Wold Day for Cultural Diversity

Last week was World Day for Cultural Diversity, and our teams are celebrated the rich diversity that makes us who we are here at Sargent-Disc. We kicked off the week by testing our team’s flag smarts with a fun game of Flag Bingo and we definitely have some flag experts here!

To keep the fun going, we had a mid-week Global Food Potluck, and let’s just say, our teams are stuffed with some absolutely amazing dishes from around the world! 🍛🍲

We’re so proud to celebrate the diversity that makes our team, and the world, so unique. How are you celebrating cultural diversity?

Sargent Disc at Cannes 2025

The team was excited to be back in France last week for the opening weekend of the 78th Festival de Cannes. Sargent-Disc got involved in several great events that brought international delegates together.

At the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, several British productions have garnered significant attention, showcasing the UK’s diverse cinematic talent.

Harry Lighton’s Pillion, a BFI backed production, received the festivals longest standing ovation, averaging 7.3 minutes, making it one of the most warmly received films of the festival. Premiering in the Un Certain Regard section, the film is nominated for both the Caméra d’Or and Queer Palm. Akinola Davis Jr’s My Fathers Shadow, also showcased Un Certain Regard and nominated for the Caméra d’Or, is being celebrated for its intimate storytelling and cultural significance as the first Nigerian film to be selected for Cannes’ Official Selection. My Fathers Shadow is also backed by the BFI and was developed by BBC Film.

The Caméra d’Or, which recognises the best first feature film, will be awarded on Saturday, May 24.

The Sargent-Disc International Producers Reception

This year marked the 10th anniversary of the Sargent-Disc International Producers Reception, held at the Members Club, Plage du Festival on Saturday 17th May! It’s was a landmark year as it is also the 10th anniversary of DPO (Digital Purchase Order) and the launch of APA. Read more about the exciting new feature here.

 It was amazing to catch up with familiar faces and meet some new ones too, all over a fun evening of drinks, chats, and great company! Huge thanks to everyone who came along, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did (and that your shoes survived the sand)!

Special thanks to our partners of the reception the British Film Commission, Canadian Media Producers Association, Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films Independent Film and Television Alliance, Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television, Production Guild of Great Britain, Screen Australia, Screen Producers Ireland and New Zealand Film Commission for their support with the event.

If you missed any contact information or would just like to reach out to us please email marketing@sargent-disc.com

Women in Film and Television Brunch

We were proud to once again sponsor the annual Women in Film and Television (WFTV) brunch, hosted aboard the very stylish Coutts boat on Sunday 18th May. It was a brilliant chance for women, whether seasoned pros or just starting out, to connect, share insights, and chat about the ever-evolving world of film and TV (with a pretty great view, too!)

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Speed Dating for Entertainment Industry Professionals

This year, Cast & Crew and Sargent Disc proudly sponsored the 2nd annual Speed Dating for Entertainment Industry Professionals, brilliantly organised by the fabulous Vinca Jarrett. Filled with rapid-fire questions and professional sparks, it was a lively, energising event brimming with fun, connection, and creative chemistry.

Sargent-Disc: Digital Production Office

Spotlight On Accounts Payable Automation

Contact us for a demo or more information!

Email us at
sales@sargent-disc.com if you would like to arrange a demo or learn more about APA!

AP Automation is designed to significantly reduce the time and effort which currently goes into traditional AP processes. By automatically suggesting best match purchase orders for invoices sent directly to DPO, users can spend more of their time on value adding activities leaving DPO to manage all of the tedious data entry, document collating and approval routing.

With both PO and AP approvals integrated into DPO, productions can benefit from a one-stop-shop approval workflow. This integration enhances visibility allowing departments to track the status of invoices and POs in real-time, and ensuring that approvals are efficient and transparent.

Cast and Crew Financial Services
Maximizing Your Production Budget: Comprehensive Financial Services

CCFS is your expert in production finance — offering funding against pre-sold distribution rights and a wide variety of US and international tax credits, CCFS is a leading lender in the independent business.  In addition, they can assist with tax credit administration in Canada and advice for North America and beyond.  CCFS and the other Cast & Crew divisions provide for a one-stop shop for indie filmmakers. Read more about CCFS here!

