Step 1: Ditch the Guesswork – Define Your Strategic Goals

Before you even think about tracking, you need to know why you’re tracking. Sounds simple, right? But most people skip this step and end up drowning in irrelevant data.

What is your primary objective? Your answer changes everything.

• Looking for Co-Production Partners? You need to identify projects in early development that align with your slate and have potential funding gaps.
• Selling Services (VFX, Post-Production, etc.)? You need to track projects as they move from development into pre-production and physical production to know who to contact and when.
• Acquiring Content for Distribution? You’ll want to monitor films in production and post-production, especially those generating buzz at film markets.
• Conducting Market Research? You need to see macro trends—which countries are offering the best tax incentives? What genres are getting funded?

Actionable Tip: Write down your #1 goal for tracking productions this quarter. For example: “Identify three international drama series in late development for a potential co-production deal.” This clarity will be your filter for all the steps that follow.

Step 2: Use a Production Intelligence Platform (Your Secret Weapon)

You can’t track thousands of global projects using spreadsheets and Google alerts. It’s impossible. You’ll burn out, and your data will be outdated the moment you enter it.

To professionally track film production globally, you need a centralized, dynamic database. This is non-negotiable. Think of it as your command center for global entertainment intelligence.

A powerful platform should allow you to:

• Filter by Stage: Search for projects in any phase—from script and financing to post-production and distribution.
• Search by Genre and Budget: Quickly narrow down the field to projects that fit your specific mandate.
• Track by Location: See what’s filming where, from major hubs like London and Vancouver to emerging hotspots.
• Identify Key Contacts: Find the names of producers, directors, and production companies attached to each project.

These platforms aren’t just lists; they are dynamic ecosystems of information. Investing in one moves you from reactive searching to proactive, strategic discovery. You stop chasing news and start finding opportunities.

Step 3: Focus on Pre-Production to Get Ahead

Want to know the secret to finding the best opportunities? Look for projects before everyone else does.

By the time a film is announced in the trades, key partnerships are often already in place. The real strategic window is during late development and pre-production. This is when producers are actively looking for financing, key crew, and service partners.

How to Track Pre-Production Opportunities

Your goal is to find projects that have a greenlight or are close to it but haven’t locked in all their partners. Use your intelligence platform to set up alerts for projects that move into the “pre-production” or “financing” stage.

Look for signals like:

• A director or major star has been attached.
• A lead production company is confirmed.
• The project is being shopped at a film market (Cannes, EFM, AFM).

Tracking projects this early allows you to approach potential partners when they are most receptive to collaboration, not after all the major decisions have been made.

Step 4: Monitor the Movers and Shakers

The entertainment industry is driven by people and companies. Tracking individual projects is great, but tracking the decision-makers behind them is even better.

Identify the production companies, studios, and streamers that are most active in your area of interest. Who is consistently producing the type of content you want to be involved with? Who is expanding into new international markets?

Creating a Target List

Create a list of 20-30 target companies. Use your production database to follow their entire slate of projects. This gives you incredible insight into their strategy.

You’ll start to see patterns:

• “Company X is ramping up its slate of animated features.”
• “Studio Y is actively seeking co-production partners in South Korea.”
• “Distributor Z has been acquiring sci-fi films at every major festival.”

This level of analysis helps you anticipate market moves and position yourself as a relevant, informed partner.

Step 5: Turn Data into Deals and Partnerships

Data is useless without action. The final, most important step is to leverage your insights to build relationships and close deals.

You’ve identified a project in pre-production that fits your goals. You know the production company behind it. Now what?

Don’t just send a generic email. Your outreach should be specific and value-driven. For example:

“Hi [Producer Name], I saw you’re moving into pre-production on ‘Project X.’ My company specializes in [Your Service], and we have extensive experience with the exact type of action sequences your script demands. I’d love to discuss how we can support your vision.”

This approach shows you’ve done your homework. You’re not just another name in their inbox; you’re a problem-solver who understands their project. By combining powerful data with smart outreach, you transform tracking from a passive research activity into an active business development machine.