Editorial standards and conduct.

01 — Preamble and intent

These standards reflect the practice of independent documentary and journalism as understood within the field, consistent with longstanding ethical traditions including the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics, the International Documentary Association's production guidelines, and applicable guidance from the United States Federal Trade Commission relating to endorsements and material connections. They are a unilateral declaration of practice by the Studio. They do not create rights enforceable by any third party. They describe how the Studio understands its responsibilities and constraints; they do not constrain the Studio's ability to exercise its judgment in any particular instance.

02 — Defined terms

For the purposes of this document, the following terms carry the meanings set out below.

“Counterparty” means any individual, entity, festival, venue, label, distributor, broadcaster, streamer, exhibitor, granting body, agency, representative, sponsor, donor, or other party that has any actual, proposed, prospective, or hypothetical relationship with the Studio, whether commercial, editorial, professional, or personal in nature.

“Coverage” means any production, post-production, publication, distribution, exhibition, promotion, mention, reference, depiction, or acknowledgment, in any medium and at any length, of any subject by the Studio. The decision to engage in, decline, modify, postpone, abandon, or withdraw Coverage of any subject is, in every instance, a determination reserved to the Studio's editorial process described herein, irrespective of any Professional Courtesy or other interaction with any Counterparty.

“Professional Courtesy” means and includes, without limitation, press credentials, accreditation badges, complimentary admission, comp tickets, advance or hold tickets, lodging, transportation, meal allowances, hospitality, beverage service, equipment loans, gear demonstrations, expedited screening or review access, advance screeners or screening links, location access, archival material, image or footage clearances, transcription, translation assistance, introductions, and similar accommodations offered between professionals in the ordinary conduct of the trade.

“Submission” means any voluntary act by the Studio of presenting a completed, in-progress, or proposed work to a Counterparty for selection, consideration, evaluation, programming, exhibition, acquisition, licensing, or similar purpose, including submissions to film festivals, music festivals, granting programs, distribution markets, exhibitors, and broadcast and streaming services. A Submission, once made, may be withdrawn at any time and for any or no reason.

03 — Scope and application

These standards apply to the Studio's activities regardless of the format, length, language, distribution channel, or commercial structure of the work. They apply equally where the Studio is the originator, the commissioned producer, a co-producer, a contributing service provider, or a recipient of a granted opportunity. They apply whether or not a written agreement is in place with a given Counterparty, and whether or not a particular relationship has been characterized as editorial or commercial in correspondence.

04 — Editorial autonomy

All decisions concerning what the Studio chooses to film, produce, cut, score, mix, publish, distribute, exhibit, or promote, and the manner, timing, framing, and emphasis of any such action, are made by the Studio's editorial process described in section 05. No Counterparty participates in, approves, vetoes, conditions, or directs such decisions, and no Counterparty is entitled to pre-publication review, advance copies, talent veto, edit veto, or any analogous form of editorial control or consultation, except where a binding written agreement between the Studio and a co-producer or commissioning party expressly provides for limited factual-accuracy review of materials prior to release, the scope of which is determined in that agreement and is not extended by any other circumstance.

The Studio's editorial autonomy operates independently of, and is not affected by, the existence, extent, value, or absence of any prior, concurrent, or proposed relationship between the Studio and any Counterparty, including but not limited to the past or expected provision of any Professional Courtesy in either direction.

05 — Editorial process

The Studio's editorial determinations are made through internal review and deliberation among the producers, directors, editors, music supervisors, composers, and sound personnel assigned to a given project. Where applicable, additional review may be undertaken by an editor-in-chief, executive producer, fact-checker, or designated reviewer. No Counterparty participates in this process.

Determinations resulting from this process — including whether and to what extent the Studio elects to undertake, continue, modify, postpone, abandon, or withdraw any activity in respect of any Counterparty — rest in the sole and absolute discretion of the Studio. Such determinations are not subject to any standard of reasonableness, consistency, or proportionality enforceable by any Counterparty, and are not subject to challenge, review, appeal, or claim for damages by any Counterparty on any ground.

06 — Bilateral application

These standards apply in all directions of contact between the Studio and any Counterparty. The Studio's obligations and reservations described here apply equally (a) where a Counterparty has offered any Professional Courtesy or opportunity to the Studio, (b) where the Studio has requested or accepted any Professional Courtesy from a Counterparty, (c) where the Studio has made a Submission to a Counterparty, (d) where a Counterparty has made a submission, pitch, or proposal to the Studio, and (e) in any other circumstance in which the Studio and a Counterparty interact in connection with the Studio's work.

07 — Relationship with other agreements

These standards operate alongside, and do not replace or modify, any written agreements between the Studio and any Counterparty. Where a written agreement explicitly addresses a matter covered by these standards, the written agreement governs the matter to the extent of any direct conflict. Where these standards address a matter on which a written agreement is silent, ambiguous, or non-applicable, these standards apply. In all other respects, these standards apply in parallel with any written agreement and may be invoked by the Studio in addition to its rights under any such agreement.

