Working with Vendors

Learn to find qualified vendors in your shooting area, manage relationships with vendors, the financial workflow from purchase orders to invoices, and tips to making sure you get the resources you need on set.

Working with Vendors

Developed by Jason Tomaric, FilmSkills
ABOUT THIS LESSON
Making a movie requires a lot of resources – from cameras and lights to costumes and props.  Throughout the world, various companies and individuals specialize in selling and renting the equipment and materials used by the film industry every day. Production Managers, Production Coordinators and department heads work with vendors every day, making them an integral part of the movie making team.
 
In this module, learn how to find qualified vendors in your shooting area, manage relationships with vendors, the financial workflow from purchase orders to invoices, and tips to making sure you get the resources you need on set.
 
Get the skills to manage the people and companies who provide the support for your movie.
 
  • 18:34 video that walks you through every step of working with a vendor
  • Illustrated companion guide
  • Downloadable Forms
    • Equipment Rental Log
    • Purchase Order Template
    • Purchase Order Extension
    • Purchase Order Log
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
  • How to find qualified vendors in the area in which you're shooting
  • How to get the best deal for your rentals
  • The accounting process for working with vendors
  • When vendors need for a smooth transaction
  • Guidelines for working with rented equipment

 

 

ABOUT THE LESSON AUTHOR
View full profile
Jason Tomaric

Jason Tomaric

Director, Cinematographer Los Angeles, California
Jason J. Tomaric is an Emmy, Telly, and CINE Award-winning director and cinematographer of four internationally-distributed feature films, dozens of national television commercials, music videos, and the largest film training content library in the world, published author of 8 books - used in many top universities, and creator of AccuSkills.com, an industry-changing learning management platform. 
 
Jason has worked in Los Angeles and around the world in over 20 countries. His clients include Disney, NBC/Universal, National Geographic, McDonald’s, Toyota, Scion, Microsoft, and Paul Mitchell, with narrative work screened at Sundance, Slamdance, and South by Southwest film festivals as well as on Netflix and on all broadcast networks.
 
Jason has taught and/or guest lectured at some of the nation's most prestigious film schools including UCLA, Columbia College, John Carroll University, Kent State University, San Francisco State, University of Notre Dame, and numerous film festivals.
 
Jason has written eight industry-defining books, all sold in bookstores, and used in film schools around the world. The American Society of Cinematographers hails Jason's books - "There are no wasted words in Tomaric's tome, which concisely summarizes each facet of the director's craft.  It's difficult to think of a step in the process that Tomaric fails to address." 
 
Jason’s DVD training series on Hollywood film production have trained filmmakers in over 40 countries, with distributors in Europe, Hong Kong, New York and Australia.
 
In 2010, Jason launched FilmSkills, which combines the world’s largest film training video library with his proprietary learning management system.  Adopted by 47 universities within the first year, FilmSkills is now the leading industry-standard training solution for motion picture and television production.
 
In 2015, Jason launched AccuSkills.com, an industry-changing learning management platform that bridges the gap between academia and industry.
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS LESSON
Bob Mathews

Bob Mathews

Emmy-winning Costume Supervisor, "Behind the Candelabra," "John Carter," "Terminator Salvation," "Cloverfield," "The Prestige"

Emmy-winning Costume Supervisor, whose credits include "Behind the Candelabra," "Silicon Valley," "John Carter," "Law Abiding Citizen," "Terminator Salvation," "10,000 BC," "Cloverfield," and "The Prestige"

Eve Light Honthaner

Eve Light Honthaner

Production manager "Titanic", "Tropic Thunder", "Just Married", "Joy Ride", and "In Dreams"
Eve Honthaner has been working in the entertainment industry in the field of production management for many years. Curently a production manager at Dreamworks, some of her credits include: Titanic, Tropic Thunder, Just Married, Joy Ride and In Dreams. In addition to teaching at the University of Southern California's Summer Program, she’s been an instructor at The International Film & TV Workshops in Rockport, Maine and she is the founder of the Los Angeles-based networking organization Film Industry Network. She’s also the author of the industry bible, The Complete Film Production Handbook.
Noel Bermudez

Noel Bermudez

Production Accountant, "Tin Cup," "Dangerous Minds," "Switched at Birth," "The Nine Lives of Chloe King," "Greek," Huge," and "10 Things I Hate About You"
Currently working on the hit ABC Family show, SWITCHED AT BIRTH, Noel Bermudez has been the production accountant an several notable projects. His credits include: Golden Globe-nominated TIN CUP, DANGEROUS MINDS, WASTELAND, LINCOLN HEIGHTS, and the Emmy-winning mini-series THE PACIFIC.
Noelle Green

Noelle Green

Supervising Production Coordinator "Spiderman 3," "Memoirs of a Geisha," "The Terminal," "Solaris," and "Legally Blond"
After graduating from USC, Noelle Green's production coordination career took off. She has worked alongside some of the greats, including: Robert Zemeckis, Cameron Crowe, Gus Van Sant, Steven Soderbergh, and Steven Spielberg. Ms. Green's credits, include: SPIDERMAN 3, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, LEGALLY BLONDE, ALMOST FAMOUS, CONTACT, SOLARIS, IRON MAN 2, INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, THE TERMINAL, and THE X-FILES.
Richard Middleton

Richard Middleton

Line Producer, Executive Producer of the Academy-Award-winning "The Artist," "Hitchcock"

Richard Middleton is a producer and production manager, known for The Artist, I Love You Phillip Morris and Hitchcock.