PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
Below should be all the info, links and documents you need to get set up & running as Production Director at Creative Blood. They are very much a starting point, and we absolutely would love you to add your own personality and flair to everything you do. We hope you find them helpful.
WELCOME
Anytime someone new starts at Creative Blood, they will be asked to read through the WELCOME PAGE on the intranet. Please take a look as it will give you access to our NDA, which we’ll need you to sign, our WEBSITE, SHOWREEL, CORE VALUES, and also contains links to our FONT & LOGOS which you’ll need to download, PRODUCTION MANUAL, and SUSTAINABILITY POLICY.
CREATIVE BLOOD PRODUCTION PROCESS
The existing production process is detailed in the PRODUCTION MANUAL, and an overview can be accessed here. This is how we’ve done things to date, but we are very much up for you reviewing the process, and streamlining it wherever you feel you are able to.
COVID-19
Due to COVID-19, there are a few other processes & documents you should be aware of if producing a shoot during COVID.
APA COVID-19 SHOOTING GUIDELINES - Latest guidelines are saved on dropbox.
CALLSHEET - Our callsheet template has been updated to include a brief summary of steps we are taking & will be asking clients & crew to take on set with us.
CIMS - When budgeting for a job during COVID-19, every estimate needs to be set to the template ‘_COVID London’ on the details page. Unless otherwise specified by the client and agreed with Laura Conway.
HEALTH DECLARATION FORM - The latest version supplied by the APA is saved on dropbox. It is to be shared with all crew, talent etc at beginning of pre production.
RESPONSE + RESPONSIBILITIES - We’ve created a Google doc that can be shared with clients to outline the steps we are taking when producing in the UK during the pandemic.
NON-NEGOTIABLES
A brief overview of your role broken down into daily, weekly, monthly, annual and adhoc tasks can be found here. This is a guide of how this role has been done to date, and is open for change. However, there are a few nonnegotiables when working in the role of Production Director at Creative Blood that we are unapologetic about, they include;
CORE VALUES - You are with us to lead the production team, and therefore you live & breath our Core Values in everything you do.
BUDGET APPROVAL -You need to approve all budgets before they are shared with client. Pls check;
Details page - this is our version of a bid-letter, and needs to include all project info. Level of detail is key.
CB costs - that the costs are in line with the approved client rate cards.
Timings - please check a timing plan is being shared alongside the budget, and the estimate supports the duration of the project outlined in the timing plan.
HANDING OVER OF JOBS - There are a number of things that you’ll need to do when handing a job over.
BACKSTORY - Please give the producer you are handing over to the fullback story to our client. How we’ve got here with them, what jobs we’ve previously worked on with them, and any intel as to what makes a great shoot for them.
DROPBOX - You’ll need to give the producer permissions to the ‘02. Production’ folder of the relevant job on dropbox. Please also remember to remove their permission to access once the job is finished.
MASTER JOB WORKSHEET - You will need to create a Master Job Worksheet for the job before handing it over. This is the working document that the Producer, PM, PA’s use to detail the crew they are optioning and to record all project details.
WORKING BUDGET / RECONCILIATION - Once you have a client approved budget please save it in the ‘01. Admin’ folder on dropbox, before create a Working Budget from CIMS on Google Drive removing the producer fees / agency mark-up and saving a link in ‘Dropbox > 02. Production 10. Recon’. The producer taking over the job will be expected to keep a working budget that you are able to review / access at all times. Once the job is completed the working budget will be used to create the final project reconciliation.
4. ADVANCE INVOICE - It is your responsibility to ensure that all advance invoices have been paid ahead of any costs being paid out & Creative Blood walking onto set. Please work with our accounts team on this, letting them know client contact details as soon as a budget is approved so they can raise the advance & share with them on your behalf. Please also let accounts know when you’ll need to make any payments (e.g styling advances) so they can check the money has cleared our account. If an advance invoice isn’t paid before the shoot, then the shoot cannot go-ahead.
5. RECONCILIATION APPROVAL - You are responsible for approving all reconciliations before they go to client. The producer will complete the recon, following the steps detailed in the production manual, and share it with accounts for their input. Once completed our accounts department will share it with you for final sign off before it’s sent to client. Please go through each recon with the producer in detail. Once a recon is sent to client we’re not able to revise, and any invoices missed become a cost to Creative Blood.
BLACK BOOK
Creative Blood also has a much guarded Black Book. This has taken years for Laura & the team to build, so please treat it with respect, and do not give access or share with anyone out of the core CB Team, this includes freelance members of the CB Team.
CLIENTS
Behind every client is an incredible backstory as to how we got to work with them, and the jobs we’ve done. Ahead of reaching out to any client, or starting any job, please check with the core CB team to find out the backstory. Many are too long, and inappropriate for GDPR to detail here.
PROCESS DOCS have been created for each of our regular clients. These are saved on the londoninfo Google drive.
We currently have contracts in place with Apple, Beats + Nike. The above process documents should include all the relevant points from the contracts from a production POV. If you need to refer back to the initial contracts please request from our Office Manager, as they are saved on the Operations Server.