Nothing in these standards limits the Studio's ability to insist on, or alternatively to waive, any provision of a written agreement in any particular instance. The Studio's election in one instance does not waive its rights in any other instance. The absence of a written agreement between the Studio and any Counterparty does not give rise to any implied agreement of any kind.

08 — Professional courtesies received by the Studio

The Studio may, in the ordinary course of its work, be offered Professional Courtesies by Counterparties. The Studio evaluates each offer on its own facts and may accept, decline, partially accept, or accept and later decline, in whole or in part, any such offer. Acceptance of any Professional Courtesy reflects only the acceptance of the specified accommodation in the form tendered. It does not constitute the entry into any agreement (express or implied), the formation of any contract, the assumption of any obligation, the making of any representation, or the creation of any expectation with respect to the Studio's subsequent editorial activity or absence thereof.

The Studio retains, in respect of every accepted Professional Courtesy, the right at any time and without notice to (i) refuse, return, or pay the fair market value of the courtesy, (ii) decline further courtesies of the same or any other type, (iii) terminate the corresponding field activity, production engagement, or editorial project at any stage, and (iv) elect a different course of action with respect to any subject related to the offering Counterparty than would otherwise have been undertaken, including by producing more, less, or no Coverage thereof.

09 — Professional courtesies requested by the Studio

The Studio may, in the ordinary course of its work, make requests for Professional Courtesies from Counterparties. The making of such a request constitutes neither an implied undertaking with respect to subsequent editorial activity nor any other commitment by the Studio. A Counterparty's grant of a requested Professional Courtesy creates no obligation, express or implied, on the part of the Studio to undertake, continue, position, or maintain any particular Coverage of the granting party or its activities, and the Studio's decisions in respect of such Coverage continue to be governed by section 04 and section 05.

A Counterparty's decision to decline a request for a Professional Courtesy is its own to make and does not give rise to any claim or remedy by the Studio. Such a declination does not constrain the Studio's ability to produce Coverage of the declining party's activities by other means, including but not limited to public information, secondary sources, archival material, interviews with third parties, and observations from public spaces.

10 — Submissions made by the Studio

The Studio may from time to time make Submissions of its completed or in-progress work to festivals, granting bodies, exhibitors, or other Counterparties. The making of a Submission, the acceptance of a Submission for consideration, the selection or programming of a work by a Counterparty, and any subsequent invitation to attend, participate, or present, are each individually and collectively subject to the Studio's ongoing discretion. The Studio may, at any time and for any reason or no reason, (a) decline to make or complete a Submission, (b) withdraw a Submission previously made, (c) decline a selection or invitation, (d) accept a selection or invitation in part and decline in part, (e) withdraw a previously accepted selection or invitation, (f) decline to attend or participate in connection with a selected work, (g) decline to authorize promotional materials, screenings, panels, interviews, or ancillary activities, and (h) elect to terminate any related relationship without penalty other than as expressly provided in a binding written agreement.

Neither the act of submitting, nor the selection of a work, nor any related correspondence or marketing, constitutes a commitment by the Studio to produce promotional or supplementary content, to participate in press activities, to grant licenses or rights, or to undertake any specific further activity, except as expressly provided in a written, signed agreement identifying the specific obligations assumed.

11 — Disclosure

Where a connection between the Studio and a subject of its work would be considered material to a reasonable viewer or reader — including the prior or concurrent receipt of meaningful Professional Courtesies relating to the same subject — the Studio will identify the connection in or alongside the published work, consistent with the spirit and substance of applicable Federal Trade Commission guidance regarding endorsements and material connections. Disclosure of a connection does not constitute, and shall not be construed as, an admission that the connection influenced any editorial determination.

The Studio is not obligated to disclose connections that are immaterial to a particular work, ordinary and customary within the field, or already widely known to the relevant audience. The determination of materiality in any given instance is made by the Studio in good faith and is subject to the discretion described in section 05.

12 — Subjects, contributors, and their representatives

The Studio treats subjects, contributors, interviewees, and their representatives with care and respect, consistent with the practice of serious documentary and journalism. The Studio does not, however, grant editorial approval or consultation rights to subjects, their managers, agents, representatives, publicists, labels, sponsors, or other Counterparties, except where a binding written agreement with a co-producer or commissioning party requires limited factual-accuracy review of specified materials, the scope of which is determined in that agreement.

Where a subject withdraws their participation, asserts a concern with the Studio's portrayal, or otherwise seeks to influence editorial determinations, the Studio considers the substance of the communication in good faith but is not bound to act upon it. Such communications shall not be a basis for any claim against the Studio.

13 — Conflicts of interest and limitations

The Studio does not accept any offer that is conditioned on specific Coverage, specific framing, the omission of specific material, the granting of pre-publication review outside the limited circumstances described in section 04 and section 12, or the cession of editorial control. The Studio does not accept cash gifts, equity grants, securities, or other forms of compensation that fall outside the ordinary and customary range of Professional Courtesies in the field. Where an offer presents a conflict of interest, the Studio may decline, recuse specified personnel, or undertake the work with appropriate disclosure as it determines appropriate in its discretion.

