PM Handbook

Section 01

PM Team & key contacts

There's a wealth of experience across the Production Management team — you all bring knowledge from past productions, and sharing it is invaluable. We hold monthly PM meetings (everyone in the PM teams welcome) to keep up with industry & company news, roll out new systems, swap knowledge and host the occasional guest speaker.

The PM team

• Emma Lehrer — Head of Production · emma@boldprintstudios.com
• Rebecca Keating — Production Executive · rebecca.keating@boldprintstudios.com
• Hannah Stupple — Production Executive · hannah.stupple@boldprintstudios.com
• Marley Simmons — Executive Assistant & Office Manager · marley.simmons@boldprintstudios.com
• Office Runner Coming soon

Whole-team email group: pmteam@boldprintstudios.com

The PM TEAM folder Link coming soon holds information, documents and templates (also linked throughout this handbook). Trouble with access? Email help@trio.tech, cc'ing your Prod Exec. The org chart will be added here too.

Section 02

Office & IT

Office & meeting rooms

Open every weekday. With a fob you'll have weekend and 24-hour access. Piano House management staff the ground-floor reception during regular weekday hours only.

• Loading/unloading or bringing back props/kit? Let Marley & the Office Runner know first so they can make room and put steps in place.
• Deliveries or non-staff visitors coming in? Tell Marley & the Office Runner.
• Meeting rooms (1st floor, Piano House): The Boardroom (seats 20) and Wolfgang (seats 6). Marley or the Office Runner can book for you.

IT support — TRIO

Our IT is supplied by TRIO. Main contacts: Olly O'Reilly, Jordan Airzee and Sean Kirby. Raise a ticket at help@trio.tech. Urgent escalations: 0333 404 3250.

Use TRIO for: new starter accounts · email groups · IT equipment · additional apps/software · other IT requests. For on-location or studio IT, set up a meeting with TRIO and your Production Executive — extra kit/software/setup is charged to the production budget, so allow plenty of time. Make sure your team notifies you (the PM) immediately of any damage or loss to Boldprint equipment; you then notify the Office Manager, HoP and PE.

Production folders

Boldprint works in Google Drive. Each production has two folders — one for the whole Production & Editorial team (General) and one for Production Management (PM Folder). Please follow the standard structure Template link coming soon and keep no loose documents outside folders (they won't be visible to others).

Section 03

New Starters & Staffing

Recruitment

Speak to your Production Executive about recruiting, and get sign-off on advert wording before posting anywhere. All job adverts must include our equal-opportunities & reasonable-adjustments wording. Before confirming an offer, obtain two satisfactory references (verbal or written) and run the person past your PE. Confirm the offer in writing using the New Starter email.

New starter documents

• Save the completed New Starter Form securely in the PM folder; share with accounts when payroll is requested that month.
• Save all supporting documents per hire. P45s or HMRC new starter checklists for PAYE staff are essential for payroll. PAYE hires must bring their passport on day one — take a copy and save it in the PM folder.
• Once confirmed, tell Marley & the Office Runner — they complete the IT New Starter Google Form for TRIO to set up email and laptop.
• If RAW (H&S) training is needed, your PE can arrange the online course via First Option.

Holiday & Timetastic

Holiday is 28 days/year (pro rata) including bank holidays — use the leave calculator on the front page of your cost report for entitlements. Encourage everyone to take their leave and any accrued DOIL days. Leave is requested via Timetastic (your PE will send an invite). The PM confirms dates with the relevant line manager before approving.

Timetastic wallchart: app.timetastic.co.uk/wallchart

Boldprint closes for two weeks over Christmas & New Year — everyone needs enough leave to cover this plus statutory bank holidays (unless it's agreed a team will work/film). Holiday can't be carried over unless pre-agreed by PE/HoP.

Section 04

Finance, Accounts & Payroll

Use accounts@boldprintstudios.com for: approved invoices & expenses for payment, Equals card requests/enquiries, and general account enquiries.

Cost reporting

Your approved budget lives in the locked PM folder (request from your PE if missing). Cost Reports are built by your PE for your start date. Production numbers follow the format BPS-101 — quote it on all invoices and expenses. Cost reporting meetings are weekly or bi-weekly depending on the production. Channel/network cost reporting is discussed case-by-case.

Payroll

Processed monthly, paid the last Friday of the month. Complete the bespoke payroll document for the whole team (PAYE, Schedule D and Ltd) before submitting, with invoices from Schedule D & Ltd staff. Indicate new starters and contract end dates so accounts can issue P45s correctly. Suppliers, editors and crew are on 30-day terms — tell people their payment terms on hire.

Purchase orders & invoices

• Purchase orders: you'll get a log-in to Approval Max; your Production Accountant will book a session to run you through it. System changing soon
• Invoices: standard terms are 30 days. Faster payment only when essential — email accounts, cc your PE for approval. After approving & recording in your cost monitor, PDF, digitally sign, code and date before sending to accounts.
• Email subject / invoice naming: [Supplier Name] [Invoice Number] [Schedule Number] — e.g. Suite 114576 Sch27.
• BACS & address: Boldprint Studios, Unit 1.01, 9 Brighton Terrace, London SW9 8DJ.

🚗 Speeding tickets & parking fines are the driver's responsibility — communicate this when team members start and add a reminder to every call sheet. Vehicle accidents/damage must be reported to the PM as soon as they happen.

