For video production companies
A video production company runs several projects at once, each staffed by a different mix of freelancers, each with its own budget and delivery schedule. The recurring failure is reconciliation: knowing which crew worked which project days, what each is owed, and whether the project made money — before the next invoice cycle. bckendIQ links the client project to the crew who worked it, so cost per project is a consequence of recorded attendance rather than a separate exercise.
What actually costs you time
Concurrent projects, overlapping crew
The same DP is on two projects this week. Attribution of their days to the right project decides whether either project’s numbers mean anything.
Day rates and overtime vary by person and project
Rates are negotiated per person and sometimes per project. Without a per-project rate record, the payable is guesswork.
Nobody knows project margin until it is over
Crew cost is the largest variable line. If it lands weeks after delivery, the project is priced blind and the next quote repeats the mistake.
Post-production runs long and invisibly
Editors, colourists and sound run past the shoot, often past the invoice, and their hours are the least tracked of anyone’s.
Booking to payslip, for video production companies
One chain, from the moment the client confirms to the moment everyone is paid.
- 01
Project is confirmed
Client agreement and schedule create the project with its shoot days.
- 02
Crew are booked per shoot day
Roles and headcount per day, claimed by the freelancers who can work them.
- 03
Attendance recorded per session
Actual hours against scheduled hours, per person, per day.
- 04
Post-production tracked as jobs
Edit, colour and sound each carry a deadline and a payable rather than trailing off the end.
- 05
Deliverables reviewed and approved
Client review with versioned cuts and comments tied to the version they were left on.
- 06
Cost per project resolves itself
Crew payables roll up to the project, so margin is a read rather than a reconstruction.
Questions from video production companies
Can one freelancer work on several projects at once?
Yes. Crew claim shoot days across any number of projects, and their hours are attributed to the project the day belongs to, so per-project cost stays accurate.
Does it handle different rates for the same person on different projects?
Yes. Rates are recorded per engagement rather than as a single fixed rate per person.
Is this a replacement for StudioBinder or a call sheet tool?
Not for script breakdown, shot lists or stripboard scheduling — StudioBinder is stronger there. bckendIQ covers the client side and the crew, attendance and payables side. Many production companies run both.
Most video production companies start on Production — $429/mo, 25 seats
Try it on your next shoot
Free through October 31, 2026. No card required.