Media & Entertainment Accounting
Financial clarity for the business of production
Running a production company means managing budgets across multiple projects, tracking complex talent obligations, and keeping clean records for tax time — all at once. Cordulex takes that work off your plate so your energy stays where it belongs.
What This Service Delivers
A financial picture that actually reflects how productions work
Production companies operate differently from most businesses. Projects start and stop. Income arrives unevenly. Costs stack up across departments and shoots. Standard accounting tools weren't designed for this — and it shows in the confusion they create.
With Media & Entertainment Accounting from Cordulex, you get financial records structured around how your work actually flows: per-project budgets, guild obligation tracking, talent compensation calculations, and monthly summaries that make sense to producers, not just accountants.
Per-project records
Each production maintains its own clear financial record — nothing disappears into a consolidated total.
Talent compensation
Residuals, deferrals, and guild-related payroll calculated with the precision these obligations require.
Monthly reporting
Regular summaries broken down by project and cost category — readable and ready to share with stakeholders.
Tax-ready records
Year-end preparation becomes straightforward when records have been kept cleanly throughout the year.
The Challenge
Production finance has its own logic — and generic tools don't follow it
Many production companies find themselves managing finances through a patchwork of spreadsheets, a general bookkeeper who needs constant background briefings, and a frantic scramble around tax time to reconstruct what happened across six or eight concurrent projects.
The complications aren't hard to recognize. Budget tracking that lives in a producer's inbox. Guild obligations that only surface when a payment is already late. Talent compensation that requires checking three different agreements before a number makes sense. And monthly reports that don't distinguish between what was spent on one production versus another.
None of this means the business is poorly run. It means the financial infrastructure hasn't caught up with how entertainment businesses actually operate. That gap is worth closing — and the fix is more straightforward than it usually feels from the inside.
The Approach
Accounting built around productions — not the other way around
This service is structured around how entertainment businesses actually run. Every element — from how projects are tracked to how reports are formatted — reflects the workflow of production companies, not standard commercial bookkeeping.
Project-based accounting structure
Each active production gets its own account structure. Costs are tracked against departmental line items, actuals are compared to budget on a running basis, and the books close cleanly when the project wraps — leaving no bleed between productions.
Guild and residual compliance
Agreements with SAG-AFTRA, DGA, WGA, and other guilds come with specific financial obligations. We track these from the start — not after someone receives an inquiry — so calculations are always current and payment schedules stay on track.
Consolidated and separated reporting
Monthly reports give you two views: a consolidated picture of the overall business and a separated breakdown per project. That means you always know both where the company stands and what each individual production is costing — or returning.
Working Together
What the ongoing engagement looks like
After an initial setup period — where we review your current financial structure and configure the accounting framework to match your workflow — the engagement settles into a regular rhythm.
Each month includes reconciliation of all transactions across active projects, an updated budget-versus-actual comparison per production, calculation of any residual or talent obligations that have accrued, and a summary report delivered in a format you can actually read.
When new projects start, we add them to the structure. When productions close, we prepare a final cost summary. Throughout, there's a consistent point of contact who understands your work — not a different person every time a question comes up.
Initial setup and review
We look at your current financial records, understand your active projects, and configure a chart of accounts that reflects your work accurately.
Monthly reconciliation and reporting
Each month closes with a full reconciliation across all projects and a clear report showing actuals, variances, and any outstanding obligations.
Project onboarding and closeout
New productions are added to the structure with dedicated accounts. Completed projects are closed with a final cost summary ready for your records.
Year-end and tax preparation
When tax season arrives, the records are already clean. We prepare organized documentation so your tax filing is a straightforward process rather than a reconstruction exercise.
Pricing
A consistent monthly investment in clean financials
Media & Entertainment Accounting is priced at a flat monthly rate. No per-project surcharges as you grow. No billing surprises at year-end.
Media & Entertainment Accounting
Monthly service
$850
USD / month
What's included
Project-based accounting structure for all active productions
Monthly reconciliation and cost summaries per project
Royalty and residual income tracking
Talent compensation calculations and guild obligation tracking
Budget setup for new projects and final closeout reports
Year-end documentation for tax preparation
Monthly billing. You can discuss your specific situation and the number of active productions during the initial conversation.
Methodology
How the work is done and how progress is tracked
Consistency matters in accounting. The same approach, applied reliably each month, is what produces records you can actually rely on when it matters.
Monthly close cycle
Every calendar month ends with a formal close: all transactions reconciled, reports prepared, and any open items flagged for the following period. Nothing carries over unresolved.
Readable reports, not raw data
Monthly reports are prepared to be understood by producers and business owners — not just accountants. Figures are broken down by project and cost category in a format built for practical decision-making.
Realistic timelines
The setup period to establish your accounting structure typically takes two to four weeks. After that, the engagement runs on a predictable monthly cycle with no catch-up periods or backlogs.
Our Commitment
Working with us should feel like a reasonable decision, not a leap of faith
Initial conversation, no commitment
The first conversation is just a conversation. We'll discuss your business, what you're managing, and whether this service is actually a sensible fit.
Clear scope before we start
Before the engagement begins, we'll agree on exactly what's included, what reporting looks like, and what the monthly process involves — in writing.
Honest about fit
If your situation isn't one where this service would genuinely help, we'll tell you that. There's no point in starting an engagement that isn't well-suited to what you need.
Accessible throughout
Questions that come up between monthly reports don't go into a queue. There's a consistent point of contact for anything that needs clarification.
Getting Started
A straightforward path from here
Starting doesn't require a long procurement process. The steps are simple, and nothing gets locked in until you've had a chance to understand exactly what's involved.
Send a brief message
Use the contact form to tell us a bit about your business — how many productions you typically run, what financial challenges you're working around, and what you'd want to get from this kind of service.
We review and respond
We'll take a look at your message and reply with a few thoughts — including whether this service looks like a sensible match and any questions we'd want to discuss before moving forward.
Initial conversation
If there's a likely fit, we'll schedule a call to go through your setup in more detail — productions, current records, reporting needs. No commitment at this stage, just a clear picture.
Engagement starts
Once scope is agreed and onboarding begins, we configure your account structure and get your financial records onto a clean, consistent footing — ready for the first monthly close.
Other Services
Explore other ways Cordulex can help
These services can be combined with Media & Entertainment Accounting or used on their own, depending on what your business needs.
$450 USD / month
Royalty & Residual Tracking
Systematic recording and reconciliation of royalty and residual income from creative works. Tracked by source, rights type, and period — with periodic statements for rights holders.
Learn More$700 USD / project
Production Budget & Cost Reporting
Budget preparation and ongoing cost monitoring for film, television, digital media, and live events. Weekly variance reports identify budget issues early, while adjustments are still possible.
Learn MoreTake the Next Step
Let's look at what your business actually needs
Send a short message describing your productions and what you're currently finding difficult to manage financially. We'll respond with honest thoughts on whether and how we can help.
Get in Touch