Cameron Woodward sits down with veteran line producer Stephen Marinaccio to talk about the part of physical production that quietly determines what actually gets made: the budget. Drawing on work across projects like Ghosts of Beirut and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Stephen breaks down how line producers translate scripts into workable schedules, where budgets tend to drift from reality, and what it takes to keep a plan aligned once production is in motion.

Beyond his decades of hands-on production experience, Stephen is also the longtime moderator of the Reddit community r/FilmTVBudgeting, where industry professionals share real-world insights about the craft of budgeting and physical production. That same commitment to modernizing workflows led him to co-found Line Budgeter, a next-generation budgeting platform built to address the limitations of legacy “digital paper” systems.

The conversation digs into the practical mechanics of prep, from early scheduling decisions and department coordination to the production variables that most often create downstream cost problems. Stephen shares why visual effects, locations, setup time, and poorly modeled fringes can throw budgets off course, and why communication—especially between line producers, AD teams, department heads, and production accounting—matters more than any single tool. They also explore what modern budgeting should actually look like as productions get tighter and more complex—and how better systems can support smarter decision-making from prep through wrap.

This is an episode you wouldn’t want to miss.

ABOUT WRAPBOOK

Wrapbook is the AI platform for production finance.

Built for today’s fast-moving production landscape, Wrapbook brings payroll, spend, and accounting into one AI-powered system—giving production teams the tools they need to do more, faster.

Built for features, TV, or commercials—Wrapbook helps the industry’s biggest production companies stay compliant, track every dollar in real time, and eliminate the paper-chasing that slows everything down. AI handles the busywork—reading invoices, flagging issues, syncing data—so your team can focus on the work that really matters.

But software is only half the story. Wrapbook pairs powerful automation with concierge support from industry experts who’ve worked on set and know what’s at stake. It’s how the best production teams scale smarter, protect their budgets, and keep their crews happy.

See how Wrapbook is a force multiplier for production finance teams at www.wrapbook.com.

Cameron Woodward sits down with longtime Louisiana film industry leader Patrick Mulhearn, CEO and Partner at Irrevocable Designee LLC, to talk about what it actually takes to build a production ecosystem outside of traditional hubs. Drawing on experience across state government, studio operations, and consulting, Patrick breaks down the practical components that determine whether a region can sustain film and television production over time.

The conversation explores the core elements behind a functioning production environment—from incentives and infrastructure to crew depth and the often-overlooked need for consistent work. Patrick also shares how incentive programs are evolving, what producers need to think about when evaluating states, and where projects can gain or lose value based on early decisions in prep.

Beyond attracting productions, the episode digs into the longer game: developing local talent, supporting independent creators, and creating pathways into behind-the-camera careers. For producers, filmmakers, and anyone thinking about where and how projects get made, this is an episode you would not want to miss!

ABOUT WRAPBOOK

Wrapbook is the AI platform for production finance.

Built for today’s fast-moving production landscape, Wrapbook brings payroll, spend, and accounting into one AI-powered system—giving production teams the tools they need to do more, faster.

Built for features, TV, or commercials—Wrapbook helps the industry’s biggest production companies stay compliant, track every dollar in real time, and eliminate the paper-chasing that slows everything down. AI handles the busywork—reading invoices, flagging issues, syncing data—so your team can focus on the work that really matters.

But software is only half the story. Wrapbook pairs powerful automation with concierge support from industry experts who’ve worked on set and know what’s at stake. It’s how the best production teams scale smarter, protect their budgets, and keep their crews happy.

See how Wrapbook is a force multiplier for production finance teams at www.wrapbook.com.

We sit down with Emmy® and Sundance Award–winning cinematographer Matt Porwoll to explore documentary cinematography as an operational discipline—not just an artistic one. 

Over the past decade, Matt has built a body of work that spans some of the most acclaimed nonfiction films and series of the modern era, including Cartel Land (Academy Award–nominated and winner of Best Cinematography at Sundance, Cinema Eye Honors, and the Primetime Emmys), Showtime’s The Trade, and Tigerland, which premiered in competition at Sundance. His work has appeared across HBO, Showtime, Amazon, Netflix, Apple TV+, CNN, PBS, and more, and is known for blending immersive vérité with precise visual storytelling.

In this conversation, Matt draws on his experience across features, episodic documentaries, and high-pressure field shoots to explain how access, trust, crew size, sound realities, and budget constraints shape what’s possible in the frame. 

Using the Oscar-nominated short All the Empty Rooms as a focal point, he walks through the logistical and ethical considerations of filming in deeply personal spaces, the importance of small-footprint crews, and the production decisions that protect both the story and the people involved. From setup time and data discipline to collaboration with editorial, this episode offers a practical look at how award-level documentary work is built from the ground up.

