Production Lot

Featured Discussions

A VAT Guide for UK Production Accountants: What You Can (and Can’t) Reclaim
In this practical guide to VAT, learn exactly what to reclaim, what to skip, and how SmartAccounting simplifies VAT management to ensure HMRC compliance. Navigating Value Added Tax (VAT) is essential for production accountants, assistant accountants and trainees working on UK film and TV productions. This guide breaks down…
How ‘Hamnet’ Costume Designer, Malgosia Turzanska, Crafted the Visual Story of Shakespeare
Turzanska used leather, color and clay to create a visual masterpiece of love and grief. Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal star in Chloé Zhao’s HAMNET (Credit: Agata Grzybowska / © 2025 FOCUS FEATURES) Chloe Zhao’s latest period drama, Hamnet, tells a story of grief and love surrounding one of history’s most notable figures,…
Creating a Winter Wonderland With Production Designer Rusty Smith
How ‘Elf’ Production Designer, Rusty Smith, produces the perfect snowy scenes for film and television. Elf (New Line Cinema) Have you ever watched a beloved holiday movie, and wondered how the filmmakers created that magical snowy scene? Cue the special effects department blowing powdery snow to fall ever so gently around…

Recent

2 new books for production
1.The Dark Side of Our Planet by Chak Bruno NEW BOOK - POLITICAL SATIRE DRAMA New Political Satire Thriller “The Dark Side of Our Planet” Explores Global Conflicts Through Humor and Drama https://youtu.be/CgY3kb58H9Y Author Chak Bruno is thrilled to announce the release of his debut English-language novel, The Dark Side of…
IRC Section 181
Tick, Tick…BOOM! As of midnight on December 31, 2025, Section 181 is scheduled to sunset. Unless Congress acts before midnight tomorrow, the incentive will not apply to any productions commencing after December 31, 2025, after which producers will lose the ability to immediately expense production costs (up to $15M/$20M).…
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2026?
A very exciting film slate waiting for us in 2026 (and I finally saw SONG SUNG BLUE…another sign that non-IP content is still alive…I appreciated its emotional authenticity and the standout performances of its leads. I also didn’t expect to cry as much as I did or enjoy Hugh Jackman more! And Kate Hudson can do no wrong!…
The couch is comfortable. The THEATER IS ESSENTIAL
In a year where many were ready to write the obituary for theatrical distribution, 2025 has instead given us a masterclass in the resilience of the big screen. While "IP" and sequels like “Avatar: Fire and Ash” or “Zootopia 2” continue to move the needle, the real story of the year is the survival—and success—of the…
Get to Know our Member Spotlight: Bill Hinkson
Each month we highlight a Production Lot member through our Member Spotlights, which include a featured position on the Production Lot homepage and a Q&A to help the rest of our community get to know our Spotlight member better. This month we’re highlighting Bill Hinkson! Meet Bill Hinkson Bill Hinkson is a motion designer…
What Did You Think of Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried's 'The Housemaid' Adaptation?
The highly anticipated screen adaptation of Freida McFadden's best-selling novel is now in theaters starring Amanda Seyfried, Sydney Sweeney, and Brandon Sklenar. Directed by Paul Feig, the story follows Millie (Sweeney) a young woman with a troubled past who becomes the live-in housekeeper for a wealthy family (Seyfried…
🍿 Gen Z is actually going to the movies
The whole "Gen Z killed movie theaters" narrative might have been premature. Cinema United, the exhibition industry's largest trade group, just dropped its annual "Strength of Theatrical Exhibition" report, and the headline number is a doozy: Gen Z moviegoing frequency jumped 25% year-over-year. That’s the biggest increase…
Creating a Winter Wonderland With Production Designer Rusty Smith
How ‘Elf’ Production Designer, Rusty Smith, produces the perfect snowy scenes for film and television. Elf (New Line Cinema) Have you ever watched a beloved holiday movie, and wondered how the filmmakers created that magical snowy scene? Cue the special effects department blowing powdery snow to fall ever so gently around…
Last Looks: Disney Developing Live-Action 'Gaston,' Netflix Cancels 'Boots'
The Dailies reports on the latest in development, greenlights, renewals, and cancellations. Gaston in Beauty and the Beast (Disney) Film Development 🗒️ Paramount adds Rupert Grint, Daisy Ridley, Sam Claflin and Charlie Murphy to Johnny Depp’s cast in ‘Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol.’ (more) Netflix picked up an untitled…
GO CALIFORNIA....GO!
What a great way to head into the Holidays and the year-end, with Governor Newsom awarding tax credits to 28 new film projects, which are projected to generate $562 million in total economic activity and employ nearly 5,000 cast and crew members across the state. This latest round, part of the newly expanded Program 4.0,…

