The verdict in three sentences
A TV and corporate production company handling 40 productions a year and 600 freelance crew spends in 2026 between EUR 50 and 150 per user per month on an off-the-shelf tool, or EUR 45,000 to 90,000 excl. VAT on custom software delivered in 4 months. SaaS is enough as long as quotes, crew payroll and rights stay in separate tools you are willing to re-key. Once management wants real-time profitability per production, linked to contracts and broadcasts, custom software pays for itself in under three years.
What a production company's tool must cover
The head of production at a company alternating TV magazines, documentaries and corporate films juggles four flows: the quote presented to the broadcaster or client, the actual committed budget, crew contracts and payroll, then rights exploitation after delivery. In most companies these flows live in Excel, a specialist payroll package and shared folders. The result: the gap between quote and actuals only shows up at closing, often three months after delivery.
| Module | Key function | Off-the-shelf SaaS | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quote and budget per production | Standard cost report, versions, committed vs actual | Included, fixed templates | Template adapted to your TV and corporate formats |
| Freelance crew contracts | Contract generation, e-signature | Partial | Full, linked to the shooting schedule |
| Specialist payroll | Export to payroll software, sector schemes and holiday funds | Simple export | Automatic connector, fee checks |
| Scheduling and resources | Crews, equipment, locations | Included | Included, with clash alerts |
| Rights and broadcasts | Terms, territories, media, royalties | Rarely covered | Full register with deadlines |
| Profitability per production | Forecast and actual margin, hourly cost | Standard reports | Real-time cockpit per broadcaster |
| Time to go live | Setup and data migration | 3 to 6 weeks | 4 months |
The point that tips the decision is almost always the rights module. A company selling repeats and international versions loses money when an exploitation window expires without a reminder.
Comparing costs over three years
The calculation must include licences, setup, maintenance and internal time. Assumption: 25 users (production, admin, accounting, management).
| Item (2026 ballpark) | Entry-level SaaS | High-end SaaS | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual licences | EUR 15,000 (50 × 25 × 12) | EUR 45,000 (150 × 25 × 12) | EUR 0 |
| Initial development | EUR 3,000 setup | EUR 8,000 setup | EUR 45,000 to 90,000 excl. VAT |
| Hosting and maintenance per year | Included | Included | EUR 6,000 to 12,000 |
| Total 3-year cost | about EUR 48,000 | about EUR 143,000 | EUR 63,000 to 126,000 |
| Payroll and rights re-keying | High | Medium | Near zero |
| Code ownership | No | No | Yes |
Over three years, a EUR 60,000 custom build with EUR 8,000 annual maintenance (EUR 84,000 in total) costs less than high-end SaaS for 25 users, and it fits your methods. For a team of 8, entry-level SaaS remains unbeatable.
Risks to lock down in the specification
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Three topics must be settled before signing. First, crew payroll compliance: the tool does not replace the accredited payroll software, it feeds it without errors. Second, migrating history, often 5 years of productions and rights contracts to structure. Third, access control: a director should only see their production, a broadcaster only their deliverables.
Mini case study
Nathalie, head of production at a TV and corporate production company, runs 40 productions a year for EUR 6 million in revenue. Her team spends about 12 hours per production consolidating quotes, actuals and contracts, or 480 hours a year. At EUR 45 fully loaded per hour, that is EUR 21,600 a year. The custom software, budgeted at EUR 65,000 excl. VAT, brings that time down to 3 hours per production, saving EUR 16,200 every year. Add two repeats chased on time (about EUR 18,000 in recovered royalties) and payback arrives in under 24 months.
FAQ
Can custom software calculate freelance crew payroll? It can prepare the inputs (fees, hours, sector rules) and push them automatically to the specialist payroll software. The final calculation stays in the accredited tool, which avoids a compliance risk worth several thousand euros in adjustments.
How long does it take to move from Excel to a single tool? Allow 4 months for custom software, including 3 to 4 weeks of scoping and 3 weeks of data migration. SaaS can be configured in 3 to 6 weeks if you accept its quote templates.
Can broadcast rights be tracked by territory? Yes, a rights register records term, territory, media and broadcaster, with an alert 90 days before expiry. For a catalogue of 200 programmes, this feature alone often justifies EUR 15,000 to 20,000 of the budget.
What maintenance budget should I plan? Plan 10 to 15% of the initial cost per year, or EUR 6,000 to 12,000 for a EUR 60,000 to 80,000 project. That covers hosting, fixes and regulatory updates.
Can broadcasters access the tool? A secure broadcaster portal lets them upload and approve deliverables at key milestones. It usually adds EUR 6,000 to 10,000 to the project.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of productions, users and current tools: we will price a SaaS or custom scope, with an indicative budget and a 4-month timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