Digital Payroll Workflow
Digital Production Office®

The Digital Production Office® is a suite of software applications and mobile apps specially designed by Sargent-Disc to help film and television production and accounts teams work more efficiently and securely, wherever they are based. As a company, we’ve long been committed to developing sustainable production methods for the UK entertainment industry. Not only do these digital tools help teams work remotely, reduce costs and save time, they will also reduce your production’s carbon footprint.

Find out more

CrewStart™ streamlines the entire onboarding process for production crew and artistes, making management of contractual information quicker and easier.

Find out more

Digital Purchase Order puts you in control of efficient expenses approval, removing the need for multiple emails and manual circulation of documentation.

Find out more

The SD Payroll application gives you instant, secure access to online reporting, payrolls, payslips and payment histories, 24/7, wherever you are.

Find out more

The SD Payslip application provides you with instant secure access to online payslips and lets you view full payment histories at any time, wherever you’re based.

Find out more

The SD Payscales application helps you budget for UK crew costs accurately by providing insight into payscales for a range of different departments and roles.

Find out more

Developed in association with Barclaycard, the SD Production Card is designed to make your production simpler, by removing the need for large amounts of cash on production.

Find out more

Meet the team!

Want to learn more about the team? Click here

Lara Sargent, Director and Co-Head of International Development at Cast and Crew

Laurence Sargent, Director and Co-Head of International Development at Cast and Crew.

Ruby Avards, Head of Sales and Marketing

Immy Mohr, Sales and Marketing Manager

Sarah McKenzie, Business Development Consultant

Cannes 2025

Sargent-Disc is coming to Cannes!

This year we’re returning to Cannes from the 15th-18th of May for the 10th anniversary edition of the International Producers Reception. Taking place on the 17th of May, the reception networks producers and financiers from across the globe! It’s a landmark year as it is also the 10th anniversary of DPO and the launch of APA. We’re are also sponsoring the Speed Dating for Entertainment Industry Professionals event on the 16th and The Women in Film and Television Brunch on the 18th. Each event provides an excellent platform for industry figures to network and celebrate the latest successes in Film and TV.

An introduction to Sargent-Disc

We are a UK based company that creates cloud-based software for the film and TV industry—think payroll, digital production workflows, and tools that help crews stay organised and efficient! We’ve been around for nearly 40 years and are proud to be a trusted name when it comes to handling behind-the-scenes admin that keeps productions running smoothly.

Our Payroll application has been designed to enable productions to view their payrolls and manage reporting tasks easily and efficiently from anywhere 24/7, helping productions run like a well-oiled machine, without the spreadsheets and chaos. Digital Purchase Order puts you in control of efficient expenses approval and the new accounts payable automation feature is a game changer for time savings!

Want to learn more about our products and services? Click here!

Cast and Crew at Cannes 2025

Sargent-Disc works closely with all members of the Cast & Crew family. Attending the 2025 Festival de Cannes along with Sargent-Disc are Cast & Crew’s Financial Services division CCFS, DPO and Final Draft.

  • CCFS provides US, Canadian and international tax credit administration, financing and advice, and with Media Services, full completion bond services and advice.
  • DPO enables the seamless online creation and approval of POs anywhere, tracking of deliveries and invoices, invoice approvals and integrates with accounting software with its new AP automation feature.
  • Final Draft is the industry standard software for professional screenwriters, studios and production companies around the world.

 

Meet the team!

Lara Sargent, Director and Co-Head of International Development at Cast and Crew

Lara contributes significantly to Sargent-Disc’s strategic direction, drawing on her deep understanding of production finance and industry best practices to help shape company initiatives and support long-term goals. As a seasoned production accountant at Sargent-Disc, bringing over 25 years of experience in film and television production accounting. Since joining the company in 1999, she has played a key role in supporting productions across a wide range of genres and formats. Lara holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from York University and a Master’s degree in History and Anthropology from University College London. With a deep understanding of production finance and industry best practices, she is passionate about helping productions run smoothly and efficiently

In Cannes from the 16th-18th of May.