Announced

Creating a Winter Wonderland With Production Designer Rusty Smith
How ‘Elf’ Production Designer, Rusty Smith, produces the perfect snowy scenes for film and television. Elf (New Line Cinema) Have you ever watched a beloved holiday movie, and wondered how the filmmakers created that magical snowy scene? Cue the special effects department blowing powdery snow to fall ever so gently around…
Get to Know our Member Spotlight: Corey Sienega
Each month we highlight a Production Lot member through our Member Spotlights, which include a featured position on the Production Lot homepage and a Q&A to help the rest of our community get to know our Spotlight member better. This month we’re highlighting Corey Sienega! Meet Corey Sienega Corey Sienega is a US-based…
How ‘Hamnet’ Costume Designer, Malgosia Turzanska, Crafted the Visual Story of Shakespeare
Turzanska used leather, color and clay to create a visual masterpiece of love and grief. Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal star in Chloé Zhao’s HAMNET (Credit: Agata Grzybowska / © 2025 FOCUS FEATURES) Chloe Zhao’s latest period drama, Hamnet, tells a story of grief and love surrounding one of history’s most notable figures,…
A VAT Guide for UK Production Accountants: What You Can (and Can’t) Reclaim
In this practical guide to VAT, learn exactly what to reclaim, what to skip, and how SmartAccounting simplifies VAT management to ensure HMRC compliance. Navigating Value Added Tax (VAT) is essential for production accountants, assistant accountants and trainees working on UK film and TV productions. This guide breaks down…
WATCH NOW: From IP to Screen
In this free on-demand webinar, hear from the producers behind Dying for Sex, It Follows, Sonic the Hedgehog and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. https://play.vidyard.com/jpjRVXoeXbWbSXZXGd4hjy.html? In this Production Lot exclusive event, moderator Diana Mogollón (CEO, Rideback RISE) is joined by a powerhouse panel…
Welcome to the Production Lot: New Member Quick Start Guide.
Welcome to the Production Lot! This community is a central hub to ask questions, find answers, promote your work, share feedback and offer tips to your industry colleagues. We're excited to have you here and want you to get the most out of every minute you spend with us. Here's a quick-guide to get you started: 🚀 Become a…
Start a new discussion or join a conversation.
Welcome to the Production Lot – now that you’re here, it’s time to start sharing your ideas, commenting, and connecting with fellow members! Let's quickly review how to start posting. There are four types of posts you can create on the Production Lot: Discussions, Polls, and Questions. These post types are slightly…

Member Spotlight

Bill Hinkson is a motion designer and animator with 25+ years of experience making 2D and 3D visuals. He creates sizzles, product demos, explainers, and all kinds of short-form content for brands and agencies, consistently delivering work that looks great and solves the problem.

William Hinkson

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Upcoming Events

2026 Sundance Institute Ignite X Adobe Fellowship
The Sundance Institute and Adobe are teaming up to find the next 10 Sundance Institute Ignite x Adobe Fellows—emerging filmmakers (ages 18 to 25) who are creating stories that bring their passion, voice, and perspective to life. The Sundance Institute Ignite program identifies and supports new voices and talent from the…
NFMLA Film Festival | InFocus: Counter-Ageism
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) hosts its January Monthly Film Festival, spotlighting fighting ageism with InFocus: Counter-Ageism program, along with a selection of short film highlights from its ongoing program, as well as the West Coast Premiere of writer-director Mylissa Fitzsimmons’ feature The Long Run. Schedule…

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