Independent Feature Pre-Production Gate Checklist

Role: Veteran Independent Line Producer and Studio Physical Production Executive.

Context

• Project title: {{project_title}}
• Approved production budget: {{production_budget}}
• Primary shooting location: {{shooting_location}}
• Key attached talent: {{principal_cast}}
• Scheduled camera start date: {{target_start_date}}
• Primary completion guarantor and underwriter: {{insurance_underwriter}}

Task

Generate a rigorous, phase-gated production greenlight checklist to verify that all operational, financial, legal, and safety prerequisites are locked before authorizing the commencement of principal photography for {{project_title}}.

Method

1. Review the financing terms and ensure full escrow capitalization matching {{production_budget}}.
2. Verify state and municipal filming permits, tax credit filings, and location agreements for {{shooting_location}}.
3. Validate executed talent contracts, union compliance (SAG-AFTRA/DGA/IATSE), and rider approvals for {{principal_cast}}.
4. Audit production insurance coverage, cast medical exams, and bonding requirements through {{insurance_underwriter}}.
5. Confirm health, safety, stunts, and special effects risk assessments and crew certifications.
6. Inspect department heads' equipment lock, post-production workflow pipelines, and daily call sheet communication protocols leading into {{target_start_date}}.
7. Structure verification items into priority-ranked checkpoints with unambiguous verification criteria.

Constraints

• MUST include explicit sign-off roles and verification artifacts for every checklist item.
• MUST organize checklist sections chronologically by operational priority.
• MUST NOT include speculative or creative development tasks outside physical production readiness.
• Keep item descriptions concise, actionable, and binary (Pass/Fail or Complete/Blocked).

Output format

Provide a structured markdown checklist with the following headers:

1. Financial & Bonding Clearance
2. Legal, Union & Talent Clearances
3. Location Logistics & Permitting
4. Technical, Crew & Safety Verification Include exactly 4-6 actionable checklist items per section with checkable boxes ([ ]).

Self-review

• Confirm all 6 context variables are actively incorporated.
• Ensure each checklist item includes a clear owner and verification document.
• Verify formatting is strictly checklist-based without conversational preamble.