What Software Do You Need to Start a Video Production Company?

“After spending hours reconciling receipts instead of writing a shot list, I wondered, is this really how production is supposed to feel?” — Jens Jacob

If you’re launching a video production company, you might imagine your biggest expenses will be cameras, lights, and crew. But very quickly, you’ll find that software becomes just as essential. Mixups, missing costs, delayed approvals - these are admin disasters waiting to happen unless you have the right stack from Day 1.

Here’s a breakdown of the key software categories you’ll want, why they matter, real-world trade-offs, and tips for keeping your money in check.

The Core Software Stack You’ll Want

Below are the main categories of software you should consider. You don’t necessarily buy all of them at once, but you’ll want clarity on what role each plays.

Budgeting / Production Finance

• Purpose: Build, manage, compare budgets; track “actuals vs. estimate”; handle union fees, fringes, incentives

• What to Use: Saturation (cloud-based expense automated tracking + budget, the modernized industry standard), Movie Magic Budgeting (common within the industry, complex, lacks automation, steep learning curve), Wrapbook’s cost tracking

• When it Matters: Before you start production; especially once you handle multiple shoots or external budgets

Production Planning & Scheduling

• Purpose: Script breakdowns, call sheets, shooting schedules, shot lists, resource tracking

• What to Use: StudioBinder (all-in-one video production planning) StudioBinder, Celtx (budget + shoot planning), Scenechronize (for script / schedule coordination)

• When it Matters: During pre-production and while scouting locations

Project / Task Management

• Purpose: Coordinate tasks, internal feedback, versioning, collaboration

• What to Use: Trello, Asana, Wrike, Monday, or custom built task managment to operate video workflows

• When it Matters: Ongoing - from pre to post, especially when multiple people contribute or review

Asset & Media Review / Collaboration

• Purpose: Share dailies, annotate frames, version reviews remotely

• What to Use: Evercast (real-time remote collaboration), Frame.io, Wipster, Vimeo, etc.

• When it Matters: When post or VFX partners are remote or distributed

Expense / Payments / Card Management

• Purpose: Issue cards, scan receipts, manage approvals, tie expenses to budgets

• What to Use: Saturation Pay (via Saturation.io), Wrapbook (integrated cost tracking for production payroll)

• When it Matters: As soon as crew travel, small purchases, or per-diems begin

Accounting / Bookkeeping Integration

• Purpose: Sync your production finance to your company accounting

• What to Use: QuickBooks, Xero, or internal accounting software

• When it Matters: After you bill clients, or for payroll / studio overhead tracking

How These Tools Fit Together (Workflow)

1. Pre-Budget & Package Use budgeting software (ex. Saturation) to build a proposal budget (above and below line, contingency, rate cards). If your tool supports templates or imports from other software, that’s a win (many allow imports from Movie Magic, Showbiz, etc.). At this stage, you’ll want scenario modeling (e.g. “what if we shoot in two cities vs. one”) so you can present options to clients or financiers.

2. Pre-Production / Planning With the budget in rough shape, your planning tool (StudioBinder, Celtx) helps you break down scenes, generate call sheets, track logistics, and align crew. Meanwhile, your budgeting tool should begin to “open actuals” — you seed categories but not yet finalize.

3. Production & Actuals Capture This is when things get messy: rentals, gas, meals, last-minute gear upgrades, overtime. Use your expense / payments software to let crew scan receipts, use preloaded cards, and route approvals. Tie each expense to the budget line item so you can see real-time variance (actual vs. budget).

4. Post Production & Cost Reconciliation In post, you’ll finalize all costs (labor, editing, VFX, deliverables). Your budgeting tool should generate reports (e.g. how much you overspent in “transportation”) so you can close the books, share with stakeholders, or submit final invoices or reconciliations. The accounting integration helps move data into your company’s books.

5. Review, Learn, Reuse After wrap, export budgets, actuals, lessons learned. Use these for your next project’s “benchmarking.” Over time, you’ll build your own internal rate cards, cost norms, and templates.

Real-World Scenarios to Illustrate Value

Scenario 1: Remote Location Shoot - Surprise Fuel & Night Shoots

You budgeted $1,200 for local transport, but on Day 2 you move to a remote hilltop and have to pay an extra $500 in fuel and safety gear. With real-time expense tracking, you see mid-shoot that you’re already over in the “transportation” line. You can reallocate from “meals” or cut a second unit pickup to stay within budget. Without that visibility, you’d only see it in post - and maybe absorb it.

