Production pays its crew on shoot days and its client pays on delivery. Cameras, lights and editing suites are bought before either.
Apply Now →A production company's work follows a clear sequence. A client commissions a commercial, a branded series, a documentary or a corporate piece. Pre-production begins: scripting, casting, location scouting, permits and scheduling. Then come shoot days, where crew, talent, gear, transport and meals are paid for. Post-production follows with editing, color, sound and revisions. Final payment typically arrives after the client approves the delivered work.
Deposits may cover part of the early costs, but the largest outlays, crew and equipment on shoot days, often come before the largest payment.
Production crews are largely freelance or day-rate, and they are usually paid promptly after a shoot. Directors of photography, gaffers, sound mixers, assistants and production assistants expect timely payment, and a company that pays late finds it hard to book the best people next time. For a company running multiple shoots in a month, the crew bill is a major recurring outflow.
New York's production community is dense, and reputation travels. Paying on time is a competitive advantage that requires cash on hand.
| Category | Rent or buy? | Cash implication |
|---|---|---|
| Cameras and lenses | Often bought by owner-operators, rented by others | Large purchase, or per-job rental costs |
| Lighting and grip | Mixed | Rentals add up quickly on multi-day shoots |
| Audio gear | Usually owned | Moderate purchase, high reuse |
| Editing workstations and storage | Owned | Upfront cost, steady use, regular refresh |
| Studio space | Rented by day or by lease | Deposit and recurring cost |
Corporate and agency clients often pay on net terms after approval. A single revision cycle can delay sign-off, and the invoice waits with it. Large clients may have formal payment cycles that run to many weeks after invoicing. A production company with several projects in that state at once can have a large sum of earned but uncollected revenue, while its crew, vendors and rent come due.
This is the context where working capital is a bridge: the work is done, the client is real, and the check is on its way, but payroll is due before it arrives.
Many producers face a recurring choice. Renting is flexible and spreads cost project by project, but for frequent shoots it becomes more expensive than owning. Owning is cheaper over time but requires cash up front and covers only the gear you bought. The decision depends on how often a piece is used, and a producer with steady bookings often reaches a point where buying a camera package or a lighting kit makes sense.
A production company books a series of shoots for a client, requiring about $80,000 in crew, equipment and location costs over six weeks. The client will pay 45 days after final delivery. The company can do the work but cannot fund it entirely from its current balance. The numbers are round and invented, not our terms.
We fund $25,000 to $5,000,000, and funds can arrive in as little as 24 hours after approval. We consider FICO 500+, use a soft credit pull and do not require tax returns. We ask for about three months of business bank statements. Sole proprietors, including independent producers and directors, can apply.
Sole proprietors can apply. You need a business bank account with revenue moving through it.
Statements show deposits as they arrive. Mention your client payment terms.
Equipment is a common use of working capital.
No. We review about three months of business bank statements.
Three months of business bank statements and a 5-minute application. FICO 500+ considered. $25,000 to $5,000,000, funded in as little as 24 hours.
Apply Now →It takes about two minutes and it will not affect your credit score.
No obligation • No impact to your credit score
