Film, TV and media production
PDF tools and e-signatures for film, TV and media production
Get contributor and location releases signed on set, watermark scripts for each reader, compare script revisions and send call sheets that open on any phone. Server jobs run in London and files are deleted within 2 hours.
Try Business free for 30 daysSee how signing works
£6.99 per user a month, billed yearly · from 2 users
What production teams use it for
Built for prep, the shoot and wrap
Releases signed on set
Hand a contributor the release on a phone or tablet to sign with Sign PDF, or send location releases for signature before the recce. Each release carries the date it was signed.
Scripts watermarked for each reader
Stamp each copy of a script with the reader’s name as a watermark and protect it with a password, so a leaked copy can be traced.
Script and schedule revisions
Compare two drafts of a script or a schedule to see every change, without reading the whole thing twice. Changed scenes are easy to spot, so departments only re-read what affects them.
Call sheets on every phone
Turn the call sheet spreadsheet into a PDF and compress it, so cast and crew can open it quickly on set. Late changes can go out as a new version in minutes.
Crew deal memos and contracts
Fill in deal memos on screen and send them for signature, so terms are agreed before the first day of the shoot. Reminders chase anyone who has not signed.
Receipts from the production float
Scan receipts with Macaaw Scan, which reads the merchant, date, total and VAT, and merge them into one file for the production accountant.
Where Macaaw fits in a production
Productions move fast and the paperwork is endless: releases, deal memos, scripts, schedules, call sheets and receipts. Much of it happens away from the office. Macaaw works in a phone’s browser, so coordinators and runners can get documents signed and sent from location. It suits independent production companies, broadcasters’ in-house teams and corporate video crews alike.
Signing your own documents, watermarking and merging run on the device, so unreleased scripts stay on it. Comparison, conversion and compression run on our servers in London and the files are deleted within 2 hours.
Macaaw is not a production management or scheduling system; it handles the PDFs around it. Each production can work in one Business workspace with roles for each person, and crew can be removed when the job wraps. Freelance crew sign deal memos and releases without an account.
Playbook
A watermarked script release in four steps
Every reader gets their own copy, and you know who has which.
Lock the draft
Export the script to PDF and compare it with the last draft to confirm the changes. Give each draft a colour or a date in the file name, as your production prefers.
Watermark each copy
Stamp a copy with each reader’s name as a watermark.
Protect it
Add a password to each copy and share the password by another route.
Send it
Send each reader their own copy, and save the steps as a workflow for the next draft.
Business plan
One plan for the whole team
Production office, crew and post on one plan, with allowances pooled.
£6.99per user a month, billed yearly · or £9.99 monthly
- 200 signature requests per user a month, pooled
- Up to 20 signers on each document
- 1,000 pages of text recognition per user a month, pooled
- 500 Office conversions per user a month, pooled
- Files up to 500 MB and 200 files in one task
- Members, roles, shared workflows and central billing
- UK serversServer tools run in London.
- Deleted within 2 hoursFiles from our tools, or the moment you press Delete.
- UK GDPRA data processing agreement on Business.
- Audit trailEvery signed PDF carries its signing certificate.
Questions
Producers ask
Can contributors sign without an account?
Yes. They sign on your device with Sign PDF, or open a link in their email and sign on their own phone.
Does a watermark stop a script leaking?
No, but it shows whose copy it was, which discourages leaks and helps trace one. Add a password for stronger control.
Can we use it on location with a weak signal?
Signing, merging and watermarking run on the device once the page has loaded. Sending for signature and server tools need a connection.
Can receipts become an expense report?
Yes. On Pro and Business, Macaaw Scan reads receipts and builds an expense report as Excel, CSV or PDF.
How long are files kept?
Files used by a tool are deleted within 2 hours. Agreements are kept encrypted until everyone has signed and then for 30 days.
Can we compare two versions of a call sheet or schedule?
Yes. Compare PDFs highlights every change between two versions page by page, such as a moved call time or a new location. It is included in Pro and Business.
Legal information on this page is general guidance for England and Wales, not legal advice. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, and deeds or documents that must be witnessed need extra formalities.
Releases signed before the camera rolls.
Try Business free for 30 days with your whole team.