Production accountants do all the things accountants do, but they do it on filming locations amidst the fast-paced and ever-changing world of film and high-end television. They calculate finances, work out the cost of a production, talk to the completion guarantor and control the cash flow, or spending. They help the producers and production managers prepare budgets and estimated final costs, and oversee all payments, manage payroll and provide cost reports, while importantly also evaluating the impact production changes will have on a shoot.
“Everything is part of the package” says Jennifer Griffin. “It’s not just cost reports, petty cash, spreadsheets – it’s about considering everything that will make the production happen, and understanding how all the costs relate to one another and the knock-on effects they might have.”
“A Production Account role is much more than just numbers” Jennifer continues. “It’s a juggling role. Scripts and production requirements constantly change. It’s also an HR role – you have to be mindful about what’s happening with your crew, and any problems personal, financial or otherwise that may occur.”
Being a Production Accountant takes a certain kind of person, argues Dominique Tucker. “I think there’s definitely a type of personality that helps – very organised, efficiency driven, a bit of a logical thinker. It’s about problem solving, looking at the information, the numbers, and being able to interpret what they mean for the production. If you can follow order, make sense of patterns I feel like it stands you in good stead.”
For Miguel Pariente, passion is just as important. “Being a Production Accountant is something you need to love, because it’s not easy” he says. “The accountancy department roles are some of the hardest in the whole production, and if you don’t love it, it’s impossible to do a good job.”
Miguel continues: “You’re always listening and understanding the whole picture, and the love of the job makes you more curious – and with an open attitude to learning you’ll thrive. If you bring something to the table you’ll be rewarded.”
On this open attitude to learning, Jennifer is very much in agreement. “My rule of thumb is that you should learn something new on every production – you should always be learning, always be open to new ideas. What this profession gives you is the joy of travelling, the joy of meeting new people on new shows, and collectively sharing ideas and experiences.”
For all three Production Accountants, the route into the industry has been far from straightforward.
“I never planned to work in the industry” says Dominique. “I studied law. I was given a job by a lovely lady called Diane Twiddy, and it spiralled from there. It’s a really welcoming industry.
People don’t think about accountants as being part of a film – they think about the cameraman, the people in front of the camera – but somebody has to look after the money! My first job was Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit in 2014, at Pinewood. You walk in and you can feel the history. It really was like stepping into another world.”
Miguel studied business administration, before becoming a financial advisor, but it wasn’t for him: “I had some friends working in advertising, and I moved into the art department – but it wasn’t long before my degree came to light! I talked about having studied and worked in finance in a bar on a Saturday night, and on the Monday I got a call about a film called Is Harry on the Boat? Rennie Spiolek, the Production Accountant, liked the way I worked, and we then worked together on BBC’s New Tricks.”
Jennifer was initially very resistant – “My father was producer, and I swore I’d never go into the industry!” she says. “I worked in benefits in Huddersfield, but gave up my flat, my job, everything for a six-week job. Teresa McGrane told me she’d be happy for me to go to Ireland to see how things worked, so my first job was on Ballykissangel. I then worked with David Murphy and Tom Maguire on Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog in 1998. It gave me a great grounding on how everything, every department, functioned.”
This working together, and forming an understanding of each department, is important for all three.
“I’ve been proud to work on a lot of great productions – The Legend of Tarzan, Spiderman: Far From Home, Exodus: Gods and Kings – but when you work with good people, even if you have difficulties, you have a good experience” says Miguel.
Jennifer emphasises the way in which people on set must work together. “On a film or TV show, everybody wants to be on the glitter of the floor – but accounts very much assist with production, locations and art departments to make the floor happen before the shooting crew arrive.”
Membership of the Production Guild has also been key in building these networks, and enabling the learning and sharing of knowledge.
“I’ve been a guild member for years” says Dominique. “I joined as soon as I had the three credits required. It was really important when I was starting out to have a network – and at that point the Production Guild was the only source of that network.”
Miguel was similarly keen to join. “As soon as getting to the UK, I joined the Guild. I have to be grateful for how many jobs being a member has gotten me – even when I was starting out, and my English wasn’t great, and the UK wasn’t as busy as it is now, I always managed to get jobs. Sometimes I’d get job offers out of the blue just for being a Guild member!”
For Jennifer, “the Guild is an invaluable source of knowledge – from BECTU agreements to lighting agreements, it provides a central point. Accounting is all about information, and information is always changing.”
“As your career grows, the way you use the Guild changes” says Dominique. “If I’m looking for crew, looking for BECTU contracts, it’s the place to go. As somebody who has to hire crew, I would always use the PGGB Availability Service above anything else – it gives credibility and verification.”
All three members have also used the Guild for training courses throughout the years.
“I’ve been impressed with the experience” says Jennifer. “Someone like (course trainer) Steve Clark-Hall can pull up so many different examples of what can happen, and how to solve whatever it is.”
“You’re going to meet people at a similar level, a similar place in their career” says Dominique. “Not only do you get the skills from the course, you get the continuous access to a network: I can ask them anything.”
