Happy Bloo Monday 👋

The weekly newsletter for business owners, organisations, team members, and solo entrepreneurs (freelancers) — designed to add some colour to the Monday blues and replace it with a touch of Bloo.

This week, we continue our Fintech x Film Series where we turn insights from our Heatseekrs workshop into actionable insights for filmmakers.

This week, we’re digging into how to protect your production from budgeting right to making sure your film stays on track when the unexpected happens through film insurance.

In part two, we’re diving into one of the most overlooked (but essential) aspects of filmmaking: Budgeting to Bond: Protecting Your Production.

Here’s what’s inside:

• 🎬 Budgeting to Bond: Protecting Your Production lessons from Gail’s workshop and practical insights every filmmaker should know

• 🛡️ The Role of Hollard Film Guarantors and how they’ve backed over 325 films through completion bonds including how they work

• 🤝 Partnership Spotlight — Bloo Money x Bridgement: ensure your people get paid even when clients pay late

• 🚀 What’s Next — the BAI Trivia Night for SA film lovers this Wednesday at Democracy Bar, get your tickets now!

🎬 Meet Gail Radnitz — From being on sets to a safeguard of productions

Gail Radnitz has been in the production trenches of some of South Africa's most significant films.

With a career spanning roles like Production Manager and Line Producer on acclaimed projects such as Kalushi: The Story of Solomon Mahlangu, Mandela’s Gun, and the Madiba mini-series, Gail knows exactly what it takes to get a film made on budget and on time.

Now, as a Production Executive at Hollard Film Guarantors (HFG), she brings that invaluable field experience into the world of film finance and insurance.

Hollard Film Guarantors has been safeguarding productions since 2011. The team led by Paul Raleigh, Gail Radnitz, Margaret Taback, and Wesley Raleigh has unmatched industry experience.

To date, HFG has guaranteed over 325 films, with budgets totalling more than R2.5 billion. That means they’ve seen almost every possible production challenge and helped ensure films still got made.

When Gail speaks about protecting your production, she’s drawing on the collective expertise of a team that’s been the backbone for some of South Africa’s most ambitious creative projects.

📖 Lessons from the Budgeting to Bond Workshop

Here are Gail’s key takeaways for filmmakers who want to ensure their project doesn’t collapse under financial strain:

1. Budget Realistically, Not Optimistically

Your budget isn’t a wish list it’s a survival tool. Every underestimated cost today becomes a crisis tomorrow.

Below are common omissions from budgets which productions forget to consider;

• Lack of Contingency (Producers should allow 8–10% for unforeseen costs during production)

• Underinsured Productions (e.g. no Personal Accident, Motor, E&O, Animals, Stunts & SFX cover)

• Cutting Production accounting staff and financial admin tools which could assist with production accounting

• No Post-Production Accounting time allowed.

• No On-Set Medic for on location shoots factored into scenes with stunts.

• No Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL) clearance, certifications and handlers for animal shoots.

2. Building a Solid Budget

• Always consult with experienced producers or line producers when budgeting.

• Create and use workable budget templates (Bloo Money has great templates if you ever need)

• Break down the script and schedule the script before budgeting

3. Key Components of a Good Budget

Most film budgets fail not because of lack of creative vision, but often because of common oversights on the budgets which stop the production from being completed

Here’s a high level list of components for a good budget;

• Above-the line:

  • Directors, Writers, Producers and Lead Cast

• Below-the line:

  • Support cast, Crew, Equipment, Travel and Locations.

  • Sets, Costumes and Props

  • Catering

• Post-production:

  • Editing, VFX, Sound

  • Color Grading, Music and QC

• Other costs:

  • Insurance, Legal, Finance Admin Apps and Production Accounting

  • Contingency

  • Completion Bond

4. How to use your Budget during production

• Line Producer updates the “working budget” daily but feeding “Hot Cost” into it.

• Working Budget input into Cost Report document.

• Cost Reporting Software: Bloo Money 

• Cost Report provides real-time spend tracking against the working budget.

🛡️What is a Completion Bond and when to consider one for your production?

If you’ve ever heard the term “bonded production” thrown around in industry circles, here’s the breakdown:

A Completion Bond is a guarantee that your film will be finished no matter what goes wrong. Investors and funders love it because it:

• Provides security that their funding won’t vanish mid-production if any unforseen circumstances occur.

• Protects against delays or financial shortfalls.

• Offers peace of mind to everyone involved.

The cost? Roughly 2.5% of your total budget — small compared to the trust and access to bigger funding pools it unlocks.

• It guarantees film completion despite any issues.

• It protects against financial or production delays.

💸 Keep your projects moving, by ensuring your people get paid on time, even when your clients pay late

We know one of the biggest stress points for creative teams is late payments. When corporates or funders delay, it creates a ripple effect suppliers and freelancers wait, projects stall, and your reputation takes a hit with your network.

That’s why we’ve partnered with Bridgement to make sure you never have to pause your project because of cash flow delays.

We heard from our users and learned that 60 to 90 day payment terms on projects or work was limiting your ability to work on larger projects, with bigger clients.

Which is why we’re excited to unlock growth for businesses using Bloo Money.

💡 Why this matters

This partnership is designed for business owners and creative teams who:

• Work with freelancers or suppliers

• Struggle with late client payments

• Want to keep projects moving and protect their reputation

🚀 How it works

• Flexible revolving facility: Borrow up to R5,000,000, repay over 12 months, and re-use once 50% is paid down.

• No lock-in: Settle early anytime and save on fees.

• Pay only for what you use: Fees start as low as 1.7% — no setup or monthly costs.

• No collateral: 100% unsecured (sometimes a director surety requested).

• Simple drawdowns: Access what you need, when you need it.

✅ Minimum requirements

✔ Registered company or close corporation in South Africa
✔ Annual turnover above R1.2 million
✔ At least 6 months of trading history

🔑 How to get started

1. Apply online it only takes a few minutes

2. Get approved and access your facility

3. Keep your freelancers and suppliers paid on time

BAI x French For New South African Film Trivia Night

An evening for South African film buffs and industry geeks to test their screen knowledge. From Sarafina! to Shaka iLembe, it’s a celebration of our cinema past and present.

This Wednesday on the 27 August 2025 at Democracy Bar, the BAI Trivia Night (in partnership with French For New) brings together South African film buffs, industry insiders, and anyone who just loves to geek out about our local screen culture.

It’s more than a quiz it’s a celebration of the past, present, and future of South African film and television.

• 📅 Date: Wednesday, 27 August

• ⏰ Time: 18h00

• 📍 Location: Democracy Bar

• 🎟️ Ticket: R35

🚀 What’s Next

✨ The Fintech x Film Series Continues
Next week, we’ll be diving into the rest of our Heatseekrs Conference workshops with insights from more speakers on everything from funding models to distribution hacks.

🤝 Collaborations on the Way
We’ve also lined up some exciting collaborations to bring you even more insights, tools, guides, and opportunities. Stay tuned.