How to Get Into Film Accounting

Over the past few years a common denominator of most emails sent to me is – How do I get into film accounting? It’s a tough question to answer. How do you get into film accounting? It’s an insular industry, but not impenetrable. I go over this in more detail in my workshops, but this [...]

Enhancing Film Tax Credits – Does It Work

Will Hollywood start screaming “Runaway Production” again?

Film Budgeting Workshop In Michigan

Create a film budget using the industry leading film budgeting software – Movie Magic©. This is a workshop for both filmmakers, film accountants and industry professionals interested in servicing the film industry in Michigan (or anywhere). Estimating the tax credits, opinion letters, etc will also be addressed in the workshop

Film Accountants and ‘Energy’

‘Energy’ is a word often bandied around in the film business. Let’s have a look how it applies to that Graybeard – the Production Accountant.

The Film Business – How Do Independent CPA’s Fit In?

CPA’s who want to service the film industry as auditors in some way have several routes:
– prepare an opinion of the Estimated Tax Credits from the Film Budget in ‘prep’,
-  prepare audited statements of the Cost Report in post-production for the Tax Credits,
- service the administration of the tax credit with the State for the [...]

Film Production Accounting Workshops In Michigan

There is an unprecedented demand for Film/TV Production Accountants and Assistant Accountants in Michigan. The unique practical aspects of Film Production Accounting is not taught by an experienced Film Accountant anywhere else – except here. FREE Showbiz© Budgeting & Scheduling software, a Film Labor Guide, plus much more, is included.

Train To Be A Film Production Accountant

Michigan has been the go-to State for film production and there just aren’t more than a handful of local film production accountants and asistant accountants. I have decided to do a couple of weekend workshops in May/09. The first one will be for those who want to learn to be an assistant film accountant. The [...]

Film Production: Faster Better Cheaper – Pick Any Two

About 1970 I saw an interview with Hattie Jacques, a veteran character actor who always played the dowdy Matron, Wife, etc. through the series of “Carry On ___” movies out of the UK. She not only used the phrase, “Faster-Better-Cheaper pick any two”, but she said that it was a mantra that she had been living for many years.Let’s think about it. It’s a generality, and I think it’s lasted so long because it really makes you ponder. But, like all generalities, not always true.

Film Production Accounting

Film production accounting is the last niche in the world where you can become a professional accountant, earn excellent wages, and not have an accounting designation. If you DO have accounting experience, or a designation, it’s a fast rise to good money and lots of challenge – but there are some downsides.

Want To Get Into Film Production?

This is my 23rd year working in the film industry on over 40 film productions. Throughout that time I have never met a new film school graduate who has a clue about handling the most important aspect of ALL filmmaking – the MONEY! Honestly, and brutally, until recently I would rather have hired someone as [...]