“Let’s have a chat”: how Centtrip simplifies film finance for producer Pat Wintersgill
Cash flow and banking delays can be the biggest worry for an indie film producer. Pat Wintersgill explains why he chose Centtrip Film Finance Management to cut through the noise and the stress.
Download the full Centtrip Story to read more about how Centtrip supports indie producers.
When you’re making a movie and everything goes just right, it’s an amazing feeling. But there are so many opportunities for things to go wrong, especially if there are delays in setting up the SPV or opening bank accounts.
“It’s one of the worst things that can happen,” Pat Wintersgill says. “You start losing key people and the whole project is jeopardised, especially on the shoot. Your schedules are cast-dependent, especially if you have a high-profile actor. You’re only going to get them for those six weeks. If you don't shoot them in those six weeks, they'll be onto a different project and then you’re scuppered. If you have delays with your bank account and your cash flow, you won't be able to keep the whole thing together. You'll lose crew members. You'll lose location suppliers. The whole thing will just disintegrate.”
“Refreshingly personal engagement”
Recommended by another producer, Pat contacted Centtrip.
“I was really impressed. You expect it to be quite procedural, but the first thing Centtrip suggested was to jump on a Teams call. It was, ‘Let’s just have a chat, find out what you want, what you do, and how we can help.’ It was a refreshingly personal, above and beyond, kind of approach.”
Centtrip provides an end-to-end, one-stop-shop, solution for film finance management from safeguarded escrow and production accounts, through foreign exchange and international and domestic payments (including payment cards), to managing tax credits, distributions and residuals at project end.
New SPV accounts can usually be onboarded within 48 hours.
The benefits of a dedicated relationship manager
From checking progress on a critical investment to arranging a legal charge over an account, Pat can speak directly to the Centtrip team and get the answers he needs.
“It’s just great having that direct contact so you can cut through layers of noise and have a very direct conversation on what’s required.”
Seamless multi-currency transactions
The film industry is increasingly international and Centtrip’s foreign exchange tools and expertise support receipts and payments around the world.
“For my current film, shooting is in Bulgaria and the post production is in the UK. Our finance is in sterling, but our Bulgarian suppliers want paying in US dollars,” explains Pat.
“The Centtrip platform, multi-currency account and payments make it all really simple. I have one place where I can receive money in any currency, pay out in any currency quickly and easily and I don't have to think about it.”
A trusted partner for future projects
With a full slate before him, Pat is going to be busy but, hopefully, working with Centtrip has given him one less thing to worry about.
Whatever the film, the financing or the challenge, Centtrip looks forward to working together and deepening our relationship.
