What does Student Film Agreement mean?
Student Film Agreement is a SAG-AFTRA contract designed to help film students hire professional actors for their school projects. This agreement offers significant flexibility, allowing for deferred or minimal payments while still ensuring that actors receive basic protections. The Student Film Agreement is perfect for thesis films or short projects created within an educational context. It allows film students to gain real-world experience by working with SAG-AFTRA talent.
Key Points of the Student Film Agreement:
- Educational Projects: The project must be created as part of a student’s educational curriculum.
- Deferred or Minimal Pay: Actors may agree to deferred or minimal payment for student film projects.
- Basic Protections: The agreement provides actors with protections, including health and safety standards, even for low-budget student productions.
Negotiation Tips:
- Creative Flexibility: In student films, actors might negotiate for more creative input, such as control over their character’s development or dialogue.
- Festival Screening Rights: If the student film is intended for festivals, actors can negotiate for a small percentage of any future profits or recognition bonuses.
- Travel Reimbursement: For projects filmed off-campus or in remote locations, actors may negotiate for reimbursement of travel costs, even if the budget is tight.
Example:A student filmmaker used the Student Film Agreement to hire SAG-AFTRA actors for their thesis film, agreeing to deferred pay while maintaining basic protections.
Example: An actor participated in a student film shot on campus, with the agreement allowing them to defer payment until the film was submitted to festivals.
Did You Know?
The Student Film Agreement allows aspiring filmmakers to work with SAG-AFTRA talent, providing valuable experience for both actors and students!
Learn More:
For more detailed information, visit the official SAG-AFTRA Student Film Agreement page.
