Credits
6 credits
Production Accounting for Film and Television (Microprogram)
Primary campus
Sir George Williams (SGW)
Start term
Summer
Modality
In-person, Online, Hybrid
Schedule
Two-week intensive
Why study Production Accounting for Film and Television?
Build a solid financial foundation for creative productions to flourish. The Microprogram in Production Accounting for Film and Television offers hands-on training to launch your career as a film and television production accountant.
Experiential learning opportunities are embedded into each step of the microprogram, allowing you to gain hands-on experience for quick entry into the industry. Using practical examples, basic accounting principles and software applications, you will develop competencies in key areas, including production budgeting and cost reporting, payroll processing, compilation of tax credit information and more.
Developed and endorsed by leading industry professionals and associations including L’Association québécoise de la production médiatique (AQPM), this microprogram prepares you to launch a successful career in production accounting for film and television.
Program highlights
- Gain hands-on experience using professional production accounting software
- Learn from guest speakers working at the heart of the film and television industries
- Join a vibrant community of production accountants in film and television while learning from industry professionals
Outcomes of this microprogram
Upon successful completion, you will be able to:
- Prepare production costs reports, using the standard accounting ledger and accounting software for film and television
- Prepare and analyze production budgets that are typical for film and television
- Work with the different collective agreements that are applicable for handling payroll, advances, reimbursements and other expenses that are common for film and television
- Compile information for tax credits, handle inventory tracking and other post-production tasks
Who is this program for?
- Professionals in the film and television industry looking to gain new skills
- Students with a Technique Comptable from CEGEP seeking extra training to enter the industry
- Graduates of Fine Arts programs who want to complement their degree
- New students wanting to acquire specific accounting and financial skills in production accounting
- Production coordinators and other crew members who work alongside accounting departments and want to deepen their financial knowledge
Program structure
This microprogram is designed to be completed over two intensive weeks, with one course per week. Each course is flexible, including some consecutive and evening sessions, with a mix of in-person and online learning.
Courses
- ACCO 250 (Film and TV Production Accounting)
- ACCO 260 (Financial Production Planning and Analysis)
Careers in production accounting
Upon successful completion of this microprogram, you will possess the foundational skills for a dynamic career in production accounting across the film, television and creative sectors in Quebec and beyond.
Admission criteria
This microprogram welcomes candidates from diverse professional and educational backgrounds who are interested in getting a jump start on a career as production accountant in film and television.
- No previous degree or diploma required for acceptance
- Only Canadian citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply
- Registered undergraduate students at Concordia are not allowed to enrol in this microprogram, but may be eligible to enrol into the courses as part of their elective courses, if applicable
How to apply
- You’ll need a Concordia Netname to start an application. Create a Netname account.
- Once you have a Netname, complete an application. Select “Undergraduate Microprogram” from the list to get started.
- Include your supporting documents:
- Curriculum vitae (cv);
- Letter of intent explaining your motivations and experience
- Proof of your status in Canada or your Quebec permanent code if you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident that has previously studied in Quebec.
- Have a valid credit card to pay the application fee of $40 CAD.
Please note that we accept the following credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB, Diners Club and UATP.
You may upload documents to your application even after submitting it. However, we cannot complete the assessment of your application until we receive all required documents.
Tuition and fees
The cost of the microprogram is a combination of university tuition and compulsory fees.
The cost of tuition per credit depends whether you reside in Quebec or the rest of Canada. This is a 6‑credit microprogram.
| Residency | Tuition | Compulsory fees | Estimated program total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quebec resident | $623.52 | $420.68 | $1,044.20 |
| Non-Quebec Canadian | $2,597.10 | $420.68 | $3,017.78 |
Note: Microprogram students do not qualify for financial assistance, awards, fee waivers, bursaries, or scholarships internally to Concordia or externally at the provincial/federal levels.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
A production accountant manages the financial operations of a film, television or media production from pre-production through to final delivery. Their responsibilities include preparing and monitoring production budgets, processing payroll for cast and crew under applicable collective agreements, tracking expenditures against cost reports, compiling information for film tax credit applications, and managing petty cash and purchase orders. Production accountants work closely with the line producer and production coordinator and are present throughout the life of a production. The Microprogram in Production Accounting for Film and Television at Concordia trains students in all of these core competencies using real production accounting software and practical examples from the industry.
Production accounting is the specialized field of financial management applied to film, television and creative media productions. Unlike standard corporate accounting, production accounting must account for the unique financial structures of individual productions — including union and guild agreements, production tax credits, location fees, equipment rentals and the complex payroll requirements of large, temporary crews. Production accountants use industry-specific software and follow formats and reporting standards established by producers, broadcasters and government tax credit programs. In Canada, production accounting is a growing profession supported by a strong domestic film and television industry.
Most production accountants in Canada enter the field through a combination of accounting training and direct industry experience. A background in accounting (such as a Technique Comptable from CEGEP) provides the financial foundation, while specialized training in production accounting covers the industry-specific skills that employers require: production budgeting, payroll under collective agreements, tax credit compilation and the use of production accounting software. Concordia’s Microprogram in Production Accounting for Film and Television is designed to bridge this gap, offering hands-on, industry-endorsed training that prepares graduates for entry-level roles in as little as two weeks. No previous degree is required for admission.
The most widely used production accounting software in Canada and internationally includes Movie Magic Budgeting and Scheduling, Showbiz Budgeting, and EP (Entertainment Partners) accounting tools. These platforms are designed specifically for the film and television industry and handle production budgets, cost reports, purchase orders and payroll in formats that conform to industry standards. Concordia’s microprogram provides hands-on training with professional production accounting software so that graduates are ready to use the tools employers expect from day one.
A production coordinator manages the logistical and administrative operations of a production, including scheduling, travel, communication between departments and paperwork flow. A production accountant is responsible for the financial side: tracking the budget, processing payroll, preparing cost reports and managing tax credit documentation. The two roles work closely together, and many production coordinators develop a working knowledge of accounting processes over time. For those looking to specialize in the financial side of the industry, the Microprogram in Production Accounting for Film and Television at Concordia provides the dedicated training needed to step into an accounting role.
Contact us
For questions about the microprogram in Production Accounting for Film and Television, please contact Kai DeMott at kai.demott@concordia.ca.