ABOUT WRAPBOOK

Wrapbook is the AI platform for production finance.

Built for today’s fast-moving production landscape, Wrapbook brings payroll, spend, and accounting into one AI-powered system—giving production teams the tools they need to do more, faster.

Built for features, TV, or commercials—Wrapbook helps the industry’s biggest production companies stay compliant, track every dollar in real time, and eliminate the paper-chasing that slows everything down. AI handles the busywork—reading invoices, flagging issues, syncing data—so your team can focus on the work that really matters.

But software is only half the story. Wrapbook pairs powerful automation with concierge support from industry experts who’ve worked on set and know what’s at stake. It’s how the best production teams scale smarter, protect their budgets, and keep their crews happy.

See how Wrapbook is a force multiplier for production finance teams at www.wrapbook.com.

We sit down with Catherine Batavick, Acting Director of the Maryland Film Office, to explore what it really takes to attract and support major film and television projects at the state level. Catherine shares how a film office operates behind the scenes, connecting producers with locations, crew, permitting agencies, and community partners, and what makes a region competitive in today’s incentive-driven landscape.

Over the years, the state incentive program she oversees has helped generate more than $1 billion in economic impact through projects such as House of Cards, VEEP, We Own This City, Lady in the Lake, and Special Ops: Lioness. 

In this conversation, Catherine walks through the practical realities of producing in Maryland: permitting timelines, local crew depth, location diversity, and how the tax credit actually works in real-world scenarios. She outlines an ideal application timeline for independent features in the $1–$10 million range, explains how the state supports both large-scale series and Maryland-based independent films, and details how productions can monetize tax credits to fund post-production. She also shares how Maryland balances limited incentive funds to support both major studio projects and homegrown filmmakers.

Beyond logistics, the episode explores the broader shift in the unscripted and independent production landscape, and how Maryland positions itself as an efficient, collaborative, and cost-effective alternative to larger production hubs.

ABOUT WRAPBOOK

Wrapbook is the AI platform for production finance.

Built for today’s fast-moving production landscape, Wrapbook brings payroll, spend, and accounting into one AI-powered system—giving production teams the tools they need to do more, faster.

Built for features, TV, or commercials—Wrapbook helps the industry’s biggest production companies stay compliant, track every dollar in real time, and eliminate the paper-chasing that slows everything down. AI handles the busywork—reading invoices, flagging issues, syncing data—so your team can focus on the work that really matters.

But software is only half the story. Wrapbook pairs powerful automation with concierge support from industry experts who’ve worked on set and know what’s at stake. It’s how the best production teams scale smarter, protect their budgets, and keep their crews happy.

See how Wrapbook is a force multiplier for production finance teams at www.wrapbook.com.

We sit down with television producer and NPACT General Manager Michelle Van Kempen, whose career has helped shape the unscripted landscape for nearly three decades. As an executive at FilmGarden Entertainment, Michelle oversaw more than 2,000 episodes of television, developing and producing series for major networks while learning firsthand how to run unscripted shows at scale.

Now, through her work at NPACT and as founder of Women in Nonfiction, Michelle supports the production companies and professionals behind much of the U.S.'s unscripted content. In this conversation, she shares what it takes to keep shows on time and on budget, how to lead production teams with flexibility and foresight, and why the producer’s role is often about planning for spontaneity. She also reflects on the evolution of the unscripted business model—from a commission-heavy era to today’s shifting mix of buyouts, co-productions, brand partnerships, and short-form experimentation.

Whether you’re running shows, pitching buyers, or trying to build a long-term career in nonfiction, this episode offers a look at the challenges and opportunities of producing in a fast-moving, post-streaming world.

ABOUT WRAPBOOK

Wrapbook is the AI platform for production finance.

Built for today’s fast-moving production landscape, Wrapbook brings payroll, spend, and accounting into one AI-powered system—giving production teams the tools they need to do more, faster.

Built for features, TV, or commercials—Wrapbook helps the industry’s biggest production companies stay compliant, track every dollar in real time, and eliminate the paper-chasing that slows everything down. AI handles the busywork—reading invoices, flagging issues, syncing data—so your team can focus on the work that really matters.

But software is only half the story. Wrapbook pairs powerful automation with concierge support from industry experts who’ve worked on set and know what’s at stake. It’s how the best production teams scale smarter, protect their budgets, and keep their crews happy.

See how Wrapbook is a force multiplier for production finance teams at www.wrapbook.com.

We sit down with Viridiana Lieberman, an award-winning editor and director behind some of the most acclaimed nonfiction films and series of the past decade. Her work includes The Sentence, Call Center Blues, and most recently The Perfect Neighbor—Oscar nominee for Best Documentary Feature Film, as well as winner of the US Documentary Directing Award at Sundance 2025 and the Critics Choice Documentary Award for Best Editing. With a style marked by precision, restraint, and emotional clarity, Lieberman’s projects consistently push the boundaries of what a documentary can be.