Scenario 2: Crew Advances & Petty Cash

Your Unit Production Manager (UPM) gives each department head a $200 petty cash advance. Instead of collecting piles of receipts to put into an envelope to deal with later, use the expense software: they scan receipts live, route approvals, and the system auto-tags them to each department. At wrap, there’s no “where did that $400 go?” discussion.

Scenario 3: Client Change Order - New Scene Added

Mid-shoot, your client asks for an extra B-roll sequence in a different location. You model it as a “what-if scenario” in your budgeting software: new transport, crew OT, gear rental. The system shows the total cost increment immediately, so you can deliver a change-order quote rather than guessing.

Things to Look Out For (Don’t Get Burned)

Learning curve & adoption If your tools are too complex or the crew are unfamiliar, you’ll get pushback. Start simple. Train early and often.

Offline / connectivity issues On remote shoots, the internet may be spotty. If your software is cloud-only without offline sync, you may lose access. Always verify offline capabilities or fallback (e.g. mobile app + later sync). Look for tools that work for you - either through use by download or if there is an offline mode (Saturation is able to be used without internet in offline mode).

Pricing tiers & hidden costs Some tools let you build big budgets but charge by number of “account items” or seats. Be cautious about overage fees. For instance, tools that claim “unlimited budgets” might charge extra for database rows or integrations. (This is common in modern budgeting tools.)

Permissions & role complexity Giving too much for too many users can lead to accidental edits. Be thoughtful about access levels (e.g. view-only, budget editors, approvers). Some tools don’t let you lock lines or prevent edits after certain phases.

Integration gaps Your budgeting tool might not speak perfectly to your accounting or card management tool. Expect some manual cleanup, especially early on.

Over-engineering early As you get started with your production company, you might be tempted to choose “the full Hollywood stack” — but that can drain the budget and slow you. Begin with just enough.

Expense Management & Payment Strategies

Here are key tips to keep expenses under control and your team happy:

Issue virtual/physical production cards tied to the budget Don’t let everyone use their personal cards and submit receipts. With a tool like Saturation Pay (or equivalent), you can preload budgets, set spending limits, and auto-assign to cost lines.

Receipt capture & mobile scanning Let the crew submit receipts as they go. A photo is better than paper. The software can parse, tag, and route. The Saturation Wallet mobile app allows your team to upload photos of receipts and track expenses in real time as they spend. This streamlines the process; as your team is spending, you are auto-actualizing within Saturation.

Approval workflows Use multi-step approvals so expensive purchases must be greenlit by the UPM or producer. That helps prevent surprises.

Petty cash + float For micro-expenses, keep a modest float. But tag them carefully. If possible, avoid cash altogether over time.

Variance thresholds & flags Set rules (e.g. any line over 10% variance triggers a review). Automate alerts.

End-of-day “cost wrap-up” Even if projections aren’t final, at the end of each shooting day have someone (AP assistant / Coordinator) review all expenses, catch missing tags, and reconcile petty cash.

Bottom Line: Protect Creativity by Automating Admin

When you start a video production company, the right software stack doesn’t detract from your creative goals; it protects them. It ensures decisions are data-driven, surprises are flagged early, and your admin doesn’t drain your energy.

You don’t have to buy all these tools at once. Start with budgeting + planning + simple expense capture. As you grow, layer in collaboration, media review, tighter workflows, and accounting sync. Over time, those tools let you spend less time wrestling spreadsheets — and more time telling stories.

Software Needs Table

About The Author

Jens Jacob is a seasoned film producer, founder of Sypher Films / Sypher Studios, and creator of Saturation.io, a platform innovating how productions manage budgets, payments, and financial workflows. He’s produced a diverse slate of films and videos—from music videos and branded content to documentaries and theatricals—his notable works include The Heart of Man, After Death, Please Don't Feed the Children. Beyond producing, Jens combines creative vision with business acumen: leading teams, securing financing, navigating distribution deals, and developing original content for both features and series (Spreaker Article, IMDPro Profile, Wrapbook Interview, Voyage LA Interview).