Action-Adventure Feature 'Crossbones & Roses' Sets August 2026 Los Angeles Shoot Under SAG-AFTRA Ultra Low Budget Agreement

An action-adventure feature with a genuinely compelling premise is gearing up for a late-summer Los Angeles shoot, and crew working in the ultra low budget space should take note now. 'Crossbones & Roses' is currently in pre-production and casting ahead of a confirmed August 1 through August 28, 2026 production window. The film follows a formerly enslaved man who escapes bondage, reinvents himself as a pirate, assembles his own crew, and sets sail for a legendary Caribbean treasure. It is a high-concept genre story with real visual scope, and with cameras set to roll in roughly six months, the hiring pipeline is open.

The project is driven by a tight-knit creative partnership between director Francis G. Pinnock and writer Antonio McKay, who are also both serving as executive producers and producers on the film, alongside Darryl McLLough. Pinnock is also handling casting director duties, which is a fairly common arrangement on independent productions at this budget level and signals a hands-on, collaborative creative environment where department heads will likely have direct access to the top of the production. McKay, as the sole credited writer, has shaped the story from the ground up, and his dual role as producer suggests strong creative investment in seeing the vision through. Productions built around creator-producers like this tend to move quickly and value crew who can problem-solve and wear multiple hats.

The production is operating under a SAG-AFTRA Ultra Low Budget (ULB) agreement, which sets the framework for scale, scheduling, and cast compensation on the union side. The ULB agreement applies to films with total budgets at or under a defined threshold (currently one million two hundred fifty thousand dollars), and it allows productions to hire both SAG-AFTRA and non-union performers under specific conditions. For crew, this budget tier signals a lean but functional operation. Expect a tight shooting ratio, a streamlined department structure, and a compressed 28-day schedule that will demand efficient, experienced crew who know how to move fast without sacrificing quality. This is not a tentpole, but it is a real SAG production with a confirmed shoot window, which puts it ahead of many indie announcements that stall before they start.

Los Angeles is the confirmed filming location, and for local crew that is straightforwardly good news. LA remains one of the deepest crew markets in the world, and productions at this budget level benefit enormously from the city's density of experienced below-the-line talent who understand how to execute ambitious material on a tight budget. The city's existing infrastructure, from equipment houses to lighting and grip vendors familiar with indie pricing, makes it a practical choice for an independent production that needs to maximize every dollar. The pirate and Caribbean setting of the story will put the art department and costume department in an interesting position: recreating period-appropriate maritime visuals on an ultra low budget in Los Angeles will require creative problem-solving, likely leveraging practical locations, existing wardrobe stock, and resourceful scenic work. Those departments in particular should be watching this one.

For genre, 'Crossbones & Roses' sits squarely in action-adventure territory with historical and period elements woven in. Even at the ultra low budget level, that combination implies specific crew needs. A stunt coordinator will almost certainly be required given the action component, and the period setting means the costume and hair and makeup departments will be doing substantive character work rather than contemporary looks. Location scouting in and around Los Angeles to find settings that can convincingly read as Caribbean or period maritime environments will be a priority, making the locations department a key early hire. The 28-day shooting schedule is compact for an action-adventure feature with period elements, so a production coordinator and UPM who have navigated similar compressed timelines will be essential to keeping the train on the tracks.

With production still roughly six months out, this is exactly the window when department heads and key crew are being identified and conversations are beginning. Casting is already underway, which means the creative team is actively engaged and moving. For working professionals in the LA-based independent film community, especially those with experience in the SAG ultra low budget space, this is a production worth getting in front of now rather than waiting for the crew call to formalize. The full listing for 'Crossbones & Roses,' including production contacts, office information, and crew roster updates as they develop, is available now on ProductionList.com. Bookmark it, check back regularly, and reach out early. On a 28-day indie shoot, the best opportunities go to the crew who are already in the room.

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