensures that the messages and resources can reach a wider audience and inspire collective action.
Disclaimer
Uncommercial production documents and templates are not intended to be legal advice and are for educational purposes only. Filmmaking contracts should always be customized to suit each production and the legislation of your country/area. Consult an entertainment attorney for advice on any specific situation.
Development
In the development stage, the following contracts and production documents are useful:
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- This is my favorite screenwriting program as it is the most collaborative. The best part is that you can create three free projects on this platform.
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- This agreement outlines the terms and conditions between the writer and the producer. A Writer’s Agreement for uncommercials ensures the script is shared under a Creative Commons license, allowing anyone to use and adapt it with proper attribution.
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- A Writer Collaboration Agreement outlines the terms and conditions for writers working together, ensuring clarity on roles, responsibilities, and rights, and has been modified from the Wrapbook contract to align with Creative Commons licensing.
- Pitching Guidelines - How to Get People to Help on Your Uncommercial
- Have a short one-line description of your uncommercial
- Reach out via e-mail or socials
- Know what you are asking (example: you are asking them to direct the project or you are asking to borrow an item for the shoot, etc.)
- Be upfront about the time commitment (example: tell them how many hours your shoot will be and when it will take place)
- Be passionate
- If they say no, respect their boundaries.
- If they say yes, thank them and continue communications.
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- A visual presentation that outlines the project’s concept, characters, plot, and market potential, used to attract investors and collaborators.
- While a pitch deck is overkill for uncommercials, it is useful to know how to put together an attractive deck. I've attached my series deck for ROOT as an example.
Pre-Production
In the pre-production stage, the following contracts and production documents are useful:
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- A Producer Employment Agreement for an uncommercial projects outlines the terms and conditions of the producer’s voluntary engagement, including duties, responsibilities, and duration, without monetary compensation.
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- A location release is a legal document that grants permission to film or photograph at a specific location.
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- This agreement confirms that the Cast Member is volunteering their performance without pay to collaboratively create a social good project, which will be shared under a Creative Commons license for all to use.
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- This agreement confirms that the Crew Member is volunteering their services without pay to collaboratively create a social good project, which will be shared under a Creative Commons license for all to use.
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- An Intellectual Property Grant Agreement outlines the terms under which intellectual property rights are granted, ensuring proper use and protection of the IP involved.
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- Media license release forms are used to obtain permission from individuals to use their images, videos, or audio recordings in various media projects, ensuring legal protection and compliance with privacy laws.
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- Storyboarding helps visualize your project, ensuring everyone understands the vision and streamlining the production process.
SAG Union Contracts
We have confirmed with SAG that these uncommercials fall under the SAG Micro-Budget Agreement. They are not commercials, nor are they corporate educational videos. They are parodies of commercials or short film content. If you wish to cast a SAG actor or actress, then you will need to complete the SAG Micro-Budget Agreement paperwork.
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- Filing a SAG-AFTRA Micro-Budget Agreement is necessary when working with friends who are SAG members, even for free, to ensure compliance with union rules and protect both the project and the actors involved. Please note, the budget must be less than $20,000.
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- The Micro-Budget Agreement Performer Acknowledgement confirms that performers understand the terms of their engagement under the SAG-AFTRA Micro-Budget Project Agreement.
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- This is an example of what you will fill out online.
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- The SAG-AFTRA Performers Production Time Report tracks performers’ work hours and is optional but encouraged for micro-budget agreements to ensure accurate record-keeping and compliance.
Production
In the production stage, the following contracts and production documents are useful:
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- Filling out an Accident Waiver and Release of Liability Form is important when working with friends on an uncommercial project to protect everyone involved from legal claims in case of accidents or injuries.
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- A location release is a legal document granting permission to film or photograph at a specific location.
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- A general appearance release grants the rights to use footage of talent for these uncommercial purposes and releases the producer from liability related to privacy or defamation.
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- The Appearance Release for Minors grants rights to use footage of minors for these uncommercial purposes and releases the producer from liability related to privacy or defamation.
Production Documents
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- Scriptation is a powerful PDF annotation app for film and TV production, ideal for streamlining script breakdowns, tagging elements, and transferring annotations between script revisions. It costs $14.99/month but it is an incredibly powerful tool.
Environmental Awareness on Set
Going green is a core philosophy of uncommercials! It helps use spend less (by encouraging us all to share resources) and is essential to reducing the film industry’s significant carbon footprint, minimize waste, and promote sustainable practices. By adopting eco-friendly measures, productions can help combat climate change, conserve resources, and set a positive example for audiences and other industries.
Post-Production
In the post-production stage, the following contracts and production documents are useful:
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- The Composer retains full ownership of the Score and grants the Producer a perpetual, non-exclusive license to use the Score for uncommercial purposes.
Post-Production Documents
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- Canva makes designing title cards and credits easy (and you don't have to use the AI features). They have a free tier.
Distribution
In the distribution stage, you will provide a Creative Commons License agreement. These uncommercial projects are not made for profit, but you can release them online and in the permitted exhibitions below:
Permitted Exhibition
- Film Festivals
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- Submit your uncommercial to festivals worldwide with ease using FilmFreeway’s streamlined platform. (Most will have a submission fee, but there are some festivals that waive the submission fee).
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- Free to the Consumer New Media (AVOD)
- Public Access TV
- For Demo Purposes
- In the Classroom
Instructions
1. Click on the links above to download the template PDFs. 2. Customize the templates to suit your production and legal requirements. 3. Consult an entertainment attorney for advice on any specific situation.
Thank you for using the Production Documents page!