Media Services, an entertainment industry payroll and software leader, today announced the acquisition of CompanyMOVE ShowPlanner. The scheduling software program designed for film, TV, and commercial productions will now be sold exclusively under the name “Showbiz Scheduling” as part of Media Services‘ Showbiz Software product line.
“With 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, our clients continually rely on our expertise for production accounting and payroll solutions,” says Steve Bizenov, vice president of sales and software development at Media Services. “This acquisition complements our existing portfolio of products with the industry’s most innovative scheduling software and further strengthens our commitment to providing a complete range of industry-specific solutions vital to every production company, large and small.”
Bizenov says Media Services‘ proprietary software line provides solutions that span everything from establishing rates for union and guild contracts, calculating residual estimates, and creating budgets, to tracking production costs, processing time cards, and managing production tasks. With the newly acquired software, Media Services can now incorporate a key scheduling tool that already interfaces seamlessly with the company’s soon-to-be-released Showbiz Budgeting & Actualization 8.0.
Showbiz Scheduling was originally created by a DGA (Directors Guild of America) first assistant director who wanted to empower his colleagues with a tool that was more advanced, innovative and affordably priced than any other scheduling program on the market.
“At the time, scheduling programs were not keeping pace with technological improvements or industry needs,” says creator Ross Novie, who has worked on such hit shows as HBO’s Entourage, NBC’s The Office, and TNT’s The Closer. “Our product provided a solution and was more accessible to both seasoned veterans and first time filmmakers.”
Today, it is being used for commercial, music video, feature film and TV productions internationally. It has been adopted by filmmakers in the DGA, Director’s Guild of Canada, Cornell University and Los Angeles Film schools as well as for leading shows on FOX, NBC/Universal, HBO and others. The program’s unique features and innovations include:
· Customizable reports including the call sheet, production report, shooting schedule, exhibit “g,” and crew list are built in and linked directly to the schedule, eliminating redundant data input.
· Superior graphics; dynamic reports use color, shape and icons to better communicate information.
· Drag-and-drop scheduling; easy to navigate breakdown sheets.
· Google Maps/MapQuest location sheets in PDFs.
· Interface with budgeting applications; ability to upload scheduling details into Showbiz Budgeting & Actualization software.
· Direct Import from Final Draft®, Final Draft Tagger™ and Movie Magic Screenwriter®.
· Cast BlackOuts to protect against accidentally scheduling actors on unavailable days.
· TimeOut to measure shoot days by hours, and organize shoots with daily times that change right on the script board (ideal for commercials and music videos).
“The role of an effective scheduling program is increasingly important as production shoots become more complex and costly,” adds Novie. “Showbiz Scheduling enables assistant directors to save time, better communicate with producers through more intuitive, integrated reports, and respond more effectively to last minute scheduling and location changes.”
Pricing & Availability
Showbiz Scheduling is available at Showbiz Software Stores and online at www.showbizsoftware.com for a special retail price of $199. It is also available through third party resellers and a number of other retail store locations.
About Media Services
Media Services has been one of the entertainment industry’s leading accounting, payroll and software companies since 1978, serving feature, television, commercial, corporate and Internet productions worldwide as well as music video and residual clients. Media Services is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in New York, and offers a wide range of entertainment industry software, books, tapes and supplies at its Showbiz Software Stores in West Los Angeles and New York as well as online, at www.showbizsoftware.com.
