In New York, everything's negotiable. All of New York's major guilds and unions have pioneered progressive contracts and policies designed to encourage independent, low-budget filmmaking in the city and state.

Progressive, proactive union leaders have transformed New York into one of the most responsive, production-friendly markets in America. Seven of the International Alliance of Theatrical & Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) locals have joined forces with Teamsters 817 to form the New York Production Locals.

There are contracts tailored to the needs of virtually any film production, from features to movies of the week, pilots to episodic TV, music videos to commercials. True one-stop shopping is possible when contracting NYPL's many union services.

Screen Actors Guild
SAG represents nearly 120,000 professional working actors in film, TV, industrials, commercials and music videos.  The New York Branch of SAG offers you a range of contracts with affordable cost ceilings.  The reduced rates offered in their various low budget contracts for films budgeted at 3 million or less are sure to make your job much easier.  

Sound good?  Call the SAG New York office at 212-827-1553   or visit www.sag.org < http://www.sag.org > and www.sagindie.org < http://www.sagindie.org >

The Directors Guild of America
The Directors Guild of America will do its part to help you make your next indie film affordable and enable you to enjoy a great deal of flexibility in structuring your budget.

The DGA's Low Budget Sideletter covers feature films budgets at $7 million or less. This agreement offers concessions which permit filmmakers to employ experienced directors, unit production managers and assistant directors.

To learn more, contact Fern Wakneen at (212) 581-0730.

AFTRANY
Just because your budget is low, doesn't mean your expectations aren't high. AFTRANY understands how much time and hard work you've invested in your project. That's why we provide digital producers a level of service that first -time AFTRA signatories find astonishing.

There are AFTRA Independent Production Contracts for student, experimental and low budget projects as well as productions in excess of $2 million.

Gain the AFTRA advantage: a-list talent, clear contracts, and production support by calling the AFTRANY Entertainment Dept. at (212)-532-0800.

East Coast Council of the I.A.T.S.E.
The East Coast Council of the I.A.T.S.E. offers breaks to filmmakers and television producers for many projects made in New York City and State.

If your project has a budget below $8 million, Council representatives will work with you to create a customized contract that defers part of the crew's salaries, overtime, pension and health benefits in exchange for future participation in the project's earnings..

For more information, call (212) 647-7300.