No, the B-1/B-2 visa doesn’t allow you to engage in paid work or freelance gigs in the U.S. Accepting money under this status could create serious issues down the road.

Even if the opportunity is exciting, taking paid freelance work while on a visitor visa is considered unauthorized employment. You’d need to switch to a visa that permits creative work, like the O-1 or P visa. Have the production company explore sponsorship if they’re serious.

Freelancing while on a B-1/B-2 visa is risky; it’s classified as unauthorized employment by USCIS. Even if the payment comes from outside the U.S., the work is still happening on U.S. soil, which makes it a violation. A better path would be to explore an O-1 visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in the arts, or possibly an I visa if the project qualifies as journalism. Either option requires a petition and documentation, but it keeps you legally protected. Trying to wing it on a tourist visa could lead to denial of future entries.