What does a finance controller do?
Finance controllers oversee the team that makes sure a production is legally and financially managed. They have a high level of authority, to the extent they can even override a producer with their decisions.
They are often employed by the studio, financier or broadcaster that’s investing in, or commissioning, the production. They are accountable to the people who have come up with the cash, so it’s their job to make sure the film is completed within budget and the money is spent properly.
What’s a finance controller good at?
- Accountancy: keep books meticulously, know Inland Revenue regulations and insurance
- Using finance software: use Movie Magic Budgeting or other finance packages
- Knowledge of film production: understand how film and TV dramas are made, love the industry
- Communication: listen to and be understood by everyone from producers, financiers, production accountants and cashiers
- Negotiation: be able to influence and persuade
- Discretion: be able to maintain confidences