14 — Binding authority and informal communications

Only members of the Studio's executive leadership, acting in writing, may bind the Studio to a course of editorial action. Statements made by other Studio personnel — including producers, directors, editors, music supervisors, composers, sound personnel, freelancers, interns, contractors, agents, representatives, assistants, or any other person associated with the Studio in any capacity — outside of such written authorization do not bind the Studio. Oral statements, email exchanges, direct-message conversations, social-media posts, replies in public forums, comments in interviews, statements at panels or industry events, and any other communications by Studio personnel are made in the ordinary course of professional discussion. They shall not be construed as commitments, promises, agreements, representations, warranties, or assurances of any kind, and shall not give rise to any claim against the Studio.

For the avoidance of doubt: the existence, content, or tone of an exchange between the Studio and a Counterparty shall not be a basis for inferring any agreement, contract, or commitment. Counterparties seeking certainty as to the Studio's obligations should require a written agreement signed by an authorized member of the Studio's executive leadership.

15 — Non-reliance

Each Counterparty acknowledges and agrees that, in determining whether to offer the Studio any Professional Courtesy, in determining whether to grant any request made by the Studio, in determining whether to make available any opportunity to the Studio, in making any decision in the course of dealing with the Studio, or in any other circumstance, the Counterparty does not rely and has not relied on any statement, promise, representation, prediction, projection, projection of likely outcomes, or assurance — whether oral or written, express or implied — made by the Studio or by any individual associated with the Studio, other than those, if any, expressly set out in a written agreement signed by an individual authorized to bind the Studio in accordance with section 14.

The Counterparty further acknowledges and agrees that it accepts any risks associated with such determination as its own, and the Studio bears no liability for the Counterparty's commercial, reputational, financial, creative, or other outcomes.

16 — Corrections and editorial errors

The Studio undertakes to correct material errors of fact in its published work upon becoming aware of them. A correction does not constitute an admission of liability or an undertaking with respect to further action. The Studio determines in its discretion whether a reported concern constitutes a material error, the form of any correction, and the timing of any update.

17 — Reservation of rights

Nothing in this document constitutes a waiver of any right, power, or remedy held by the Studio. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Studio may elect, at any time and at its sole and absolute discretion, to (a) undertake, decline, modify, postpone, suspend, abandon, or withdraw any production, post-production, publication, distribution, exhibition, promotion, or related activity, (b) accept or decline any Professional Courtesy, opportunity, invitation, or arrangement, (c) make, decline to make, withdraw, or modify any Submission, (d) terminate or decline to undertake any relationship or prospective relationship with any Counterparty, (e) treat its discretion under this document as fully exercisable without further explanation, justification, or process, and (f) modify these standards prospectively. The exercise or non-exercise of any right reserved here in one instance does not waive that or any other right in any other instance, and no past pattern of conduct shall be construed as a waiver of any right reserved here.

18 — Confidentiality

Internal deliberations of the Studio's editorial process, including draft materials, internal correspondence, raw recordings not selected for use, source notes, and similar materials, are confidential and are not provided to Counterparties except as required by applicable law or pursuant to a written agreement that expressly provides for the disclosure of specified materials. A Counterparty's curiosity, dissatisfaction with the Studio's output, or expectation of access does not constitute a basis for the disclosure of such materials.

19 — Limitation on remedies and claim period

Even where a Counterparty has a valid claim against the Studio arising out of or relating to these standards or the matters they describe, the Counterparty's available remedies are limited. In no event shall a Counterparty be entitled to specific performance, injunctive relief, mandatory order, declaratory relief compelling editorial action, or any other equitable remedy that would compel the Studio to undertake, continue, modify, publish, or refrain from withdrawing any editorial work. Any monetary remedy, where available, is subject to the further limits set out in any written agreement between the parties and to the limitations of liability set out in the Studio's Terms of Service.

Any claim arising out of or related to these standards or the matters they describe must be brought within twelve (12) months of the event giving rise to the claim or be permanently barred, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

20 — Survival and severability

The provisions of these standards survive the conclusion, termination, suspension, withdrawal, or non-formation of any relationship between the Studio and any Counterparty, and shall apply with respect to any matter that arises before, during, or after such relationship. The reservations of right described herein are perpetual and cumulative. If any provision of these standards is held to be invalid, unenforceable, or contrary to law in any jurisdiction, the remaining provisions remain in full effect, and the invalid provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to render it enforceable while preserving its intent.

21 — Amendments and contact

The Studio may amend these standards from time to time. The current version is the version published at this URL on the date set out at the head of this document. Editorial correspondence, including reports of suspected errors, concerns about undisclosed connections, and similar inquiries, may be directed to contact@stillfield.studio.