- Applications are now closed. You can express your interest in participating on this course if we run in the future. See below a link to an Expression of Interest form.
| Start Date | Duration | Cost | Max Participant Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 24th November 2025 | 8 x weeks part-time | €450 | 12 |
Overview
This course is delivered in partnership with FÍS Éireann/Screen Ireland and the National Talent Academy, Crew Academy West.
Note: Although this course was created for the UK Screen industry there will be accompanying documentation to highlight the differences between the two countries and provide relevant information for anyone working in the Irish screen industry. This documentation was prepared by an experienced Irish based Production Accountant.
Note: This course is run over four weeks with weekly assignments plus tutor and peer engagement. The course is self-led with no set times for classes. However, students are expected to complete each module within the relevant week and submit assignments on schedule.
Advance your career in TV and film production accounting and gain skills to lead a department.
Ready to step up to a more senior role? Gain the knowledge and confidence to advance to production accountant or financial controller.
Get trained up in the essential skills every financial controller or production accountant needs to master, from managing the finances of a production through to the indispensable leadership skills that win you trust and respect.
This professional development course is an intensive deep-dive into the roles, systems and purpose of the accounting team on a UK film or TV production. Take part in real-world scenarios with input from people actually doing the job.
It may be possible to arrange work placements for participants interested in obtaining work experience in a production accounts office.
This course is run over eight weeks with weekly assignments plus tutor and peer engagement. The self-led elements can be done in your own time but assignments must be delivered on schedule.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will:
● Gain greater awareness of your potential as a leader, and industry expectations and processes
● Manage the finances of a production and understand the cost implications of production decisions
● Identify gaps in your accounting, production and management skills, and plan how to fill them
● Practise producing accurate cost reports and managing income, asking those burning questions in a safe space
● Learn compassionate leadership and how to get the best from a team, including communication flow, diplomacy, and team-building skills
Schedule
Session 1: What is Production Accounting?
We’ll look at the responsibilities of a head of department and the role’s requirements, from accounting and production expertise to soft skills. How can production accountants best support producers and ensure a production can afford to be completed? Where does the money come from, and what do funders want in return? You’ll assess where you are now in a personal development plan.
Session 2: Tax Credits and Working with the Budget and Schedule
Deep-dive into budgets, cashflows, schedules and tax credits. Essentials of Master Movie Magic budgeting. Checking budgets for the Producer/Line Producer. You’ll complete a cashflow for GBP and USD, and reconcile with a total budget.
Session 3: Setting up the Finance Office
Everything a head of department needs to know at the start of a production: crewing, systems and procedures, software options and effective ways to work with the production office. Recruiting your team. Smooth running of the accounts office. Controls, when to delegate (and when not…).
Session 4: Management and Leadership
The hardest part of the job, but also the most rewarding. What makes a good manager and effective leadership models. Asses your leadership style and approach to management. Which leadership skills do you need to work on? Compassionate leadership and other practical ways to get the best out of your team. Monitoring performance and delegation. Assess your performance profile.
Session 5: AP and Petty Cash
Back to basics on Accounts Payable and petty cash, pulling apart common issues and how to communicate with and monitor the work of your team. An overview of tax and VAT, with common errors to be aware of. Free field flagging, descriptions and controls. You’ll practise producing a tax return.
Session 6: Contracting, Payroll and Union Agreements
Including the legal aspects of contracting, IR35 and controls. A look at crew payroll and PACT/BECTU agreements. You should have good experience in this area, so the focus is on dealing with common areas of confusion and errors, and ways to help your whole team feel more confident in their knowledge and skills.
Session 7: Cast Payroll, Balance Sheets and Foreign Filming
You should be well versed already in these payroll, so we’ll identify gaps in your knowledge to fill and ways to ensure your team is secure in their own knowledge. Differences between PACT/Equity contracts for film and TV. Next-level complexities of filming internationally. Foreign etiquette, fixers, the bribery act and moral issues when filming abroad. Finally we’ll look at trial balance and balance sheets.
Session 8: Forecasting and Reporting
Pulling together everything we’ve looked at over the past two months. How to keep on top of all the information and give an accurate picture of how/whether the production can be delivered on time and in budget. Insurance. Forecasting the estimated final cost of the film or TV programme using information gathered from the production. Cost reports and how they are used by producers and funders. What to do when things go wrong. You’ll revisit and finalise your personal development plan.
Participant profile/Who can apply/Eligibility
This advanced course is for those with at least two years relevant industry experience. It may suit experienced Accountants or Accounting Technicians considering interested in working in the screen industry.
All enquiries should be directed to frankeaveney@furthr.ie
Tutor information
Lucy Drake is an experienced freelance financial controller in the film & TV industry. She is a qualified Chartered Accountant who started working as a Drama Production Accountant at the BBC, where she progressed to Senior Production Accountant. Since then, in her freelance career she has worked on numerous HETV dramas, films and documentaries in the UK and worldwide.
Lucy’s IMDb profile: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2210732/
Venue Information
Online followed by one in-person or on-line day with an Irish based Production Accountant after the course is complete.
Costs/fee
Course fee €450 per person. (Normally this workshop would cost €1,600 per person without Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet, FÍS Éireann/Screen Ireland and the NTA, Crew Academy West support.
Deadline for course applications
Monday 10th November at 12noon
Dates and times of the course
Session 1 opens Monday 24 November
Session 2 opens Monday 1 December
Session 3 opens Monday 8 December
Session 4 opens Monday 15 December (lasts three weeks – 1.5 weeks course, 1.5 weeks Christmas break)
Session 5 opens Monday 5 January
Session 6 opens Monday 12 January
Session 7 opens Monday 19 January
Session 8 opens Monday 26 January
Course closes Sunday 1 February
Alumni area opens: Monday 2 February
Due to our funding, this course is only available to those resident in the Republic Of Ireland.
For any queries, please contact frankeaveney@furthr.ie
Please apply using the link below.
If the timing of this course does not suit you and would like to be informed about upcoming courses in the production accounting area please register your interest HERE.
CCIS will generally only accept requests for cancellation refunds up to 5 working days before the training course commences. CCIS may allow for refunds outside of this on a case-by-case basis. Any request for a refund must be made via email to frankeaveney@furthr.ie & insert the course name in the subject line.
- Applications are now closed. You can express your interest in participating on this course if we run in the future. See below a link to an Expression of Interest form.