Case Study
Client Snapshot
- Name: Jade van der Lei
- Position: Producer/Writer
- Company: Special Day Productions Pty Ltd
- Production: POSTHUMOUS
- Industry: Film & Television Production
- Projects: Short films, first feature film, plus freelance work on productions from $3M to $140M budgets
- Team Size: From 200 on low-budget productions to 1,000+ on large-scale projects
The Challenge
For Jade, overseeing hundreds of cast and crew contracts, expenses, and approvals is a logistical puzzle where she is constantly under intense time pressure. In her words, the biggest frustration is “everything,” said half-jokingly, but the reality is clear: production management means juggling contracts, payroll, and cost tracking with absolute accuracy.
Before digital systems, paperwork was painfully manual. Jade recalls using carbon-copy Purchase Orders, handwritten Contracts, and scanning signed documents just 15 years ago. Not only was this time-consuming, but inefficiency directly impacted budgets. “In our industry, time is money,” Jade explained. “Inefficiency can cost you a lot of money, whether you’re on a low-budget or high-budget project”.
The Solution
Jade was first introduced to TPH Global by a Production Accountant early in her career, and quickly realised it was an industry standard. Since then, she has relied on the full suite of TPH Global tools, including:
- Eclipse for production accounting and budgeting.
- Digital Forms & Digital Paper Flow for contracts, approvals, and timesheets.
- EzyPO for purchase orders, which she still uses out of habit for its ease of coding.
- Payroll handling and processing for the entire cast and crew
Onboarding is straightforward and constantly improving. Having been an early adopter of Digital Forms during its trial phase, Jade has seen the platform evolve into a faster, more intuitive system.
Most importantly, she highlights customer support as a differentiator. “If you shoot through any kind of issue or concern, there’s never a delay in hearing from them,” she said. “That immediate response is essential for the day-to-day running of production”.
The Results
Efficiency Gains
With TPH Global, Jade and her teams now handle approvals, invoices, and expenses digitally, from anywhere, at any time of day. This flexibility is critical when productions run outside of standard hours.
- 24/7 access means invoices and timesheets can be approved on the spot.
- Search and reporting functions in Eclipse allow precise tracking of millions in spend, down to individual transactions.
- Multi-currency support simplifies international productions, handling AUD, USD, and GBP seamlessly.
Team Adoption
Heads of department, 2ICs, and accounting staff all use TPH tools, creating a unified workflow across productions. Even those less tech-savvy adapt quickly, though Jade admits some crew who started in the manual days occasionally struggle with retaining new processes when they don’t use them all the time.
Industry Recognition
Beyond efficiency, Jade emphasises that Eclipse reporting is trusted by Auditors, funding bodies, and the Australian Tax Office, making final delivery smoother. “If you think you’re saving money by not using it, you’re sorely mistaken,” she said. “You’ll be pulling your hair out at delivery trying to do the reporting yourself”.
Customer Experience
When Jade produced her husband’s first feature film, she chose TPH Global knowing it would save time and stress. With limited resources, she leaned heavily on the support team, who went “above and beyond” without additional charges.
She recalls emailing Kevin Plummer, TPH Global’s Managing Director and Chief Software Architect, for help: “He was just happy to do whatever he could. To him, it was just standard practice, but to me it meant the world”.
The payroll staff were equally dedicated. Coming in early, staying late, and always responding with patience and positivity. “When you’re feeling alone and stressed, that kind of support is so helpful,” Jade said.
Conclusion
For Jade, TPH Global is more than just software. It’s a production partner. From handling the complexity of multi-million-dollar budgets to providing immediate, empathetic support, TPH Global has helped her deliver projects with confidence.
Her advice to colleagues is clear: “No matter what your budget is, you can’t afford not to have TPH.”
Book a Demo
Want to streamline your production accounting and payroll? Discover why TPH Global is the industry standard. Book a Demo Today → https://tphglobal.com/contact-us/
