Director Michelle Latimer said she did this to highlight the cruelty towards human protestors, as well as suggesting that mainstream society is more angered at cruelty towards animals (rather than people) because hunting allows indigenous peoples to be self-reliant and live their history outside of society in the present. The film also uses dramatic juxtaposition to deliver its message, including scenes with King's narration overlaying an image of him eating popcorn while watching old film Westerns and following a scene of Dakota Access Pipeline protests with one of a man distributing seal meat to indigenous Canadian families, having previously clubbed it to ensure it was shot dead.

It does not follow a traditional documentary format, using evocative imagery instead of talking heads King is never seen to speak, appearing on screen independent to his narration.

Inconvenient Indian blends scenes in which author and indigenous rights activist Thomas King, filmed in a taxi cab being driven by actress Gail Maurice in character as an indigenous trickster, narrates portions of his own book with video clips of historical representation of indigenous peoples as well as segments profiling modern figures, such as Kent Monkman, Christi Belcourt, A Tribe Called Red, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril and Nyla Innuksuk, who are reshaping the narrative with their contemporary work in art, music, literature and film.

Author and activist Thomas King appears as himself in the film.

The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King