Beyond The Budget

She Worked on Saving Private Ryan & Crazy Rich Asians—Here’s How

One moment, you’re standing next to Hollywood talent. Next, you’re sorting through stacks of receipts and chasing numbers that have to add up. After 30 years in film accounting, Lisa Kim-Kuan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-kim-kuan/] has seen it all. In this episode of Beyond the Budget, Bishop Porter [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bishop-porter-59740380/] sits down with Lisa to walk through her career—from her early days working in production accounting to becoming a financial controller on major films like “Saving Private Ryan” and “Crazy Rich Asians”. She shares what it’s like managing multiple currencies and time zones, and how integrated tools like PSL+ and DPO help keep teams aligned no matter where they are in the world. Key insights from this episode: * How digital purchase orders speed up workflows  * What it takes to keep global production teams in sync * How to keep calm under pressure in production accounting Chapters: (00:00) Meet Lisa Kim-Kuan (05:01) Learning production accounting the hard way (09:14) Then vs now: from manual to digital workflows (11:47) How “Crazy Rich Asians” found Henry Golding (14:05) On the set of “Saving Private Ryan” (17:32) Working across the globe and joining Netflix (24:40) Adapting to different production teams Follow us on our socials: Learn more on https://castandcrew.com/ [https://www.castandcrew.com/] Facebook: https://facebook.com/CastCrew [https://facebook.com/CastCrew] Instagram: https://instagram.com/castandcrewllc/ [https://instagram.com/castandcrewllc/] LinkedIn: https:/linkedin.com/company/castcrew/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/castcrew/] X: https://x.com/CastAndCrewNews [https://x.com/CastAndCrewNews]

Life Inside the Fast-Moving World of Film Payroll

For decades, film payroll ran on paper timecards and long nights in the accounting office. Today, digital tools have changed that.  In this episode of Beyond the Budget, Bishop Porter [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bishop-porter-59740380/] chats with Amy Winfrey [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1229308/], a seasoned payroll accountant who has worked on high-profile films like “Thunderbolts” and “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.”   With over 20 years of experience managing payroll for large-scale international productions, Amy opens up about her transition from working in a movie theater to becoming a film industry payroll expert. She discusses the crucial role payroll plays in keeping the cast and crew paid accurately and on time, and how the digital revolution has transformed the way payroll is managed. Amy shares her belief that to thrive in this industry, it’s imperative to stay adaptable and continue learning.  Key insights from this episode:  * The role of technology in modern payroll solutions  * Why digital tools became indispensable during the pandemic  * The growing need to train the next generation of payroll professionals  Chapters:  (00:00) Meet Amy Winfrey (01:02) From movie theater to payroll accounting (06:30) Small productions vs big-budget films (08:12) The shift to digital payroll during COVID (12:43) Union contracts and payroll complexity (17:18) Amy’s film trivia quiz (18:55) Digital payroll workflows on modern productions (27:05) Rapid-fire questions with Amy Follow us on our socials:   Learn more on https://castandcrew.com/ [https://www.castandcrew.com/]   Facebook: https://facebook.com/CastCrew [https://facebook.com/CastCrew]   Instagram: https://instagram.com/castandcrewllc/ [https://instagram.com/castandcrewllc/]   LinkedIn: https:/linkedin.com/company/castcrew/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/castcrew/]   X: https://x.com/CastAndCrewNews [https://x.com/CastAndCrewNews]

He Went From Building Sets To Setting Budgets for Hollywood Films

It’s not every day that a big Hollywood movie is shooting in your town. When you're offered a job on set, you take it—no questions asked. That’s how Jamie Hinton [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-hinton-425a8820b/] went from working in carpentry to diving headfirst into the world of production finance.   In this episode of Beyond the Budget, Bishop Porter [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bishop-porter-59740380] speaks with Jamie about his journey from a background PA to becoming a production finance executive overseeing multi-million-dollar movie budgets at Netflix and Paramount. He also reflects on the industry’s digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, returning to freelance work after years of in-house work, and why adaptability is no longer optional in modern production.  Key insights from this episode:  * What studio work teaches you about the full life cycle of a project  * Why communication & reputation matter as much as technical skill  * Tips for navigating the fast-paced world of film production accounting    Chapters:  (00:00) Meet Jamie Hinton  (02:08) Working on “The Patriot”   (04:27) Moving to New York and stepping into first and key roles  (09:29) Understanding the full studio life cycle  (13:04) Pop quiz about Jamie’s film history  (17:15) COVID and the push toward digital production finance  (18:19) Why Jamie pursued an MBA mid-career  (21:29) Balancing creative ambition with financial constraints  (26:50) Rapid-fire questions with Jamie    Follow us on our socials:  Learn more on https://castandcrew.com/ [https://www.castandcrew.com/]  Facebook: https://facebook.com/CastCrew [https://facebook.com/CastCrew]  Instagram: https://instagram.com/castandcrewllc/ [https://instagram.com/castandcrewllc/]  LinkedIn: https:/linkedin.com/company/castcrew/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/castcrew/]  X: https://x.com/CastAndCrewNews [https://x.com/CastAndCrewNews]

