FILM PRODUCTION CHECKLIST

The following checklist will help you with you film production and making sure all documents, forms, releases and synopsis’s are in order. See our article on Funding Your Production for more information on ensuring you are structuring your film production in a way to optimize tax credits.

FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY INFORMATION

FILM: “________________________________________________________________”

LANGUAGE (Other Languages): _________________________________________________

Running Length of Film in minutes, excluding commercial time: ___________________________

SOLE PURPOSE PRODUCTION COMPANY:__________________________________________________________________

INCORPORATION NUMBER:

BUSINESS NUMBER:

CONTACT NAME: ___________________________________________________________

ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________________

PHONE #: ___________________________________________________________

EMAIL: ________________________________________________

PARENT FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY:

CONTACT NAME:

ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________________

PHONE #: ___________________________________________________________

EMAIL: ________________________________________________

Obtain Articles of Incorporaiton of Parent and Film Production Company

• company controlled?
• Officers of the Production Company
• Directors of the Production Company

FILM PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT WORK

1. Option/Rights Agreement/Chain of Title

• Author:_______________________________________________________________________
• Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed ______________

2. Copyright Report

• Ordered_______________________________________________________________________
• Received ______________________________________________________________________

3. Copyright Registration

(a) PA Form (Screenplay) Sent ______________________ Executed _____________________

(b) Script Submitted _________________________ Registered __________________________

(c) PA Form (Motion Picture) Sent _____________________ Executed ____________________

(d) Motion Picture Submitted ______________________ Registered ______________________

4. Title Report

(a) “__________________________” Ordered _______________ Received ________________

(b) “__________________________” Ordered _______________ Received ________________

• Sent to Insurance Carrier on ______________________________________________________
• MPAA Ordered _________________ Received __________________

5. Completion Guarantor: ______________________________

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

(a) Dated __________________ Drafted __________________ Executed __________________

6. Bank Loan:

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

(a) Dated __________________ Drafted __________________ Executed __________________

7. Distribution Agreement(s)
   (a) Theatrical

Contact Name / Phone # _________________________________________________________

• Received ________________________________________________________________
• Attorney’s Comments _____________________________________________________
• Distributor’s Comments ____________________________________________________
• Executed ________________________________________________________________
• Indemnity Letter Received _________________ Executed __________________

(b) DVD

Dated __________________ Drafted __________________ Executed __________________

(c) Pay Television

Dated __________________ Drafted __________________ Executed __________________

(d) Free Television

Dated __________________ Drafted __________________ Executed __________________

8. Errors and Omissions Insurance

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

• Application Submitted ___________________________________________________________
• Policy Endorsed ________________________________________________________________
• Certificate of Insurance Received __________________________________________________

(Unionville, CHUBB, Premier… Broken – James Brown).

9. Script

• Received ______________________________________________________________________
• Changes Received ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

• Attorney Comments _____________________________________________________________
• First and Final Drafts Received on _________________________________________________

10. Script Clearance / Research Report

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

• Received ______________________________________________________________________
• Changes Received ______________________________________________________________
• Attorney’s Comments ___________________________________________________________
• Follow-Up ____________________________________________________________________

11. Film Production Guild Signatory Agreements

(a) DGA / DGC

Contact Name / Phone # ________________________________________________

Dated __________________ Sent ___________________ Executed ___________________

(b) WGA / WGC

Contact Name / Phone # ________________________________________________

Dated __________________ Sent ___________________ Executed ___________________

(c) SAG / ACTRA

Contact Name / Phone # ________________________________________________

Dated __________________ Sent ___________________ Executed ___________________

12. Writer’s Agreement

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

• Writer ________________________________________________________________________
• Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________
• Long Form Agreement: Dated ____________ Sent ____________ Executed ____________
• Citizenship: _____________

13. Producer’s Agreement

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

• Producer ______________________________________________________________________
• Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________
• Long Form Agreement: Dated ____________ Sent ____________ Executed ____________
• Citizenship: _____________

• Producer ______________________________________________________________________
• Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________
• Long Form Agreement: Dated ____________ Sent ____________ Executed ____________

Citizenship: _____________

Name and Citizenship of:

• All producer(s)
• Co-Producers
• Executive Producers
• Line Producer(s)
• Associate Producer(s)
• Supervising Producer(s):
• Production Manager(s):

Name and Citizenship of All Key and Non-Key Production Personnel:

• Director
• Screenwriter
• Production Designer / Art Director:
• DOP/Chief Camera Operator
• Music Composer
• Picture Editor
• Researcher:
• Chief Technician
• Chief Sound:

Animation

• Director(s)
• Scriptwriter(s) and storyboard supervisor
• First or Second voice
• Design supervisor
• Music composer(s)
• Picture editor(s)
• Location Where Functions Performed:
  • Layout and background
  • Key animation
  • Assistant animation / in-betweening
  • Camera Operator and Operation

