Inside an Indie Film Set

Before working on Sonder (2027), I always imagined indie film sets as places where people poured everything they had into making the best film possible.

Somehow, I got lucky enough to end up on one exactly like that.

There are stressful days, long hours, and plenty of moments where things don't go according to plan. But what stands out to me most isn't the chaos. It's how much everyone cares. Every person on set wants the film to be the best version of itself, and that energy is contagious.

As the director's assistant, I've been lucky enough to have a front-row seat to the entire process. Every day is different. Sometimes I'm helping keep the schedule on track; other times I'm coordinating with different departments, solving problems, or making sure our director has what she needs. It's one of those jobs where you never really know what the next hour is going to look like, and I genuinely love that.

One of the biggest things I've noticed is how collaborative an indie set is.

Creative decisions aren't locked in just because they were written that way months ago. If an actor finds a line that feels more natural, we try it. If our director has a new idea for a scene after seeing it come to life, we talk about it. If someone notices a small detail that could make a moment stronger, people listen.

The goal isn't to protect the original plan.

The goal is to make the best movie possible.

That kind of creative freedom is one of the things I admire most about independent filmmaking. There aren't endless layers between an idea and the people making it happen. The conversations happen right there on set, and the film continues to evolve because everyone is working toward the same goal.

Of course, that freedom comes with limitations.

Independent films don't have unlimited budgets. Every dollar has a purpose. Sometimes that means renting an Airbnb that doubles as both a filming location and housing for part of the cast and crew. Sometimes it means producers spending years saving money from their 9-to-5 jobs just to make one film. Actors often accept roles because they believe in the project, not because of the paycheck, and crew members regularly step into responsibilities outside of their job title simply because that's what the day calls for.

You become incredibly resourceful.

And honestly, I think that's where a lot of the creativity comes from.

When you can't solve every problem by throwing more money at it, you solve it with collaboration. You adapt. You rethink the scene. You find another angle. You work together until you figure it out.

That's something I'll take with me long after this production wraps.

Before Sonder, I appreciated independent films because I loved the stories they told.

Now I appreciate them because I understand the people behind them.

When audiences watch an indie film, they're seeing the finished product. What they don't see are the months of planning, the creative conversations between takes, the producer who spent years getting the project off the ground, or the dozens of people making small decisions every day that slowly shape the final film.

Working on Sonder has reminded me that movies aren't made by budgets.

They're made by people.

And when you put enough passionate people in one place, it's amazing what they can create together.