In this conversation, Viridiana shares how she approaches the craft of editing not just as a technician, but as a storyteller and partner in the filmmaking process. She reflects on her years-long creative collaboration with director Geeta Gandbhir, the unique editorial challenges behind The Perfect Neighbor, and why she believes documentaries can feel as cinematic as narrative film. We also talk about the editorial mindset she brings to directing her own work, including her debut feature Born to Play, and how that perspective shapes how she receives footage from other teams.

Throughout the episode, Lieberman opens up about how nonfiction editors help define structure, tone, and trust—on both sides of the screen. For anyone working in documentary or nonfiction production, this is a conversation rich with insight on the power of restraint, the value of long-term collaboration, and what it takes to build stories that last.

ABOUT WRAPBOOK

Wrapbook is the AI platform for production finance.

Built for today’s fast-moving production landscape, Wrapbook brings payroll, spend, and accounting into one AI-powered system—giving production teams the tools they need to do more, faster.

Built for features, TV, or commercials—Wrapbook helps the industry’s biggest production companies stay compliant, track every dollar in real time, and eliminate the paper-chasing that slows everything down. AI handles the busywork—reading invoices, flagging issues, syncing data—so your team can focus on the work that really matters.

But software is only half the story. Wrapbook pairs powerful automation with concierge support from industry experts who’ve worked on set and know what’s at stake. It’s how the best production teams scale smarter, protect their budgets, and keep their crews happy.

See how Wrapbook is a force multiplier for production finance teams at www.wrapbook.com.

We are joined by legendary literary agent, producer, and manager Bob Bookman, whose career has spanned over five decades at the intersection of publishing and film. From discovering the source material for Jurassic Park and The Silence of the Lambs to helping bring A Beautiful Mind to screen, Bob has been instrumental in shaping how great writing finds its way into cinema.

In this conversation, Bob reflects on how he identifies truly cinematic material, what makes an adaptation viable, and how the process of getting a film made has evolved—from pre-streaming theatrical logic to today's algorithm-driven systems. He shares stories behind major projects, including the 25-year journey to produce The Burial and how A Complete Unknown came together with Timothée Chalamet and Searchlight. He also breaks down the complexity of rights deals, why strong material isn’t always easy to adapt.

Whether you’re a producer, manager, agent, or simply someone navigating the shifting ecosystem of development and IP, this episode offers a candid, detailed look at what it really means to bring a story from the page to the screen.

About Wrapbook

Wrapbook is a smart, intuitive platform that makes production payroll and accounting easier, faster, and more secure. We provide a unified payroll platform that seamlessly connects your entire team—production, accounting, cast, and crew—all in one place.

Wrapbook empowers production teams to manage projects, pay cast and crew, track expenses, and generate data-driven insights, while enabling workers to manage timecards, track pay, and onboard to new projects from any device. Wrapbook brings clarity and dependability to production payroll, while increasing the productivity of your whole team.

For crew: The Wrapbook app eliminates the headaches of production payroll by providing a fast, transparent, and secure solution for workers to complete startwork, submit timecards, and track pay.

Trusted by companies of all sizes, Wrapbook powers payroll for some of the industry’s top production companies, including SMUGGLER, Tuff, and GhostRobot. Our growing team of 250+ people includes entertainment and technology experts from SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, Teamsters, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, and more.

Wrapbook is backed by top-tier investors, including Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo, Andreessen Horowitz, and A* Capital.

Get started at https://www.wrapbook.com/

We’re joined by producer and production executive Tom Butterfield, whose 17-year career has spanned studio collaborations, independent features, and public sector funding bodies on both sides of the Atlantic. As the principal of Culmination Productions, Tom has produced a diverse slate of films including The Critic, Cellar Door, The Banker, and Die in a Gunfight. He brings a uniquely grounded perspective on what it takes to get a film made.

In this conversation, Tom unpacks the realities of producing in today’s market. He compares the financing and development models between the UK and US, offers candid lessons from multi-year development journeys, and explains how casting factors into packaging decisions. We also dive into his philosophies on creative collaboration, managing talent relationships, and the producer’s role as a problem-solver.

Tom also reflects on industry shifts—from the decline of mid-budget theatrical films to the rise of streamer-era economics—and how organizations like Producers United are helping redefine the producer’s role in today’s evolving landscape.

About Wrapbook

Wrapbook is a smart, intuitive platform that makes production payroll and accounting easier, faster, and more secure. We provide a unified payroll platform that seamlessly connects your entire team—production, accounting, cast, and crew—all in one place.

