Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 17 hours ago
Want to make a union film on an indie budget? SAG-AFTRA has the perfect agreements so you can dream big without breaking the bank. They are the Micro-Budget, Short and Student Film Agreements, so you can dream big without breaking the bank.
Stacey Travis, Chair of SAG-AFTRA’s National Low Budget Committee, is joined by Olga Rodriguez-Aguirre, SAG-AFTRA’s Executive Director of Entertainment Contracts, to explain how these agreements enable filmmakers to turn small budgets into big possibilities.
Learn:
How to qualify for each agreement
What platforms are eligible
Key provisions, budget caps, and more
Ready to make your union film? Visit SAGAFTRA.org/LowBudget for more info.
0:00 – Introduction: SAG-AFTRA Low Budget Agreement Overview
0:07 – Meet Stacey Travis & Olga Rodriguez-Aguirre
0:14 – How Low Budget Agreements Support Independent Filmmakers
0:24 – What We’ll Cover: Micro-Budget, SPA & Student Agreements
0:40 – Micro-Budget Agreement: Fast, Simple & One-Email Clearance
0:51 – Why Micro-Budget Was Created for New Media Creators
1:00 – Micro-Budget Rules: Platforms, Festivals & No-Paperwork Setup
1:16 – Budget Cap: $20,000 & No Nudity/Stunts Allowed
1:27 – Simplified Terms & Deferred Payment Options
1:44 – Short Project Agreement (SPA) Overview
1:55 – When to Choose SPA Instead of Micro-Budget
2:03 – SPA Requirements: 40-Minute Runtime & ~$50,000 Budget
2:15 – Reduced Rates, Flexible Scheduling & Simple Reporting
2:26 – SPA Requires Business Rep Review Before Approval
2:43 – Key Difference: Micro Gets Instant Clearance, SPA Needs Lead Time
2:55 – Recommended Timeline: Submit SPA Materials 6 Weeks Before Filming
3:05 – SPA Advantages: Distribution Options & Creative Flexibility
3:21 – Student Film Agreement Overview
3:32 – When Students Should Use Micro-Budget, SPA or Student Agreement
3:41 – Student Film Budget Cap: Up to $35,000
3:52 – SPA Option for Student Projects With $50,000 Budgets
4:03 – Advice for Students: Always Provide Actors a Copy of the Film
4:27 – Where to Learn More: sagaftra.org/lowbudget
4:37 – Additional Videos: Micro-Budget, SPA & More
4:44 – Closing: Thanks for Watching “Take 5”
Any information provided in this video is provided for informational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of legal and/or financial counsel. You should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided in this video. SAG-AFTRA, its affiliates and contributors, shall not be responsible for any errors, omissions or damages arising from anyone’s use of the information described and/or contained herein.
Subscribe: bit.ly/subSAGAFTRA | Make sure to enable ALL push notifications!
Watch our NEWEST videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCFx0MPpBfI2p358aDL6g6N&playnext=1&index=2
Follow SAG-AFTRA:
Website: sagaftra.org/home
Facebook: facebook.com/sagaftra
Instagram: instagram.com/sagaftra
Twitter: twitter.com/sagaftra
Watch more SAG-AFTRA:
Actor to Actor Interviews: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCH2A9ciqhchJRvXgFbhT0R&playnext=1
Events: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCY7OnjbhQXFMZespg2gUYd&playnext=1
Industry Panel Discussions: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaDDRF2OQQJWAYmB47v0j_06&playnext=1
Latest Videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCFx0MPpBfI2p358aDL6g6N&playnext=1
Popular Videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaDXBxaZ40JAOrS4hyf97nUy&playnext=1
About SAG-AFTRA:
Welcome to the official SAG-AFTRA YouTube channel. On this channel, you’ll find a variety of informational, entertaining, and educational content, including interviews, industry panel discussions, celebrity events, actor to actor interviews, SAG Awards red carpet footage, award show bts, and more. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. With national offices in Los Angeles and New York, and local offices nationwide, SAG-AFTRA members work together to secure the strongest protections for media artists into the 21st century and beyond.
