/ Heck production process
/ Introduction
Heck are a tight-knit family run company who make sausages & burgers in small batches right here on their farm in Yorkshire. Although small, they are big on premium quality & flavour. They joyfully believe that it’s what you put in not what you take out that matters.
Their employees are all family or very close friends - and they all have an uncompromising attitude and passion to produce the tastiest, healthiest food for all your family. Neverland have been working with Heck since March 2020 and have to date launched 3 successful TV & sponsorship campaigns with the brand.
/ Production Process
The JDE Production Playbook identifies the following 10 key steps in the production process:
1) Creative Brief - JDE will use D+A template to inform Neverland on budgets, deliverables & usage.
2) Scripts - Scripts / concepts are to be presented with ballpark costs. Once scripts are liked by JDE they should be shared with JDE Production Consultants for assessment. Hercules will assist on ballpark user rights.
3) Testing - Triple bid to be done after testing. If a director / photographer / production parter is involved in creative development of an idea prior to testing it is the responsibility of Neverland and any costs incurred would need to be taken from Neverland fee.
4) Pre-Bid Meeting - Neverland to arrange pre-bid meeting with JDE + Hercules + Production Consultant. This meeting is key to start the production on the right foot, to identify options for integrated production and confirm scope for bidding based on final concepts, final D+A and timings. Output for this meeting is a Production Briefing c/o Neverland, and Termsheets c/o Hercules.
5) Bidding process - JDE require a minimum of three comparative bids. All production companies should be identically briefed, using the same Production Briefing doc, scripts / animatics / concepts, termsheets & the JDE Production Guidelines for Production Suppliers. JDE request Neverland inform them of the production companies they are reaching out to ahead of briefing them. Where there is digital production in campaign scope JDE’s preferred partner MediaMonks should be one of the three suppliers bidding for all film production assets. Production Consultants need a minimum of 5 days after proposal of bids to review, negotiate and be able to award. A triple bid budget needs to consist of:
3 comparable directors treatments
3 budget breakdowns, fully detailed and mark up transparent on all line items
Formal bid letters from production suppliers
Service company estimates including services company bid letters for online, offline, VFX and Sound
Talent costs for work, travel, per diem. Fully detailed into amount of time, OT hours, wardrobe, fitting etc.
If applicable a fully detailed breakdown of costs music into demos and production
Competitive bids should also be sought for post production or music composers
Separate bid for user rights (to be provided by Hercules)
Production schedule, including all prep, travel, shoot, post
Any potential financial benefits for JDE to be included in the estimate.
Directly after awarding the Proposal, Neverland will need to create casting and location briefing that need to be approved by JDE before starting search. Neverland will also create “Agreement(s) in principle“ based on “Termsheets” and awarded proposal and will share these with Production Consultant and Hercules for the final review/approval previous to sharing with Casting director. Hercules starts working on final UR contractual documentation after PPM.
6) Neverland to lead the PPM in good collaboration with other agencies. Directors storyboards is a mandatory at the PPM, and should also include rough timings for each shot. JDE will then use this as a kind of contract between themselves and the production company.
Approved talent and other UR providers need to sign agreements provided by Hercules and will be send to Hercules for counter signing. If any UR provider disagrees with UR terms and conditions or costs, Neverland/Production Consultant loops Hercules into the communication and Hercules leads final negotiation of the terms and costs with talents or UR providers directly including final signing.
7. Confirm Talent & Engage Hercules - Neverland must involve Hercules and work in good collaboration with them, following the process below:
JDE approves talent / UR providers
Neverland shares completed ‘Agreement of principles’ for talent and ‘Termsheets’ for other UR providers , including contacts and talent union membership details - where applicable.
Hercules will provide Neverland with the final UR contracts tailored for each project and specific UR provider.
Neverland will attach the UR contract to the ‘Production Contract for basic fees’ (confirming day rates, travel expenses, union membership details where applicable) and shares these with chosen talents / providers for sign off / negotiation.
Hercules sets up billing process with UR providers directly.
If any UR provider disagrees with the UR terms and conditions or costs, Neverland / JDE Production Consultants loops Hercules into the communication and Hercules lead final negotiations with talent or UR providers directly, including final signing.
Approved talent(s) and other UR providers need to sign UR contracts provided by Hercules prior to the shoot.
Neverland to share signed contracts with Hercules for counter signing together with the Production Contracts for basic fees, to ensure that both are aligned.
Neverland to handle & pay shooting fees, travel, per diems and other fees.
Hercules will handle & pay all UR related fees / talent costs / license fees.
8. Shoot - Any changes to shots that have been agreed in the preproduction meeting must be made by a JDE senior level marketer (decision maker), regardless of who may be attending the shoot.
After the shoot a list of all prop and wardrobe purchases should be forwarded to JDE. If necessary Neverland should arrange deliver to JDE.
9. Post Production - All agencies should seek for integrated production solutions (e.g editing, music, grade) and leverage of combined assets. Neverland to collect credits and assets for brand book, archiving and localisation / versioning (to be done by Hercules).
10. Wrap up & cost reconciliation - Overages will only be accepted if there is a change in scope and must be agreed in writing between JDE and Neverland prior to creating costs and back up provided where requested.
Outstanding costs that were identified as ‘Provisional Sum items’ when awarding the production or cost items that changed due to changed scope of work (like no music, less talent..) will be recalculated and send to JDE Production consultant and JDE by the Agency Producer, no later than four weeks after air-date. JDE Production consultant will liaise with JDE Marketing and Procurement over any outstanding issues.
/ Contracts
Please use Neverland contracts when producing for Heck, as they don’t have their own.
/ Insurance
Unless under exceptional circumstances, Heck does not take out weather insurance. If your script contains exterior scenes the Agency must explore creative fall-backs and discuss with the production consultant. Decisions on weather insurance will be taken on a job-by-job basis.
If Agency is responsible for hiring talent it will be held responsible for applicable insurances.
/ In-House Agency Production
Heck is open to Neverland Productions producing for them, so please consider if this is a possibility on the production you’re working on, especially if this allows us to have more creative control / allows for our budget to go further.
/ Integrated Production
Heck is a family brand, who’s budgets we need to stretch as far as possible on all work we create for them, without compromising the quality of the work. Please explore whether there are any opportunities / creative / costs benefits from making your shoot more integrated.
/ Travel Policy
Anna to confirm if Heck has a travel policy?
/ Summary
If you are unsure of the process at any time, please reach out to Amy / Anna.