14. Director’s Agreement

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

• Director ______________________________________________________________________
• Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________
• Long Form Agreement: Dated ____________ Sent ____________ Executed ____________
• DGA Deal Memorandum: Executed ___________________ Submitted __________________
• Citizenship: _____________

15. Actor Agreement – 1^st Lead or Voice: / Name: ________________________________

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

• Role _________________________________________________________________________
• Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________
• Long Form Agreement: Dated ____________ Sent ____________ Executed ____________
• Citizenship: _____________

16. Actor Agreement – 2^nd Lead or Voice/ Name: ________________________________ [File No. _____________________]

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

(a) Role _________________________________________________________________________

• Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________
• Long Form Agreement: Dated ____________ Sent ____________ Executed ____________
• Citizenship: _____________

17. Actor Agreement – 3^rd Lead or Voice/ Name: ________________________________

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

(a) Role _________________________________________________________________________

(b) Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________

(c) Long Form Agreement: Dated ____________ Sent ____________ Executed ____________

(d) Citizenship: _____________

18. Actor Agreement – 4^th Lead or Voice/ Name: ________________________________

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

(a) Role _________________________________________________________________________

(b) Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________

(c) Long Form Agreement: Dated ____________ Sent ____________ Executed ____________

(d) Citizenship: _____________

19. Actor Agreement -5^th Lead or Voice/ Name: ________________________________

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

(a) Role _________________________________________________________________________

(b) Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________

• Long Form Agreement: Dated ____________ Sent ____________ Executed ____________
• Citizenship: _____________

See the following checklist put together by ACTRA for Toronto Indie Production.

20. Composer Agreement

Contact Name / Phone # _______________________________________________________________

• Composer _____________________________________________________________________
• Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________
• Long Form Agreement: Dated ____________ Sent ____________ Executed ____________
• Music Publishing Affiliation (BMI _________________ or ASCAP __________________)
• Citizenship: _____________

21. Music Clearance / Synchronization and Performance License

(a) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

(b) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

(c) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

(d) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

(e) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

Music Cue Sheet Received _____________________________________________________________

22. Location Agreements – Identify Cities and Locations where Production is Being Filmed (along with number of shooting days in each location).

(a) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

(b) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

(c) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

(d) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

(e) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

23. Privacy Releases

(a) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

(b) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

(c) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

(d) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

(e) “_____________________________” Dated _______________ Executed _______________

24. Crew Agreements

(a) Dir. of Photography _____________________________ Citizenship: _____________

Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________

(b) Editor ________________________________________ Citizenship: _____________

Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________

(c) Assistant Director ______________________________ Citizenship: _____________

Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________

(d) Associate Producer ____________________________ Citizenship: _____________

Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________

(e) Casting Director ______________________________ Citizenship: _____________

Deal Memo: Dated _______________ Sent _______________ Executed _______________

25. Laboratory Agreement: _______________________________

(a) Processing: Dated _______________ Drafted ______________ Executed ______________

(b) Lab Access: Dated _______________ Drafted ______________ Executed ______________

26. Credit Lists

(a) Main and Titles: Received _______________________ Approved ______________________

• WGA Notice of Tentative Writing Credits Submitted __________________________________

(c) Paid Advertising Credit Schedule: Received ________________ Approved _______________

Provide sample credit list ..

27. Miscellaneous Agreements

(a) Panavision Dated _______________________ Executed _____________________

(b) Dolby Dated _______________________ Executed _____________________

(c) Miscellaneous Dated _______________________ Executed _____________________

Screening Viewed on

Type of Production:

• Canadian Content
• Production Services
• Co-Venture
• Treaty Co-Production
• Provincial Co-Production
• “C” number of “SR” number?

Residency Forms

• CAVCO Forms
• Ontario Residency Forms

Guilds/Unions involved

Sources of Financing – Is all the financing secured?

• Banks
• Private Investors
• Tax Credits
• Telefilm and other government funding agencies
• CAVCO/CRTC/OMDC Applications

33. Other Miscellaneous Agreements

• Obtain Broadcaster Delivery Items
• Leasing Space / Studio / Office – Where are they shooting?
• Film Production E & O Clearance Procedures / Guidelines
• Standard Personal Release
• Producer’s Policy on Expenses, Reimbursement, etc.
• Budget
• Synopsis
• Program Category (Animation or Live Action or Archival Footage or Special Effects?)
• Dates of Production (start and end dates)
  • Preparation / Pre-Production
  • Shooting/ Principal photography
  • Post-Production
  • Answer Print / Delivery
• Animation:
  • Storyboard:
  • Dialogue Recording:
  • Design and Layout
  • Animation
  • Opaquing
  • Post-Production
  • Answer Print
  • Rights Holder of Film:
    • (who controls broadcast and distribution rights?).
    • Who has final approval over hiring key creative personnel?
    • Who had final approval over the budget?
  • All Other On-Screen Performers (musicians, chorus, dancers and extras)
  • Guests and type of participation.
  • Audience Participation in the Program?
  • Closed Captioning

Update (2026): The Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) has operated as Ontario Creates since 2018.