Section 05

Legal & Compliance

Our Business Affairs team are Paul Maxey and Julie Kaye, part of the Fremantle family (across many labels) — so allow plenty of time for contracts to be reviewed, and be clear about deadlines. Organise a Legal kick-off meeting (Paul, Julie, HoP, PE, LP, PM) as soon as possible.

• Paul Maxey — Senior Legal & Business Affairs Executive (main production lawyer) · paul.maxey@fremantle.com
• Julie Kaye — Head of Legal & Business Affairs (development projects) · julie.kaye@fremantle.com

Kick-off agenda (modify per production)

Introductions · Editorial overview · Schedule (filming & post dates) · Locations (UK/international) · Compliance · Duty of care / welfare · Editorial policy considerations · Privacy & sensitive content · Working with children/vulnerable people · DBS & social media checks · Clearances & contracts (contributors, locations, talent) · Health & safety / high-risk filming · GDPR.

After the internal meeting, arrange an initial meeting with your broadcaster's Compliance contact to confirm the approach.

Boldprint's Privacy Policy and release form templates are in the resources folder. Links coming soon

Section 06

Contributor Duty of Care & Protocols

Each production produces its own protocols, but there's a generic Boldprint set to start from:

Section 07

Health & Safety

We work with First Option for advice and resources. Advice line: advice@firstoption.group / 0203 301 1256 (option 1). They can also support recces, walk-arounds, on-site support and Risk Assessments (covered by your production budget — forecast it early).

• Register: everyone registers themselves at data-firstoption.group using their company email — the domain is recognised for full retainer access (Knowledgebase, Template Library, Risk Assessment Builders, Risk Assist, pre-vetted contractors and more).
• Risk Assessments: send all RAs to First Option for review. RAs must be signed off by the Exec/SP and the PE before filming, then circulated. CC your PE on all First Option correspondence.
• Onsite bookings/general queries: info@firstoption.group (option 2). Training: training@firstoption.group (option 3).

Mental health support

We're committed to supporting our team's mental health. Our trained Mental Health First Aiders include Hannah Stupple, Rebecca Keating and Jack Adcock. More to be added

Please include the following on all call sheets: Film & TV Charity support line 0800 054 0000 · We Care (via Fremantle) · Hub of Hope (hubofhope.co.uk).

Section 08

Production Lifecycle

From kick-off to close-down — the production-specific processes.

Start-up meeting

Once key team members are on board, schedule a start-up meeting with an agenda circulated in advance (discuss it with your PE first). Attendees include Phil Harris, Lou Hutchinson, Emma Lehrer, your PE, Editorial (EP / SP / SD), Production (LP / PM) and any other key personnel.

Camera, lighting & sound

No preferred kit suppliers, but get at least 2 like-for-like quotes. Where a DOP/Camera Op wants to use their own kit, get a comparative quote for fair market rates. All kit lists approved by your SD/SP/DOP before confirming; deals over £5k — discuss with your PE first.

Sustainability & albert

Register and complete albert training (BAFTA) early — there's tailored training for production management and editorial, and senior roles especially need accreditation evidence. Each production has a Green Memo; assign a PM-team member to monitor the carbon footprint. Be mindful of greener ways to work, travel and film, and reduce single-use plastic and printing.

albert Production Handbook: wearealbert.org/production-handbook · Contact: albert@bafta.org

Media management

Establish a data workflow for rushes before filming begins. Need a Mac for wrangling? Check with Marley & the Office Runner for an in-house one, or request a quote from TRIO. Rushes must be backed up in two locations (a post-house ingest copy can count). High-risk or sensitive productions need this addressed in the workflow. Inform your PE and SP/SD of the workflow before implementing. Cloud storage update coming from Emma

Post-production

• Facilities: get quotes from 3 post houses (like-for-like). Discuss with your PE and SP/EP, and meet the preferred house before accepting to confirm they can deliver to budget.
• Music: Boldprint has an annual IPC agreement covering library/production music (no further fees). Avoid commercial music unless it's budgeted. For BBC, follow Musicbox guidelines; other UK broadcasters incur per-cue fees — ensure all tracks are clearable for your broadcaster.
• Archive: accounts with stock suppliers (Pond5, Getty) — details in Suppliers. We also hold a bank of bought Pond5 stock. Specialist archive? Raise it at the start-up meeting.
• Fair dealing on Silvermouse: for fair-dealt clips (no contact with the copyright holder), use fairdeal@soundmouse.com in the email field and note in Rights Notes that the clip was fair dealt.
• International deliverables: usually distributed by Fremantle Distribution — confirm the latest spec in post. Contact: Ceire Clark, Ceire.Clark@fremantle.com.
• Diamond diversity: completed via Silvermouse — check what's required for your broadcaster. We strongly believe in diverse teams.
• Complete all post-production paperwork before closedown; once submitted & approved, notify your PE and Emma.

Closedown

In addition to broadcaster delivery paperwork, Boldprint asks for:

• Completed close-down doc & clearance summary (artists, writers, graphics, archive, stills, music, props, logos, etc.).
• Boldprint deliverables — LTO as per spec; agree long-term archiving of rushes with your PE.
• Delete all sensitive documents (passports, driving licences) from the folder; consolidate and archive.
• Upload viewing links to the Production Vimeo account with cloud storage update; deliver all evidence / final calculator to albert (cc your PE).
• Book a hand-over meeting with your PE; budget for a possible next series; update or create the production guide.

Section 09

Suppliers & Contacts

We're always open to new introductions — but here are some of our favourites to consider. Account logins held securely — for any account log-ins (Addison Lee, Trainline, British Airways, etc.), see the secure PM folder rather than this page.