Top 7 Film and Video Production Management Tools of 2021

When it comes to making films, TV shows, commercials and, videos there are a lot of cogwheels to keep track of. And the bigger the project, the harder it is to manage.

Luckily, there are software and tools you can use to ensure that production runs like a well-oiled machine.

In this post, we’re going to take a look at some solutions that will make your life easier.

1. Movie Magic Budgeting

For big-budget films and productions, you’ll need to pull out the big guns. Movie Magic Budgeting (MMB) will help you manage your production budget, estimates, and reporting.

It is the most popular solution Entertainment Partners’ (EP) production management suite has to offer.

The company has been in business since 1976 and is a household name. Their solutions like MMB are considered industry standard.

Features

1. Cloud-based, real-time data access

2. Custom reports with the exact field you need

3. Customizable rule sets that you can toggle on and off

4. Data encryption in cloud-based storage for military-grade protection

Pros

1. Your budget data is saved locally first. This means that you won’t have to be constantly online. You can work offline for 7 days. After that, you’ll have to log in and sync your data for re-authentication.

2. Training material, such as how-to videos and product demos are available on their website.

3. The MMB is an industry standard and can be used with other EP software, such as Movie Magic Scheduling, Scenechronize, and SyncOnSet-Crew Tools for seamless production management.

Cons

1. Movie Magic Budgeting has per-user installs and is not ideal for seamless collaboration.

2. EP’s discussion forum is filled with queries about how to accomplish certain tasks using the software, which indicates that there’s a bit of a learning curve.

3. EP contacts client studios’ security teams for approval, but every company may not be pleased with the idea that their private info is synced to the production management company’s cloud.

4. Compatibility issues may arise. A user has claimed that the most recent version of Movie Magic Budgeting has not worked with macOS Catalina.

5. An older version of one of the solutions in EP’s suite may not be linkable with a newer version of another tool from the same suite.

Ideal for

1. Large scale productions

2. The unit production manager

3. Production office personnel

Pricing

1. 30-day free trial

2. The standard plan will set you back $29.99 per month or $239.88 per year.

(You’ll need to register on the website and log in to check solution prices and plans)

2. ProCal

ProCal is a web-based production calendaring software specially designed to meet the needs of film, TV and, commercial production teams.

It is part of the ProTools Suite offered by Revolution. Apart from software, the company also offers a range of services for entertainment industry clients, such as payroll management, healthcare, and other business services.

Support is extended to production centers in the USA and Canada. For payroll clients, ProCal is free to use.

Features

1. Web-based and easy to access

2. Works like Now-Up-To-Date

3. Multiple calendar layering is possible

4. Can be easily integrated with other tools in the ProTools Suite

5. Create reoccurring events

6. Let’s you keep track of union holiday schedule

Pros

1. User-friendly interface

2. Offers multi-user access

3. Easily move one or all events at once

4. Export to PDF and share with ease

Con

1. It is a web-based software, so it won’t sync if you’re offline

Ideal for

1. TV and film studios

2. New media agencies

3. Ad agencies

Pricing

Please contact us for pricing details. For payroll clients, ProCal is free to use.

3. FoxOMS

FoxOMS is a cloud-based resource scheduling software designed to schedule staff, equipment and facilities with ease.

The company is based in Australia and since its launch in 2008, it has established itself as a reliable production management solution provider.

Features

1. Resource scheduling

2. Project management

3. Quoting and invoicing

4. Reporting

Pros

1. User-friendly interface

2. API lets you integrate other software and workflow tools.

3. Their Zapier plugin lets you connect FoxOMS with more than 2000 other apps, such as Gmail and Slack.

4. The software is compatible with Mac, PC, Linux, and some Android and iOS mobile devices, too.

5. It’s customizable and allows you to enable and disable features.

6. If you opt for the trial version, customer support will be available.

7. Single Sign On (SSO) SAML 2.0 authentication is available.

Cons

1. Training for FoxOMS resource schedule is not available at this time.

2. It is a cloud-based software, so it won’t work if you’re production is located somewhere with an unstable internet connection.

Ideal for

1. Film studios

2. TV productions

3. Film schools

4. Creative agencies

Pricing

1. Free 30-day trial

2. Plans start at $35/month

4. Assemble

Assemble is a USA-based cloud video production management platform established in 2017.

