NoBudge Comedy Series 'Joint Slay' Sets LA Shoot for December 2026, Now Casting

A sharp new industry satire is taking shape in Los Angeles. "Joint Slay," a comedy series written and directed by Kimberly Girkin, is currently in casting and pre-production ahead of a tightly scheduled five-day principal photography window running December 14 through 18, 2026. The project comes from the orbit of NoBudge, the indie streaming platform known for championing micro-budget narrative filmmaking, and it arrives with a premise that will resonate immediately with anyone who has ever sat on either side of an audition table.

The series centers on two friends running a fledgling casting office, where the chaos of their personal lives bleeds constantly into their professional ones, turning every audition session into a reflection of the absurdity of the entertainment industry itself. It is the kind of premise that practically writes itself for anyone who has spent time in casting, and the fact that Girkin is herself the casting director on the project suggests she is drawing on a genuinely insider perspective. Girkin is directing from a script she co-wrote with Anthony Ezell, Chester Burnett, and Evie Grasinski, the latter two of whom are also producing. The collaborative writing structure, with producers and the director all sharing screenplay credits, signals the kind of tight-knit creative ensemble that tends to define micro-budget productions where everyone wears multiple hats and trust between collaborators is built in long before cameras roll.

NoBudge is the production company attached, which tells you a great deal about the scale and spirit of this project. Founded by Kentucker Audley, NoBudge has become one of the most respected platforms in the micro-budget indie space, releasing and championing films made for very little money but with strong authorial voices. The platform has a track record of supporting emerging filmmakers who prioritize story and performance over production spectacle, and its association here aligns perfectly with the scrappy, character-driven comedy "Joint Slay" appears to be. Distribution has not yet been formally confirmed, but the production notes indicate an independent streamer is the likely home, with NoBudge itself being the most probable fit given the filmmaker's existing relationship with the platform. That relationship is worth noting: Girkin reportedly has an upcoming release through NoBudge already, which suggests this is not a cold submission but an ongoing creative partnership.

Filming is set entirely in Los Angeles, California, which makes practical sense for a story set inside the casting industry. Los Angeles needs little introduction as a production hub, but for a micro-budget series shooting over just five days in mid-December, the city's deep bench of non-union and low-budget-friendly crew, rental houses, and flexible location options makes it an ideal home base. Productions at this scale in LA typically work with lean crews drawn from the city's vast pool of emerging and independent-minded filmmakers who are comfortable working quickly and resourcefully. Stage facilities are not likely a factor here. This is the kind of project that shoots in real casting offices, rehearsal rooms, and practical interiors, leaning into the authenticity of its setting rather than constructing it. Local crew are almost certainly the target, and given the December timing, the holiday season scheduling may actually work in the production's favor in terms of availability.

With a five-day shoot and a comedy format rooted in character and dialogue, "Joint Slay" will not require a massive department footprint. The production is not likely to be union-covered given its micro-budget positioning and NoBudge affiliation. That said, the roles that matter most here are the ones that make intimate, performance-driven comedy sing: a skilled production coordinator or AD who can keep a compressed schedule moving without crushing the creative atmosphere, a DP with a light-and-fast approach suited to real interiors, and a sound team comfortable in the kinds of live, reverberant spaces that casting offices tend to be. The casting process itself, led by Girkin, is already underway, and actors with strong comedic instincts and an ear for industry-insider humor are likely to be a priority.

For crew members, casting directors, and talent representatives working in the Los Angeles independent space, "Joint Slay" is exactly the kind of under-the-radar project worth getting in front of early. The full listing on ProductionList.com includes production contacts and scheduling details, and with cameras set to roll in December 2026, there is still meaningful runway to connect with the team. Bookmark the listing now and check back as the production moves deeper into prep and department rosters begin to fill out.

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