Practical pre-production guides: breakdown, shooting schedule, budgeting. The method, and how to save days of work with AI.
Comparisons and buying guides
- ComparisonBest pre-production software for film and advertisingA comparison of the best film and advertising pre-production software: screenplay breakdown, budgeting, casting and shooting schedule.
- TemplateA call sheet template will carry you through day one. Not day two.What a call sheet template contains, section by section, where each field actually comes from, why templates fall apart on day two, and when to generate instead.
- Tax creditThe French film tax credit is sized in the budget, not after the shootThe French film tax credit explained: the 30% rate, what counts as eligible French spend, the 80% and public aid caps, and how to size it from your own budget.
- First AD1st AD software: the breakdown, the schedule and the call sheet in one chain1st AD software that turns an AI screenplay breakdown into a shooting schedule and call sheets in one database, recalculated every time a day or a draft moves.
- AlternativeSoldum: the StudioBinder alternative that starts at the scriptLooking for a StudioBinder alternative? Soldum reads your script with AI and derives the breakdown, the shooting schedule, the call sheets and the budget in one tool.
- ProductionFilm production management software, from script to wrapFilm production management software that keeps breakdown, schedule, crew, budget and call sheets in one database, recalculated every time a decision changes.
- BudgetingA corporate video budget is costed twice, and only one version reaches the clientHow a corporate video budget is actually built: the cost areas, what a shoot day really carries, where margin leaks, and how to derive the budget from the script.
- BudgetingFree indie film budgeting software, and where it stops workingFree indie film budgeting software compared: templates, trials, entry tiers and open source — what each covers, and the point where free starts costing you days.
- BudgetingA film budget template gets you started. It does not keep you there.What a film budget template contains, top sheet to fringes, why templates drift once production starts, and how Soldum builds the budget from the script.
- AlternativeSoldum: the Saturation.io alternative that starts at the scriptLooking for a Saturation.io alternative? Soldum reads your script with AI and derives the breakdown, the budget, the shooting schedule and the cost report in one tool.
- Line producingLine producer budget software has to move with the scheduleLine producer budget software: a budget built from the breakdown and driven by the schedule, so a moved day is priced before you commit to it, not after.
- Production accountingProduction accounting software for indie film starts at the budgetProduction accounting software for indie film: a budget of record built from the breakdown, estimates against commitments and actuals, and payroll costs that recalculate.
- CastingA pre-production casting tool that reads the script firstA pre-production casting tool that starts from the script: roles from the breakdown, day counts matching the DOOD, availability windows, and fees in the budget.
- TV seriesTV series pre-production software, built for a season rather than six filmsTV series pre-production software built for a season: multi-episode breakdown, cross-boarded shooting schedule, per-episode and season budget, call sheets.
- CrewFilm crew management software, tied to the shooting scheduleFilm crew management software that derives crew needs from the breakdown: departments, deals, availability conflicts, crew days, call sheets and budget impact.
- ComparisonSoldum vs Movie MagicSoldum vs Movie Magic compared: AI screenplay breakdown, shooting schedule, budget and scope. What changes when one tool covers the whole preparation.
- AlternativeSoldum: the Scenechronize alternative that starts from the scriptLooking for a Scenechronize alternative? Soldum reads your screenplay with AI and derives the breakdown, the shooting schedule, call sheets and the budget.
- Short filmShort film pre-production softwareShort film pre-production software: Soldum turns your script into a breakdown, a shooting schedule, call sheets and a budget with AI, all in a single tool.
- ComparisonBest film budgeting software in 2026Which film budgeting software should you choose in 2026? The criteria that separate a real budgeting tool from a spreadsheet, and how to test them.
- FeatureLocation scouting software, connected to your breakdownLocation scouting software that starts from the breakdown: every location to scout listed, vendors found and compared, and the choice fed into the schedule.
- BudgetingVideo production budget software, built from your scriptVideo production budget software that builds the budget from your script: cost centres, crew rates, supplier quotes compared and estimate against actuals.
- ComparisonSoldum vs FilmustageSoldum vs Filmustage compared: AI screenplay breakdown, shooting schedule, budget, scope and billing. The differences that actually decide which one fits.
- DocumentaryDocumentary pre-production software, from treatment to scheduleDocumentary pre-production software: Soldum turns your treatment or shooting script into a breakdown, a shooting schedule and a budget with AI, in a single tool.
- AlternativeSoldum: the Yamdu alternative that starts from the screenplayLooking for a Yamdu alternative? Soldum reads your screenplay with AI and derives the breakdown, the budget and the shooting schedule — billed per account.
- ComparisonBest shooting schedule software in 2026Which shooting schedule software should you choose in 2026? The criteria that separate a scheduling tool from a spreadsheet, and how to test them.
- FeatureThe call sheet software, generated from your shooting scheduleCall sheet software that builds every call sheet from your shooting schedule: one PDF per day, regenerated on every change and shared with the crew by link.
- ComparisonBest screenplay breakdown software in 2026Which screenplay breakdown software should you choose in 2026? The criteria that matter, the families of tools compared, and how to test them.
- AlternativeSoldum: the Celtx alternative for production teamsLooking for a Celtx alternative? Soldum automates breakdown, budgeting and scheduling with AI, billed per account with the whole team included.
- FeatureThe screenplay breakdown software, automated by AIAutomate your screenplay breakdown with AI: scenes, sets, characters, costumes and props in minutes.
- FeatureThe shooting schedule software, optimized by AIGenerate an automatically optimized shooting schedule, recalculated on every change to the project.
- FeatureFilm production budget, calculated by AIBuild your film’s budget forecast automatically from the breakdown, with French industry rates.
- AlternativeSoldum: the Filmustage alternativeLooking for a Filmustage alternative? Soldum automates screenplay breakdown, budgeting and scheduling.
- AlternativeSoldum: the modern Movie Magic alternativeLooking for a modern alternative to Movie Magic Scheduling & Budgeting? Soldum brings breakdown, scheduling and budgeting together.
- ComparisonSoldum vs StudioBinderSoldum vs StudioBinder comparison: breakdown, scheduling, budgeting and call sheets.
- AdvertisingThe pre-production of your commercials, automatedSoldum automates the pre-production of commercials: script breakdown, budgeting and shooting schedule.
Articles
- Guide · Advertising · 8 min readThe pre-production meeting (PPM) for a commercial: what it is for and how to prepare itPre-production meeting (PPM) for a commercial: who attends, what gets signed off, a typical agenda, the documents to prepare and common mistakes.
- Guide · Breakdown · 7 min readHow to break down a screenplayComplete guide to screenplay breakdown: definition, step-by-step method, elements to note (sets, characters, costumes, props) and how to automate it.
- Guide · Shooting schedule · 6 min readHow to make a shooting scheduleGuide to the shooting schedule: definition, method to order scenes, constraints to respect (sets, actors, day/night) and automatic generation.
- Guide · Budget · 7 min readHow to budget a filmGuide to the film production budget: budget categories (cast, crew, sets, equipment…), the costing method and standard conventions.
- Guide · Writing · 6 min readWhich screenwriting software to choose, and what next?Comparison of screenwriting software (Final Draft, Celtx, Fade In, Arc Studio…) and above all: how to go from writing to production (breakdown, budget, schedule) automatically.
- Guide · Advertising · 6 min readHow to prepare a commercial shootGuide to the pre-production of a commercial: from script to PPM, breakdown, budget and schedule on short formats and tight deadlines. And how to automate it.