Which projects it's for
The independent New Media Agreement covers original and derivative programs, dramatic and non-dramatic, intended for initial exhibition on a new media platform. A narrative web series premiering on YouTube, a short-form comedy for a streaming app, and a vertical microdrama made for a mobile platform all fit that description. A feature film planned for theaters doesn't. Neither does a series commissioned by a major streamer under the main TV/Theatrical contract.
"Original" means made for new media from scratch. "Derivative" means based on an existing TV or theatrical program, like a web spin-off of a series.
The versions producers run into
SAG-AFTRA has several agreements under the new media umbrella, and the names confuse people:
| Agreement | What stands out |
|---|---|
| New Media Agreement (deferrable, 2017) | Initial pay can be deferred. SAG-AFTRA stopped processing Taft-Hartley reports for these programs as of January 1, 2018 |
| Special New Media Agreement for independent producers | Set minimum rates that can't be deferred |
| Special New Media Agreement, vertical programs (2025) | Terms written for vertical, short-episode series |
Rates, budget limits, and conditions change with each contract cycle, so pull the current rate sheet from the Production Center when you apply instead of relying on a blog post's numbers, including this one.
Residuals in plain terms
For an original new media program under the independent agreement, the union's stated threshold is $25,000 per minute of the program as exhibited. A 10-episode series with 12-minute episodes has 120 minutes of runtime. At $25,000 per minute, that's a $3,000,000 total cost line. A series that cost $600,000 is far below it, so no residuals would be due for new media exhibition. If the same series later sells to a broadcast network, that's a different market, and the producer negotiates with SAG-AFTRA before that distribution.
Mistakes to avoid
Picking an agreement by name instead of by distribution plan. If a buyer might take the project to TV, talk to the union before signing, not after the sale.
Assuming "deferrable" means free. Deferred pay is still owed when the conditions in the agreement are met, and it sits on the project's books until then.
Skipping the paperwork because the shoot is small. Performer clearance, time reporting, and any benefit contributions the agreement requires still apply, so read the version you sign for its reporting rules. For how vertical projects handle the rest of the production side, see vertical dramas and the low-budget agreements guide.