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Page 3 of 4 Line Producer If you can afford an experienced line producer, he or she provides an enhanced PM role. They are usually well versed in the front-end business side of projects, and can do some work that a PM might not have the expertise to provide, such as the beginning paperwork and or agreements with your unions and guilds. The role of a line producer can be very close to that of a producer, with him or her filling in the gaps where you have little experience. The main difference is that the line producer gets to walk away at the end of filming, while the producer continues to hold responsibility for the project through post-production and distribution. Production Accountant There are two phases to the accounting cycle of a film. The first starts in the pre-production stage, goes through principal photography and ends with the wrap, about a week or two after photography finishes. For the first stage, you need an accountant who is familiar with paper work required, the rates and guidelines for ACTRA and all the other guilds and unions, such as IATSE or the WGC. The accountant will be calculating compensation, fringe benefits and overtimes for the crew and cast, and providing you with time sheets. She or he can also do your cash flow statements and deal with your tax credits. Alternatively, there are a number of companies who provide tax credit services and your PA can recommend one. The second accounting phase covers post-production, including the audit process, where your accountant prepares the books required for auditing by a CA firm. Some can also handle your tax credit applications and paper work to a certain degree. Sometimes one accountant works on both phases; sometimes you hire one accountant for each stage. Whichever route you choose depends on the specialties of the accountants to whom you have been referred. Post-Production Supervisor Post-production can be one of the most intimidating areas of filmmaking because it is so technical and the technology is evolving at such a rapid pace. A Post-Production Supervisor acts like a Production Manager for this phase, helping you navigate the many details of the film elements, materials and industry standards at the time of production, right through to delivery. They are familiar with all the technical items required when the film is finished, such as the necessary and differing types of broadcast masters and various formats of the soundtrack or music and effects. If your budget won’t cover hiring a post-production supervisor, an editor can sometime play a very helpful role through the process. If you don’t have one, check with the sales people at the labs for a recommendation. Executive Producer On your first film, an executive producer can be very helpful and is sometimes required by your investors. Since you don’t have experience with all the details and with handling unexpected situations, the executive producer can at least identify the milestones for you: what is going to hit when and how you can prepare. As an example, to sign a security agreement with ACTRA you need to be a member-in-good-standing with the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFPTA). You also need to pay ACTRA a pre-production deposit that can range up to 75% of your total cast budget. An executive producer can alert you to these types of deadlines and ensure you have the cash flow. In some cases there are duties that Line Producers can also undertake. Continued... |
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