Best production management software for film crews (2026)

Production management software has become essential for film, TV, and commercial crews. The days of coordinating shoots through spreadsheets, email chains, and WhatsApp groups are ending, not because the tools were bad, but because productions have become too complex and compliance requirements too strict for manual coordination to scale.

This guide compares the leading production management platforms available in 2026, evaluated on the criteria that matter most to working production teams: crew management, scheduling, call sheets, compliance tracking, and pricing. For Canadian productions specifically, we also assess union compliance (AQTIS, IATSE) and privacy law support (PIPEDA, Quebec Law 25).

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What to look for in production management software

Before comparing individual platforms, here are the features that separate production-grade tools from generic project management software.

Crew scheduling and availability. Can the platform track crew availability across multiple overlapping productions? For companies running several shoots simultaneously, this is the single most important capability.

Call sheet generation and distribution. Call sheets are the operational backbone of any shoot day. The platform should generate professional call sheets, distribute them digitally, and handle last-minute revisions without creating version confusion.

Compliance tracking. Productions operate under layered regulatory requirements: union agreements, privacy law, employment standards, insurance, permits. The platform should track expiry dates, flag gaps, and maintain an audit trail.

Document management. Contracts, permits, insurance certificates, release forms, and tax credit documentation all need centralized storage with version control and role-based access.

Union awareness. For Canadian productions, the software should understand AQTIS and IATSE collective agreement rules: turnaround periods, overtime thresholds, meal penalties, and rest period requirements.

Pricing transparency. Production budgets are tight. The pricing model should be clear and predictable.

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The platforms

1. StudioBinder

Price: Free plan available; paid plans from $42/month (Starter) to $340/month (Studio); enterprise pricing on request Strengths: Call sheets, shooting schedules, script breakdowns, shot lists, storyboards Best for: Pre-production planning and shoot day coordination

StudioBinder is the most widely known production management platform in the market. It offers a comprehensive suite of pre-production and production tools on a single web-based platform: script breakdowns, shooting schedules, call sheet generation, shot lists, storyboards, and contact management.

The platform excels at visual planning. The stripboard tool auto-sorts scenes by location, time of day, and other filters. Shot lists and storyboards allow directors and cinematographers to plan each scene visually. Call sheets are clean and professional.

Limitations. StudioBinder is designed primarily for the US market. It does not include built-in support for Canadian union agreements (AQTIS, IATSE local rules), Quebec Law 25 privacy requirements, or Bill 96 French-language compliance. Canadian productions using StudioBinder will need to manage these compliance layers separately. Multi-production crew scheduling across overlapping shoots is also limited compared to purpose-built crew management tools.

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2. Yamdu

Price: Core plan and Tailored plan available; pricing on request; free trial Strengths: Script breakdowns, production calendar, Gantt planning, episodic production support Best for: Large-scale and episodic productions with complex timelines

Yamdu is a cloud-based production management platform built for film, TV, and media productions of all sizes. It supports the full production lifecycle from prep through post, with script breakdowns (importing from Final Draft, PDF, and other formats), a production calendar, Gantt chart planning, AV scripts, shot lists, and call sheet export.

The Tailored plan adds episodic production features, resource planning, PDF and video watermarking, enhanced data security, and a dedicated account manager.

Limitations. Yamdu is European in origin and does not include specific support for Canadian union collective agreements, Canadian privacy legislation, or Quebec language requirements. Productions operating in Canada will need to layer compliance tracking on top of the platform. Pricing is not published publicly, which makes budget planning less straightforward.

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3. SetKeeper

Price: Tiered pricing; free trial available Strengths: Secure document distribution, digital crew onboarding, watermarking, studio-level security Best for: Studio productions with strict security and document control requirements

SetKeeper has built its reputation on security and document control. The platform is approved by major studios including Disney, HBO, Netflix, NBCUniversal, BBC Studios, and Lionsgate. Its core strength is secure document distribution with customizable watermarking, encrypted delivery, and personalized access controls.

Digital crew onboarding with electronic signatures streamlines the start-work process. Automated script sides generation saves significant time during production. Real-time analytics on document access provide visibility into who has viewed what.

Limitations. SetKeeper is optimized for studio-level productions with significant security requirements. For independent Canadian productions, some of its strongest features (studio hub, enterprise security) may be more than what is needed. Like the other international platforms, it does not include built-in Canadian compliance features for AQTIS/IATSE rules, PIPEDA, Law 25, or Bill 96.

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4. siasola Production Management

Price: Custom scoping per production company; contact for quote Strengths: Canadian union compliance, PIPEDA and Law 25 privacy compliance, Bill 96 bilingual support, multi-production crew scheduling, call sheet management Best for: Canadian production companies, especially those shooting in Quebec or operating under AQTIS/IATSE agreements

Siasola Production Management takes a different approach from the platforms above. Rather than building a US-first tool and expecting Canadian productions to work around the gaps, siasola is built from the ground up for the Canadian production environment.

The platform includes AQTIS and IATSE collective agreement rules at the system level: turnaround period tracking, overtime threshold alerts, meal penalty calculations, and rest period validation. When a scheduling decision would violate a union rule, the system flags it before the call sheet goes out, not after a grievance is filed.

Privacy compliance for PIPEDA and Quebec Law 25 is built into data handling, consent management, and document retention. Bill 96 French-language compliance is supported through bilingual call sheets and crew communications.

Multi-production crew scheduling provides a unified view of crew availability across all active productions, preventing double-bookings and turnaround violations that are invisible when each production manages its own schedule independently.

Limitations. siasola is a newer platform with a smaller user base than StudioBinder. It is scoped and customized per production company, which means there is no self-serve sign-up for instant access. The customization is a strength for companies with specific workflows, but it requires an initial discovery conversation.

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Comparison summary

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What Canadian productions should prioritize

For productions shooting in Canada, especially in Quebec, compliance is not optional and it is not simple. AQTIS and IATSE collective agreements contain specific rules that vary by local, by department, and by production type. Quebec Law 25 imposes privacy requirements stricter than federal PIPEDA. Bill 96 requires French-language workplace communications for organizations with 25 or more employees.

A production management platform that does not understand these requirements is a coordination tool, not a compliance tool. The compliance layer still needs to happen somewhere, whether that is a separate system, a dedicated coordinator, or a combination of both.

The right choice depends on your production's specific needs. If you are a US-based production looking for comprehensive pre-production tools, StudioBinder is the industry standard. If you need studio-grade security, SetKeeper is purpose-built for that. If you are a Canadian production company that needs compliance built into the system rather than bolted on after the fact, that is the problem siasola was built to solve.

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Getting started

If you are evaluating production management software for your company, the first step is understanding your own workflows: how many overlapping productions you run, which unions and jurisdictions you operate under, and where your current coordination breaks down.

Contact us through our contact form at siasola.com/contact to discuss your production management needs. We scope every engagement around how your company actually operates.