The verdict in three sentences
A production company running 60 projects a year on separate spreadsheets loses 6 to 9 margin points per project on average, because overruns only show up at accounting close. A custom management system at 35,000 to 70,000 EUR excl. VAT (about 30,000 to 60,000 GBP), delivered in 4 months, connects line-item budgets, crew and kit scheduling, freelance contracts and actual cost tracking. For a company billing 4 to 8 million EUR a year, the investment usually pays back in under 12 months from avoided overruns alone.
Why overruns surface after delivery
In most production companies with 10 to 40 permanent staff, in London as in Paris, the budget lives in Excel, the shooting schedule in a shared calendar, kit hire in the production manager's inbox and freelance payroll with an outside provider. Nobody sees the real cost of a project until every invoice is in, which means 3 to 6 weeks after the master is delivered.
The lines that slip are always the same: extra shoot days, unbudgeted post-production hours, emergency kit hire, per diems and freelance fees. Business software ties them to the original budget the moment they are committed, so the executive producer can make decisions during the project, not after.
Modules and their cost in 2026
| Module | Main function | Indicative cost 2026 (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Line-item budget | Industry budget template, lines, sub-lines, target margins | 6,000 to 11,000 EUR |
| Crew scheduling | Availability, clashes, call sheets | 5,000 to 10,000 EUR |
| Equipment scheduling | Cameras, lenses, lighting, external hire, returns | 4,000 to 8,000 EUR |
| Freelance crew | Contracts, day rates, statutory declarations, payroll export | 6,000 to 12,000 EUR |
| Actual costs and margin | Commitments, invoices, variance to budget in real time | 7,000 to 14,000 EUR |
| Management dashboard | Margin per project, per client, per production type | 4,000 to 9,000 EUR |
| Integrations | Accounting (Xero, Sage), rushes storage | 3,000 to 6,000 EUR |
A minimal scope (budget, crew scheduling, actual costs) starts at around 35,000 EUR excl. VAT. The full version with detailed freelance management and integrations reaches 60,000 to 70,000 EUR. Maintenance runs at 15 to 18% of the initial cost per year, hosting included.
Off-the-shelf or custom
| Criterion | Vendor software (production SaaS) | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 0 to 5,000 EUR setup | 35,000 to 70,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Subscription | 60 to 150 EUR per user per month | Maintenance 5,000 to 12,000 EUR per year |
| 5-year cost (20 users) | 72,000 to 180,000 EUR | 60,000 to 130,000 EUR |
| In-house budget template | Limited adaptation | Replicated exactly |
| Freelance rules | Often generic | Your agreements and rates built in |
| Data ownership | With the vendor | With you, hosting of your choice |
| Time to go live | 2 to 6 weeks | 4 months |
SaaS still makes sense under 15 projects a year. Above that, and especially if you mix commercials, corporate and documentary with different budget templates, custom becomes cheaper over 5 years and fits the way you actually cost jobs.
Overruns avoided, line by line
| Line | Typical overrun | With real-time alerts | Gain per project (70,000 EUR budget) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoot days | +12% | +4% | 1,900 EUR |
| Post-production | +18% | +6% | 2,100 EUR |
| Kit hire | +15% | +5% | 700 EUR |
| Freelancers and per diems | +10% | +3% | 1,400 EUR |
| Transport and logistics | +20% | +8% | 500 EUR |
| Total | 8 to 9 margin points | 2 to 3 points | 6,600 EUR |
These are 2026 orders of magnitude observed at companies with 10 to 40 permanent staff. The gain comes less from the tool than from visibility: a variance flagged on day 3 of the shoot can be negotiated with the client, the same variance found after delivery is simply paid.
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Mini case study
Tom, executive producer at a production company in Shoreditch, London, runs 60 projects a year with an average budget of 70,000 EUR. His projects overrun by 8.5% on average, or 5,950 EUR per project. With custom software at 52,000 EUR excl. VAT, the average variance drops to 3%, or 2,100 EUR per project. Gain: 3,850 EUR x 60 projects = 231,000 EUR a year. Even counting only a third of that gain (77,000 EUR), the investment plus first-year maintenance (8,500 EUR) is paid back in 8 months. His team also saves 2 days a month preparing call sheets.
FAQ
How much does custom video production management software cost?
Budget 35,000 to 70,000 EUR excl. VAT depending on scope, with a 4-month timeline. Annual maintenance is 15 to 18% of the initial budget.
Can the software handle freelance crew payroll?
It prepares contracts, day rates and statutory declarations, then exports to your specialist payroll software. This module costs 6,000 to 12,000 EUR and removes re-keying on 200 to 400 contracts a year.
Can we keep our current budget template?
Yes, that is the point of custom software: lines, sub-lines and margin coefficients are carried over as they are. Importing the last 2 years of budgets usually takes 1 to 2 weeks.
How does equipment scheduling prevent double bookings?
Each camera, lens or lighting kit is booked to a project with out and return dates. Clashes are flagged immediately, which cuts emergency hires that are often 30 to 50% more expensive.
Should rushes be stored in the software?
No, the software stores metadata and links to your server or video cloud. Storing the rushes themselves would push hosting above 1,000 EUR a month.
Let's scope your project. Send us your budget template and project volume and we will price the scope, an indicative budget and a 4-month delivery plan. 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.
