Getting Started

FilmBase is a desktop application for managing film and television productions. It brings together script breakdown, budgeting, scheduling, and crew management in one offline-first workspace.

Creating a Project

From the Project Hub, click New Project to create a new production. Each project is a self-contained folder, holding the project file along with the images, logos, and attachments you add to it, so you can back it up, copy it, or move it to another computer as one piece.

Projects are organized around shooting blocks, distinct phases of your shoot like "Main Unit", "Second Unit", or "Reshoots". Every new project starts with a default block. You can create additional blocks in the Production Schedule page (Schedule > Production Schedule) by adding a phase and marking it as a shooting block. Each block can have its own script, stripboard, and schedule.

Typical Workflow

Import your script: go to Script > Script Breakdown and click Import
Tag breakdown elements: manually highlight text, or use auto-tagging
Set your shoot days: go to the Stripboard, type the number of shoot days in the toolbar
Arrange your schedule: drag strips manually or click Optimize to let FilmBase arrange the schedule for you
Assign calendar dates: go to Shoot Schedule and click dates on the calendar
Build your budget: go to Budget > Detailed Budget
Generate call sheets: go to Schedule > Call Sheets, select a shoot day, and export

You can work on any section independently, so you don't need to follow this order strictly.

Install & Subscribe

Getting FilmBase

FilmBase is sold and installed through the app stores. Open the listing for your platform from the pricing page, subscribe, and install it the way you would any other app.

macOS: the Mac App Store, on macOS 13 Ventura or later.
Windows: the Microsoft Store, on Windows 10 or later.

Your subscription is tied to the store you buy it from. A Mac App Store subscription runs FilmBase on the Macs signed in to your Apple Account, and a Microsoft Store subscription runs it on the Windows computers signed in to your Microsoft account. The two stores are separate, so working across both platforms means subscribing in each one.

Your Subscription

You do not need a license key or a FilmBase account. Once you subscribe, the app opens ready to work.

Monthly and yearly plans are both the full app. See pricing for the current rates.
Both plans start with a 7-day free trial, and the trial becomes a paid subscription unless you cancel before it ends.
An internet connection is needed to install FilmBase and to confirm your subscription. Day to day, the app runs offline.

Manage, switch, or cancel your plan in your Apple Account or Microsoft account. Updates arrive through the same store while your subscription is active.

Full detail on plans, trials, renewal, and moving to a new computer is on the Subscription & Billing page. Subscribing is covered by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Navigation & Layout

FilmBase is organized into five main tabs accessible from the top navigation bar:

Script: Import scripts, break down scenes, manage characters, elements, shotlists, and storyboards
Schedule: Build stripboards, allocate scenes to shoot days, generate call sheets, manage locations and transport
Budget: Create and manage production budgets, track actuals, plan payment schedules, and forecast cashflow
Cast & Crew: Manage contacts, departments, and crew assignments
Export: Generate financial and scheduling reports for stakeholders. Share project data with your team via offline workflow packages.

Each main tab has a sidebar with sub-sections. The sidebar can be collapsed for more screen space. Settings opens as a full-screen overlay (gear icon, top-right): your navigation state is preserved when you open and close it.