Production Due Diligence
Comprehensive pre-production assessment across production, technology, legal, and financial dimensions.
Due diligence is the systematic assessment of whether a film, television, or animation production can realistically be completed on time, within budget, and to the agreed standard. Intectus conducts due diligence across four disciplines to provide a comprehensive risk assessment before capital is committed.
The Core Question
Can this script, with this team, be made in this time, for this money?
Every element of the assessment feeds into answering this question. If the answer is yes, the production is a viable candidate for bonding, financing, or investment. If the answer is no, we identify what needs to change.
Assessment
The Four Pillars of Assessment
Production
Script analysis, schedule review, team assessment, and location logistics. Led by production executives with over thirty-five years of experience across features, TV, animation, and documentaries.
Technology
Technical feasibility, digital workflow risk, VFX and animation assessment, and post-production planning. Led by our technology team with over thirty-five years of digital risk management experience.
Legal
Contract review, chain of title verification, incentive compliance, and regulatory risk analysis. Led by our legal team with over thirty years of experience in copyright, film, and media law.
Financial
Budget analysis, cashflow modelling, financing structure review, and financial forensics. Led by our financial team with over thirty years of production financial controlling experience.
Production
Production Assessment
Script analysis
Not creative quality, but production feasibility. Can the script be realised within the proposed budget and schedule? Are there scenes with exceptional complexity such as large crowds, stunts, underwater sequences, period settings, or multiple locations?
Schedule review
Day-by-day analysis of the shooting schedule against script requirements. Identification of scheduling risks: weather-dependent exteriors, child actor restrictions, talent availability windows, location access constraints, and night shoots.
Team assessment
Does the director have experience with this type of production? Does the line producer have the skills to manage this budget level? Are key department heads appropriate for the production's requirements?
Location and logistics
Assessment of shooting locations for accessibility, infrastructure, political stability, weather patterns, and local crew availability. Identification of logistical risks that could affect the schedule or budget.
Technology
Technology Assessment
Technical feasibility
Can the production deliver the agreed technical specifications? Assessment of camera formats, post-production workflows, VFX requirements, animation pipelines, and delivery formats.
Digital workflow risk
Evaluation of the data management plan, on-set workflow, dailies processing, editorial pipeline, and archive strategy. Identification of single points of failure in the technical chain.
VFX and animation assessment
Evaluation of vendor capacity, pipeline design, asset management, shot complexity, and delivery timeline. Are the VFX vendors capable of delivering the required quality within the budget and schedule?
Post-production planning
Review of the post-production schedule against delivery requirements. Assessment of whether editorial, sound, music, colour, and mastering timelines are realistic.
Disciplines
Legal and Financial Assessment
Legal Assessment
- Contract review. Analysis of financing contracts, distribution agreements, co-production treaties, incentive documentation, talent contracts, and inter-party agreements.
- Chain of title. Verification that the production company holds all necessary rights to produce and exploit the work.
- Incentive compliance. Review of government incentive requirements, eligibility conditions, and spending obligations.
- Regulatory risk. Assessment of any regulatory, censorship, or compliance issues that could affect production, delivery, or distribution.
Financial Assessment
- Budget analysis. Line-by-line review of the production budget for realistic cost assumptions and adequate contingency.
- Cashflow modelling. Mapping all financing inflows against production expenditure outflows, week by week, to identify gaps.
- Financing structure. Review of the complete financing plan. Is one hundred percent of the budget funded? Are there conditional elements?
- Financial forensics. Where warranted, detailed investigation to verify cost assumptions and internal consistency.
Deliverables
What You Receive
Comprehensive risk assessment report
Covering all four disciplines. The report identifies deal-breakers that must be addressed, recommended changes, risks that are acceptable but require monitoring, and an overall viability assessment.
Clear recommendations
Specific guidance on what needs to change and what can proceed as planned. Actionable steps to bring the production to a viable state.
Ongoing relationship
Due diligence is not a one-time gate. If we identify issues, we work with the production team to resolve them. The goal is to make the production viable, not to find reasons to decline it.
Timeline
Assessment Timeline
| Complexity | Duration | Typical Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward | 2 to 3 weeks | Single location, small cast, simple financing structure |
| Standard | 3 to 4 weeks | Multiple locations, moderate cast, standard financing |
| Complex | 4 to 8 weeks | Co-production, multiple incentives, VFX-heavy, large cast |
The single biggest factor affecting timeline is the completeness of documentation. A full package submitted upfront allows due diligence to proceed efficiently. Documents arriving piecemeal over weeks extend the process significantly.
Audience
Who Commissions Due Diligence
Investors
Before committing capital to a production. Independent verification that the production plan is realistic and the investment is sound.
Banks and Lenders
To satisfy internal risk assessment requirements and regulatory obligations before approving production finance.
Producers
Independent validation of the production plan before approaching financiers. Demonstrates rigour and builds confidence.
Bond Applicants
Due diligence is an integrated part of the completion bonding process. All bond applications include a full four-pillar assessment.
Insurers and Reinsurers
Specialist production risk assessment for underwriting decisions on film production indemnity and related coverage.
Available as a Standalone Service
Due diligence can be commissioned as a standalone service. You do not need to purchase a completion bond or any other product to engage Intectus for due diligence.
Get Started
Commission a Due Diligence Assessment
Whether you are an investor evaluating a production, a producer seeking independent validation, or a lender requiring a risk assessment, contact Intectus to discuss your requirements.
Contact Us