#SAGAFTRA
Want to make a union film on an indie budget? SAG-AFTRA has the perfect agreements so you can dream big without breaking the bank. They are the Micro-Budget, Short and Student Film Agreements, so you can dream big without breaking the bank.
Stacey Travis, Chair of SAG-AFTRA’s National Low Budget Committee, is joined by Olga Rodriguez-Aguirre, SAG-AFTRA’s Executive Director of Entertainment Contracts, to explain how these agreements enable filmmakers to turn small budgets into big possibilities.
Learn:
How to qualify for each agreement
What platforms are eligible
Key provisions, budget caps, and more
Ready to make your union film? Visit SAGAFTRA.org/LowBudget for more info.
0:00 – Introduction: SAG-AFTRA Low Budget Agreement Overview
0:07 – Meet Stacey Travis & Olga Rodriguez-Aguirre
0:14 – How Low Budget Agreements Support Independent Filmmakers
0:24 – What We’ll Cover: Micro-Budget, SPA & Student Agreements
0:40 – Micro-Budget Agreement: Fast, Simple & One-Email Clearance
0:51 – Why Micro-Budget Was Created for New Media Creators
1:00 – Micro-Budget Rules: Platforms, Festivals & No-Paperwork Setup
1:16 – Budget Cap: $20,000 & No Nudity/Stunts Allowed
1:27 – Simplified Terms & Deferred Payment Options
1:44 – Short Project Agreement (SPA) Overview
1:55 – When to Choose SPA Instead of Micro-Budget
2:03 – SPA Requirements: 40-Minute Runtime & ~$50,000 Budget
2:15 – Reduced Rates, Flexible Scheduling & Simple Reporting
2:26 – SPA Requires Business Rep Review Before Approval
2:43 – Key Difference: Micro Gets Instant Clearance, SPA Needs Lead Time
2:55 – Recommended Timeline: Submit SPA Materials 6 Weeks Before Filming
3:05 – SPA Advantages: Distribution Options & Creative Flexibility
3:21 – Student Film Agreement Overview
3:32 – When Students Should Use Micro-Budget, SPA or Student Agreement
3:41 – Student Film Budget Cap: Up to $35,000
3:52 – SPA Option for Student Projects With $50,000 Budgets
4:03 – Advice for Students: Always Provide Actors a Copy of the Film
4:27 – Where to Learn More: sagaftra.org/lowbudget
4:37 – Additional Videos: Micro-Budget, SPA & More
4:44 – Closing: Thanks for Watching “Take 5”
Any information provided in this video is provided for informational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of legal and/or financial counsel. You should not act or refrain from acting based solely on information provided in this video. SAG-AFTRA, its affiliates and contributors, shall not be responsible for any errors, omissions or damages arising from anyone’s use of the information described and/or contained herein.
Subscribe: bit.ly/subSAGAFTRA | Make sure to enable ALL push notifications!
Watch our NEWEST videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCFx0MPpBfI2p358aDL6g6N&playnext=1&index=2
Follow SAG-AFTRA:
Website: sagaftra.org/home
Facebook: facebook.com/sagaftra
Instagram: instagram.com/sagaftra
Twitter: twitter.com/sagaftra
Watch more SAG-AFTRA:
Actor to Actor Interviews: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCH2A9ciqhchJRvXgFbhT0R&playnext=1
Events: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCY7OnjbhQXFMZespg2gUYd&playnext=1
Industry Panel Discussions: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaDDRF2OQQJWAYmB47v0j_06&playnext=1
Latest Videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaCFx0MPpBfI2p358aDL6g6N&playnext=1
Popular Videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-vEfc49ZyaDXBxaZ40JAOrS4hyf97nUy&playnext=1
About SAG-AFTRA:
Welcome to the official SAG-AFTRA YouTube channel. On this channel, you’ll find a variety of informational, entertaining, and educational content, including interviews, industry panel discussions, celebrity events, actor to actor interviews, SAG Awards red carpet footage, award show bts, and more. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. With national offices in Los Angeles and New York, and local offices nationwide, SAG-AFTRA members work together to secure the strongest protections for media artists into the 21st century and beyond.
#SAGAFTRA