Wrapbook empowers production teams to manage projects, pay cast and crew, track expenses, and generate data-driven insights, while enabling workers to manage timecards, track pay, and onboard to new projects from any device. Wrapbook brings clarity and dependability to production payroll, while increasing the productivity of your whole team.

For crew: The Wrapbook app eliminates the headaches of production payroll by providing a fast, transparent, and secure solution for workers to complete startwork, submit timecards, and track pay.

Trusted by companies of all sizes, Wrapbook powers payroll for some of the industry’s top production companies, including SMUGGLER, Tuff, and GhostRobot. Our growing team of 250+ people includes entertainment and technology experts from SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, Teamsters, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, and more.

Wrapbook is backed by top-tier investors, including Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo, Andreessen Horowitz, and A* Capital.

Get started at https://www.wrapbook.com/

We sit down with creative entrepreneur and studio advisor Joel Pilger. After running Impossible Pictures for two decades—serving major clients like Disney, Nat Geo, and Ford, Joel now helps creative studios and production companies around the world build sustainable, purpose-driven businesses without compromising their creative identity. In this conversation, he shares what it takes to lead a creative business in today’s landscape of remote teams, tighter margins, AI disruption, and increased competition.

Joel unpacks the most common pitfalls creative studio founders face, especially around sales, marketing, and pricing. He explains why growth doesn’t have to mean dilution, how studios can structure their teams for creative freedom and financial discipline, and why the future belongs to lean, elite, highly specialized teams who know how to deliver at scale. Whether you're running a five-person shop or scaling beyond 20, Joel offers practical insights on navigating the “anxious middle,” setting smart financial guardrails, and focusing on what he calls your "genius."

This episode also dives into how studios can escape commoditization by shifting from order-takers to trusted experts, developing proprietary methods, and building community with both clients and peers.

About Wrapbook

Wrapbook is a smart, intuitive platform that makes production payroll and accounting easier, faster, and more secure. We provide a unified payroll platform that seamlessly connects your entire team—production, accounting, cast, and crew—all in one place.

Wrapbook empowers production teams to manage projects, pay cast and crew, track expenses, and generate data-driven insights, while enabling workers to manage timecards, track pay, and onboard to new projects from any device. Wrapbook brings clarity and dependability to production payroll, while increasing the productivity of your whole team.

For crew: The Wrapbook app eliminates the headaches of production payroll by providing a fast, transparent, and secure solution for workers to complete startwork, submit timecards, and track pay.

Trusted by companies of all sizes, Wrapbook powers payroll for some of the industry’s top production companies, including SMUGGLER, Tuff, and GhostRobot. Our growing team of 250+ people includes entertainment and technology experts from SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, Teamsters, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, and more.

Wrapbook is backed by top-tier investors, including Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo, Andreessen Horowitz, and A* Capital.

Get started at https://www.wrapbook.com/

We explore how Wisconsin is emerging as a new destination for filmmakers. We sit down with filmmaker Nathan Deming and veteran studio executive Suzanne Jurva, two key voices behind the recent passage of groundbreaking film incentive legislation in the state. Together, they break down how this bipartisan initiative came to life, what it means for the state’s creative economy, and why it could serve as a model for regional film development elsewhere.

Nathan shares his experience shooting in Wisconsin while splitting time between LA and the Midwest, and how the lack of infrastructure highlighted the need for change. Suzanne, whose career spans DreamWorks, independent film, and tech, discusses how her studio background shaped her advocacy efforts and why she believes the state is uniquely positioned to support both indie and studio-level productions. 

This episode dives into the real challenges of regional filmmaking—from crew access to gear rental—and how smart, community-driven policy can unlock growth. We also explore the early impact of these changes, the importance of post-production and training ecosystems, and the broader economic ripple effect of investing in film. 

About Wrapbook

Wrapbook is a smart, intuitive platform that makes production payroll and accounting easier, faster, and more secure. We provide a unified payroll platform that seamlessly connects your entire team—production, accounting, cast, and crew—all in one place.

Wrapbook empowers production teams to manage projects, pay cast and crew, track expenses, and generate data-driven insights, while enabling workers to manage timecards, track pay, and onboard to new projects from any device. Wrapbook brings clarity and dependability to production payroll, while increasing the productivity of your whole team.

For crew: The Wrapbook app eliminates the headaches of production payroll by providing a fast, transparent, and secure solution for workers to complete startwork, submit timecards, and track pay.

Trusted by companies of all sizes, Wrapbook powers payroll for some of the industry’s top production companies, including SMUGGLER, Tuff, and GhostRobot. Our growing team of 250+ people includes entertainment and technology experts from SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, Teamsters, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, and more.

Wrapbook is backed by top-tier investors, including Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo, Andreessen Horowitz, and A* Capital.

Get started at https://www.wrapbook.com/