Free tools for documentary and indie filmmakers

How the tools connect

Work in one tool carries into the next. Here are some common paths.

• Pitch the film

  Subject tracker → Treatment builder → Comps tracker → Pitch deck builder

  Your subjects, treatment and comps fill the deck.

• Raise the money

  Grant calendar → Grant narrative library → Funder CRM → Finance plan

  Deadlines, answers and funder talks add up in the finance plan.

• Budget and cash

  Budget → Budget converter → Finance plan → Cash flow

  Build one budget, reshape it for each funder, and see when cash runs short.

• Plan the shoot

  Location scout sheet → Interview prep → Shooting calendar → Call sheet → Release tracker

  Scouts, interviews and shoot days feed each call sheet.

• Hire the crew

  Deal memos → Budget → Call sheet → Credits builder

  Deal memo rates go into the budget, and promised credits go into the end credits.

• Ready each day

  Shooting calendar → Gear list → COI and permit tracker → Call sheet

  Each day gets its gear, certificates and permits.

• Travel safely

  Shooting calendar → Travel sheet → Risk and hostile-environment plans → Security checklist

  Each trip gets a travel sheet, risk plan and security checklist.

• From shoot to edit

  Camera and sound reports → Footage log → Interview log → Paper edit

  Logged cards and transcripts become a paper edit.

• Edit to lock

  Paper edit → Structure board → Cut version tracker → Clearance log → Music cue sheet

  Bites become scenes, notes attach to them, and the locked cut feeds the clearances.

• Track the spending

  Budget → Expense log → Budget-to-actuals

  Log spending and see which lines run over.

• Clear the film

  Research and archival log → Clearance log → Music cue sheet → Credits builder

  Archival leads become clearances, cue sheet entries and credits.

• Ready for E&O and delivery

  Clearance log → License tracker → Fair use log → Annotated-transcript clearance report → Chain-of-title binder

  License, write up fair use, annotate the script and build the binder.

• Plan the festival run

  Festival strategy map → Festival submission tracker → Awards and social calendars

  Pick festivals that protect your premiere, track each entry, and plan the posts and awards around them.

• Get the word out

  Stills library → EPK and press notes builder → Press list → Screening kit builder

  Approved stills go into the press notes, the press notes go to press, and hosts get a kit.

• Sell and deliver

  Rights availability matrix → Deliverables checklist → QC tracker → Chain-of-title binder

  Track the rights you've sold, then deliver the masters, a clean QC and the paperwork.

• Follow the money

  Rights availability matrix → Revenue tracker → Recoupment waterfall model → Educational and theatrical booking trackers

  Statements from each deal add up, and the waterfall shows who gets paid.

• Run the impact campaign

  Theory of change builder → Partner CRM → Screening kit builder → Educational and theatrical booking trackers → Impact report

  Plan the change, equip hosts, book screenings, and report what happened.

• Close it out

  Budget-to-actuals → Final cost report → Grant final reports → Contract and release archive → Archive log

  Close the budget, report to each funder, and file every contract and copy.

• Get the names right

  Subject tracker → Name supers list → Credits builder

  Enter a name once, and it's spelled the same everywhere.