Any recent RFP DOCUMENTS we have created for either existing or new clients are saved on the londoninfo Google drive.
CIMS
CIMS is the software we use at Creative Blood for bidding all jobs.
There are a few ‘How To’ guides below, but if you have any technical or account questions, please reach out to Kofi Osuwu @ CIMS who will be able to help you.
CREATIVE BLOOD INC
There are a number of ways in which we work with Creative Blood inc. Please refer to Ways of Working PDF ahead of either starting a job with CB Inc that they have briefed you on, or before reaching out to CB Inc to work with them as a local service company.
DROPBOX
We use Dropbox to save all job related info for all live jobs. You will have your own dropbox login, but will also need to access the main Creative Blood dropbox account, so you can access all jobs, and create new job folders.
Creative Blood Log in: london@creativebloodagency.com | password: please request from Office Manager.
When a new job comes in, you will need to create a new job folder, and grant the relevant people permissions.
You’re also responsible for moving the job folder through ‘BIDDING’, ‘ACTIVE’, ‘COMPLETED’, ’GONE AWAY’ as the job progresses.
Following the shoot, please remove access to the folder for anyone that no longer needs it. Once the reconciliation has been approved by the client, please also remove the access of the producer, unless they are one of the core CB team.
Once a job is completed, and we have received the final payment, the job needs to be moved over from Dropbox onto the Creative Blood server.
GOOGLE DOCS
Creative Blood has recently moved over to using Google docs for any documents that need to be shared. All company documents need to be set up on the londoninfo@ Google Drive. The current log in details are: londoninfo@creativebloodagency.com | password: please request from Office Manager.
At present the following folders / documents are saved on this drive:
Creative Blood Case Studies
Client Process Docs
Intranet - all google docs linked to the intranet, are saved here.
Master Job Worksheets - are all saved here / ‘How to’ create a new Master Job Worksheet below.
Office - all google docs used by our Office Manger are saved here.
RFP’s - all RFP’s need to be created on the londoninfo Google drive, so they are saved centrally.
Working budget / reconciliations - are all saved here.
INSURANCE
You are responsible for ensuring that all Creative Blood shoots are covered by our existing insurance policy, and where there are requirements that aren’t covered, that additional insurance is purchased. Details of our insurance policy, and contact details for our insurance company can be found here.
INTRANET
The intranet was created as a tool for all freelancers coming into Creative Blood to use. It enables them to have all the info they need to produce a job to hand when working remotely.
It’s also a tool for ordering Petty Cash, and the Production kit. Every time a production kit or petty cash request is submitted our Office Manager will receive an email from Squarespace and will arrange with the relevant Producer / PA for the kit to be packed. Our Office Manager is also responsible for all Petty Cash, and signing it out / in with producers.
The intranet is created using Squarespace. Our Office Manager has the log-in details, and will be able to make any amends to the intranet that you need. As processes change please keep the intranet updated, it has allowed Creative Blood to scale efficiently and provides everyone with the info they need to be able to succeed in their role.
Our Office Manager changes the passwords on a monthly basis, please check for latest passwords.
LEGAL
For any legal questions with regards to client contracts, or clearance on a shoot, please reach out to either Steve Davies or Martin Poyner at the APA.
For any legal issues outside of the APA, please speak to Laura Conway.
MEETING LOG
Daily meetings are arranged with both artists and freelance Producers / PM’s and PA’s.
A meeting log has been created to record the details of everyone reaching out to Creative Blood. Our Office Manager is responsible for the meeting log, and will periodically send you a link, with relevant CV’s for you to review, ahead of any meetings being set up.
When workload allows we would like you to be meeting new production teams daily.
OPTIONS CHART
An options chart has been created as a Google Doc on the Londoninfo Google Drive, to record freelancer availability, and detail who we have optioned for which specific project. It is your responsibility, working with Sarah to option all Producers and PM’s for every job. We’ve created a quick ‘How to’ video so you can see how it works, and how you can access the hidden contact details within the document.
It is the role of the Producer running the job to option their PA’s and Runners, but they must always check the team with you ahead of confirming, to ensure there’s someone from the core CB team on set and that you have the right personalities and skillset for the specific needs of the job.
PAYMENT LOG
The payment log is a google doc that has been created for the CB core team to communicate to our accounts team if people are chasing invoice payment. It lives on the Londoninfo Google Drive.
It is your responsibility to keep this up to date & work with CB accounts on payment of all production related supplier invoices. There is a PAYMENTS page in the production manual that gives you more info on this.
SERVER
Creative Blood has a sever where all completed jobs are archived.
It is your responsibility working with the Accounts + the Office Manager to archive all completed jobs from Dropbox onto the server.
TESTIMONIALS
Where appropriate, please request testimonials from your client after every shoot, and send to our Office Manager so they can be uploaded to the intranet.
WIP
WIP is our daily status meeting that traditionally happens on a Monday at 10am. Anyone not in the office for this meeting needs to dial in for it.
The WIP has been created as a Google Doc, and lives on the Londoninfo Google Drive. This document is shared with our US office, so please don’t change permissions, move or delete without consultation with CB Inc.