Jan. 2026
Indie TV: A New Model for Independent Series Production
Television production has long been the exclusive domain of networks and major studios. For decades, the barrier to entry was simply too high, the infrastructure too complex, and the financial risk too great for independent producers to compete in the scripted series space. The indie film world thrived on scrappy budgets and creative problem-solving, but those same principles never quite translated to episodic content.
That seems to be changing.
We're seeing cracks in the old model. Streamers are hungry for content but increasingly cost-conscious. Audiences have developed an appetite for shorter-run series that deliver satisfying stories without requiring five-season commitments. And perhaps most importantly, the tools and techniques that once required studio-level resources have become more accessible. Virtual production, global VFX pipelines, state film incentives, and SAG agreements designed for independent productions have quietly created a new landscape.
So what if we applied the indie film mindset to television? Not as a compromise or a lesser version of the "real thing," but as a deliberate, viable approach to launching original IP?
That's exactly what we're exploring with Coldtown.
A Quick Note on Terminology
In television, a "limited series" typically refers to a self-contained story that ends, a single season with no continuation planned. That's not quite what we're doing.
In Europe, series have long been produced in shorter runs, often three to six episodes, with the intention of continuing if successful. US streamers regularly acquire these shorter European series, and American audiences have grown comfortable with the format. It's efficient storytelling that respects viewers' time while leaving room for expansion.
What we're proposing sits in this space. Call it a "mini series" in the classic sense: a shorter initial run, produced independently at an accessible budget, designed as IP origins with the potential to convert into a full-length series in subsequent seasons. The first season proves the concept, establishes the characters, and tells a complete story arc. If it resonates, season two expands into a traditional series order with distribution partners who've now seen finished product rather than pitch decks.
It's the indie film model applied to episodic storytelling. Make the movie first, then sell it.
The Proof of Concept Model
Coldtown is a five-episode thriller about a small-town detective who discovers his community is being systematically destroyed by a rogue AI warfare program. Think The Night Agent meets Mr. Robot, a character-driven suspense thriller grounded in the timely anxieties of digital surveillance and tech paranoia.
But beyond the story, Coldtown represents something else entirely: a test case for what we're calling the "IP origins" approach to independent television.
The concept is straightforward. Instead of pitching a series concept and hoping a streamer or network greenlights a full season order, you produce an affordable mini series independently. This initial run serves as proof of concept, demonstrating the viability of the IP, the quality of execution, and audience interest. If it works, season two converts to a full series order with distribution partners now investing in a known quantity.
What Does This Actually Require?
For this approach to work, you need several things in place.
First, you need material that's genuinely production-ready. Not a treatment, not a pilot script, but the complete package. For Coldtown, that means all five episodes written, a comprehensive show bible, and detailed production planning. When you're asking investors or partners to take a chance on an independent series, you have to eliminate as much uncertainty as possible.
Second, you need a production strategy built around financial efficiency without sacrificing quality. This is where the indie film playbook becomes essential.
For Coldtown, we're leveraging Georgia's 30% transferable tax credit, which brings our net budget under $5 million for five hours of content, roughly $985,000 per episode. That's a fraction of what streamers typically spend, but the approach isn't about cutting corners. It's about making smart structural decisions.
We're block shooting all five episodes as a single production, which typically saves 15-20% compared to episodic shooting by maximizing location and cast efficiency. We're using a hybrid VFX model with US-based supervision and Indian studio execution, maintaining quality while reducing costs by 40-60% on certain elements. Virtual production on a volume stage handles complex locations, D.C. exteriors, international settings, helicopter interiors, without the expense of practical travel. SAG experienced actors at working rates, non-union Georgia crew at market rates.
None of this is revolutionary on its own. What's different is applying these tools systematically to create a repeatable model for independent series production.
Why This Business Model Makes Sense
The traditional path for getting a series made involves packaging talent, securing representation, taking meetings, hoping for a development deal, then hoping that development leads to a pilot order, then hoping the pilot leads to a series pickup. At every stage, the odds narrow. Most projects die in development. Most pilots never become series.
The indie approach inverts this dynamic.
By producing the mini series independently, you create a finished asset. Distribution conversations shift from "will you take a chance on this concept" to "would you like to acquire this completed series." The risk profile changes entirely. Buyers can see exactly what they're getting. Audience testing becomes possible. International sales can begin.
For streamers, this model offers something increasingly valuable: known quantities at manageable price points. In an era of content rationalization and profitability pressure, a production-ready mini series with established costs and demonstrated quality is an attractive proposition. And if it performs, the conversion to a full series is already built into the design.
For creators, it means maintaining more control over the material and potentially capturing more upside. Rather than selling a concept into development and hoping it survives the process intact, you're delivering a vision you've already executed.
The Upsides
Beyond the structural advantages, there are creative benefits to this approach.
The mini series format, borrowing from European sensibilities, allows for efficient storytelling. Five episodes of Coldtown deliver a full narrative arc with genuine resolution. The story works as a standalone piece, but the world and characters are built for continuation. Season one proves the concept. Season two expands the canvas.
The lower budget paradoxically creates more creative freedom in certain ways. Without the pressure of massive per-episode costs, there's room for unconventional choices. Character development can breathe. The story doesn't need to hit certain action beats per episode to justify the spend.
And there's something to be said for the discipline that constraints impose. When you can't solve every problem with money, you're forced to solve them with creativity. That often produces better work.
Moving Forward with Coldtown
We're approaching Coldtown as genuine proof of concept for this model. Complete scripts are finished. The show bible is comprehensive. Production budgeting is detailed and realistic. Location scouting in Georgia is underway. The creative package is ready for partners who want to be part of something that might represent a new pathway for independent series.
Is this the future of television production? Probably not exclusively. Networks and studios aren't going anywhere, and there will always be projects that require their scale and resources.
But is this a viable new avenue for certain kinds of stories and certain kinds of producers? We think so. The economics work. The tools exist. The market appetite is there.
Coldtown is our attempt to prove it.