This course is delivered by Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet in partnership with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and the National Talent Academy for Film and TV Crew 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.
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.
By the end of the course, participants will:
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.
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.
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…).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Due to CCIS funding, this course is only available to those resident in the Republic Of Ireland.
Online followed by one in-person or online day with an Irish based Production Accountant after the course is complete.
Course fee is €450 per person. Normally this workshop would cost €1,600 per person without support from Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and the National Talent Academy for Film and TV Crew West.
Interested applicants should create an account and apply via the Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet website HERE
Deadline for applications: Monday, 10th November 2025, noon.
All enquiries should be directed to frankeaveney@furthr.ie