Building a Career in Production Finance Without Connections

How far can one cold email take you? Turns out… pretty far.  In this episode of Beyond the Budget, Bishop Porter [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bishop-porter-59740380] sits down with Tim McDaniel [https://www.linkedin.com/in/timdmcdaniel/], a production accountant who broke into the entertainment industry with zero connections—just persistence and a willingness to start at the bottom.  That one cold email landed him a gig on “Southland” and kickstarted a career that’s led to major projects like “Euphoria,” “Big Little Lies,” “Insecure,” and “The Sympathizer”. Tim shares the realities of leading finance teams on high-stakes productions, how he adapted during the industry's shift to digital workflows, and why training the next generation of crew is one of the most important parts of the job.  Key insights from this episode:  * How production experience builds better accountants  * Adapting to digital workflows post-COVID  * What it takes to manage a team on a high-stakes show  Chapters:  (00:00) Meet Tim McDaniel  (03:06) Getting started in film through cold calls and unpaid internships  (04:14) Transitioning from production to accounting  (10:18) Teaching the next generation through IATSE training programs  (13:46) How COVID accelerated the shift to digital  (18:12) Managing remote teams and finding your stride  (22:19) How to break into the industry and get hired  (26:19) Rapid-fire questions with Tim    Follow us on our socials:  Learn more on https://castandcrew.com/ [https://www.castandcrew.com/]  Facebook: https://facebook.com/CastCrew [https://facebook.com/CastCrew]  Instagram: https://instagram.com/castandcrewllc/ [https://instagram.com/castandcrewllc/]  LinkedIn: https:/linkedin.com/company/castcrew/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/castcrew/]  X: https://x.com/CastAndCrewNews [https://x.com/CastAndCrewNews]

From Guarding Batman to Budgeting Boba Fett With Brad Field

Brad Field traded combat boots for call sheets, building a career that took him from the US military to blockbuster sets like “Bird Box,” “Knives Out,” and “The Book of Boba Fett.”    In this episode of Beyond the Budget, Bishop Porter [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bishop-porter-59740380] talks with Brad about his unexpected journey into production accounting, from serving as a security detail on “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” to clerking in Boston and eventually managing multimillion-dollar budgets.  Brad shares lessons learned on both studio features and indie films, why incentives and attention to detail matter, and how platforms like PSL+ and MediaWeb change the job. He also reflects on working alongside his wife, a production supervisor on “The Mandalorian and Ahsoka,” and offers advice for anyone trying to break into the business.  Key insights from this episode:  * How military logistics translate to production workflows  * Tips for taking your first lead accountant role  * Why low-budget projects build high-level skills    Chapters:  (00:00) Meet Brad Field  (01:15) How security jobs led to Hollywood  (03:41) Breaking into accounting through data entry  (06:06) Lessons from clerking on big features  (08:26) Making the leap to second assistant  (10:13) What to expect when keying indies  (12:57) Managing payroll solo on a flipped show  (18:19) Why hard work creates lasting momentum  (21:26) Rapid fire with Brad Field    Follow us on our socials:  Learn more on https://castandcrew.com/ [https://www.castandcrew.com/]  Facebook: https://facebook.com/CastCrew [https://facebook.com/CastCrew]  Instagram: https://instagram.com/castandcrewllc/ [https://instagram.com/castandcrewllc/]  LinkedIn: https:/linkedin.com/company/castcrew/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/castcrew/]  X: https://x.com/CastAndCrewNews [https://x.com/CastAndCrewNews]