A group of creatives identified the difficulties with video production management and founded the company to provide solutions that they couldn’t find at the time.

With Assemble, video production teams can construct timelines, keep track of assets and manage feedback efficiently.

Features

1. Team collaboration and communication

2. Asset management

3. Call sheet preparation

4. Creative brief

5. Vendor management

Pros

1. Software is intuitive and easy to use

2. Allows multiple client management

3. You can centralize assets and categorize them by project phase

4. It’s easy to shift production timelines and notify your team

5. Collaboration is efficient

6. Privacy controls are available so you can limit access to assets

Con

1. Assemble is a cloud-based software, so it won’t work without an internet connection.

Ideal for

1. Freelancers

2. Video production agencies

3. Small production companies

Pricing

1. 30-day free trial (no credit card required)

2. The Teams plan will set you back $42/month (annual subscription)

5. PreProCloud

PreProCloud is a cloud-based budgeting solution designed for film studios. You can visualize and edit your working budget and invite team members to collaborate with you.

Features

1. Commercial production bidding

2. Team collaboration

3. Budget and cashflow management

4. Payroll management

Pros

1. You can save and create unlimited bids

2. The sheets are customizable and you can change line items

3. Allows swift communication between teams

4. Gives you control over who can be given access

5. Lets you visualize budget changes in real-time

6. Plenty of training material is available on their site

7. Works fine on desktop and mobile devices

Cons

1. It is an online program, so you’ll need an internet connection to use it

2. There’s a bit of a learning curve to overcome

Ideal for

1. Film studios

2. Production offices and the unit production manager

Pricing

1. You’ll need to pay a one-time activation fee per project and pay again when your bid gets accepted.

2. This is what the prices look like right now:

6. Celtx

Launched in 2001 and based in Newfoundland and Labrador, Celtx is a cloud-based video management software. It started out as a desktop-based scriptwriting tool but then added more production management features and went online.

It supports online collaboration and can be useful for film, video and game production.

Features

1. Ideal for project organization

2. Lets you take care of budgeting

3. Lets you prepare shot lists

4. Allows scheduling

5. Allows the AD to prepare call sheets

Pros

1. Lets you manage all the major parts of production online

2. You can go paperless

3. Ideal for building documents and sharing them with ease

4. Offers priority email support

5. Has an online learning center you can use to understand how to use the software

6. Has a screenplay offline mode in beta

Cons

1. Collaboration and sharing functionality are limited.

2. It is cloud-based, so can’t be used offline.

Ideal for

1. Film studios

2. Video production studios

3. Game production companies

Pricing

Currently, all plans are 50% off, so the Video Production plan will cost you $10 per month on an annual subscription.

7. StudioBinder

StudioBinder made its debut in 2014. It is a USA-based company and offers video, photo, TV and film production management software.

The tools are web-based and can be used to manage contacts, generate call sheets, track files and backup data.

Features

1. Call sheet creation and distribution

2. Script breakdown sheets

3. Seamless collaboration

4. Centralized contact management

5. Upload, track and control different versions of all your files

Pros

1. User-friendly interface

2. The software streamlines workflow

3. Easily send call sheets to cast and crew. Get notified when they see them

Cons

1. Prices are on the higher side

2. Cannot be used offline

3. Customer support not available on the weekends

4. If you have security concerns and don’t feel comfortable with having all your information in the cloud, you may not like the idea of using this solution.

Ideal for

1. Filmmakers

2. Photographers

3. TV studios

4. New media houses

5. Video production companies

Pricing

1. The free plan lets you manage contacts, add tasks and create call sheets with a limitation of 1 project per company account.

2. Individual plans start at $25/month (annual subscription)

3. Company plans start at $216/month (annual subscription)

That concludes our pick of the best production management tools. It’s hard to imagine how people in the field powered on even when things weren’t so seamlessly automated.

There’s no denying that technology and tools like the ones we mentioned have helped the production industry take on more ambitious projects. We’re excited to see what innovations lie ahead!

Please note: our team has not personally tested the software and tools mentioned in this blog post. We perused review sites (such as Capterra and the Google Play Store), discussion forums, demo videos, and company websites to gather all of this information.