The Pool Signs First Client

The Production Pool has announced that it has signed a contract with its first client, Pretzel Films.
The deal will see the London-based independent production company take five licences for The Pool's newly launched integration production management software.
Pete Shuttleworth, Managing Director of Pretzel Films, said: "We regularly budget both commercials and corporate films for clients and we are already using The Pool to help us manage both types of production. The Pool is very flexible and easy to use so that it can cope equally well with both - it's just what we were looking for. We need a production-friendly system that looks professional and allows us to set complex jobs up quickly. One that allows us to work within the structures set up by the APA and the IVCA."
Launched earlier this month, The Pool brings together in a single snapshot all the tools required to produce a programme, from first ball park estimate to final reconciliation.
The Pool is a flexible and fully integrated suite of budgeting, directory, communication, scheduling and production management software. It allows companies of all sizes who are involved in broadcast production to manage the entire production process, collaborate effectively with colleagues and communicate with clients and crew.
Reliable and powerful, the production management system runs on both Mac and PC. The software runs on desktop computers, but the data is hosted on The Pool's own secure servers, and allows anyone involved in production to work on projects with colleagues wherever they are in the world.
The Pool is a single streamlined tool, which improves efficiency and reduces errors and risk. The integration of previously separate tasks reduces the likelihood of errors. For example, The Pool allows users to set shoot schedules with multiple shoot days and multiple shoot schedules. And being able to link schedules to budget allows the budget to calculate costs automatically and removes the risk of forgetting to update every row when a schedule changes. For international projects, users can add in rows, a section or even a whole page with the relevant currencies applied.
The Pool is flexible and easy to use, providing, for example, templates that offer quick solutions for standard presentation formats - and users can build their own custom templates too. It uses a familiar spreadsheet style so there is virtually no learning curve. It also automatically provides industry-standard rates, which can be changed as required.
The Pool allows easy collaboration and communication, whatever the location. The production team can access the project data and the desktop and the 'cloud' data is synchronised. Publishing information, for example, budgets and forecasts, online is instant, and can be viewed by everyone to whom you allow access. The contact management tool can be integrated with the directory to provide a valuable repository of standard and personal information, all at the click of a mouse.
David Robins, Managing Director of The Production Pool, said: "From my experience in working in the industry, I realised there was no single simple yet sophisticated and software tool which really helps and enhances the effectiveness of the media production community. In a single tightly integrated and flexible package, The Pool helps with budgeting, scheduling, industry contacts, communication and production management. Sharing of information and collaboration is made effortless, which means fewer mistakes, better time management and less stress."
He added: "The drive behind The Pool is to build a focused community of production professionals and offer them reliable tools to help them do their job more effectively. We'll also create regular networking opportunities with the first one to be held early in the New Year."
The Pool costs £325 per annum for a one-user licence (excluding VAT), Discounts are available for multiple users.
(KMcA)