Laurence Sargent, Director and Co-Head of International Development at Cast and Crew.

Laurence serves as Co-Head of International at Cast & Crew, where he leads the development of Sargent-Disc’s Digital Production Office® solutions. These tools are designed to simplify crew management, payroll, and production expenditure for the Film and TV industry. Laurence holds a first-class master’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering, as well as a doctorate from the University of Bristol. He is passionate about exploring how technology and automation can streamline production workflows and is keen to discuss how Sargent-Disc and Cast & Crew can support your next project.

In Cannes from the 15th-18th of May.

Ruby Avards, Head of Sales and Marketing

Ruby joined Sargent-Disc in 2024, bringing with her a wealth of experience as a both a Production Accountant on a range of high-profile film and television projects and a Finance Exec at Lucasfilm. Her credits include The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (Indian Paintbrush), Mothering Sunday (Number 9 Films), Catherine Called Birdy (Amazon and Working Title), Eternals (Marvel) and Aladdin (Disney). Known for her dedication and performance, Ruby was recognized in 2018 when she received the Production Guild Spotlight Award and is currently studying for an MBA.

In Cannes from the 16th-18th of May.

Immy Mohr, Sales and Marketing Manager

Immy joined Sargent-Disc in 2021 and leads the team responsible for product setups, demonstrations, and customer engagement. In addition to supporting clients with onboarding and training, she plays a key role in driving Sargent-Disc’s marketing initiatives—overseeing events, content creation, and brand strategy. Immy is passionate about delivering a seamless user experience and is always eager to explore how Sargent-Disc’s innovative solutions can empower your production.

In Cannes from the 16th-18th of May.

Sarah McKenzie, Business Development Consultant

Sarah has been providing strategic, business development and international marketing and promotion services to the film and television industry for 30 years. Her career includes running international festivals and media organisations, providing consultancy services and building inward investment and export promotion policy and activity. Working with Sargent-Disc, a Cast & Crew company, for over 13 years, she is looking forward to developing new connections and supporting the industry through the company’s tailored solutions.

In Cannes from the 14th-18th of May.

Want to arrange a meeting?

If you’d like to meet with us in Cannes please email cannes@sargent-disc.com

Want to keep in touch? Send your details to marketing@sargent-disc.com and let us know how we can help.

Spotlight - Accounts Payable Automation

Contact us for a demo or more information!

Email us at
sales@sargent-disc.com if you would like to arrange a demo or learn more about APA!

AP Automation is designed to significantly reduce the time and effort which currently goes into traditional AP processes. By automatically suggesting best match purchase orders for invoices sent directly to DPO, users can spend more of their time on value adding activities leaving DPO to manage all of the tedious data entry, document collating and approval routing.

With both PO and AP approvals integrated into DPO, productions can benefit from a one-stop-shop approval workflow. This integration enhances visibility allowing departments to track the status of invoices and POs in real-time, and ensuring that approvals are efficient and transparent.

Cannes Top Tips!

From all of us at Sargent Disc, we’re thrilled to see you at Cannes! We’ve put together a few practical tips to help you make the most of your experience.

  • Wi-Fi is Spotty – Bring a portable charger and consider a local SIM or roaming plan.

  • Café Culture Is Real – Many meetings happen over espresso on a terrace. Brush up on your French.

  • Stay Hydrated – You’ll be walking, talking, and drinking a lot—water is your friend.

  • Go With a Plan, Stay Open to Serendipity – You probably have your meetings lined up—but leave space in your day. The best opportunities in Cannes often come from a spontaneous chat in line for coffee or bumping into someone outside the Majestic. Say yes to conversations. Be open.

  • Follow Up Right After That Conversation – Met someone interesting? Take a quick note or send a LinkedIn request while it’s fresh. Cannes moves fast—by tomorrow, that great chat might be forgotten in the rush.

Production Guild Of Great Britain Talent Showcase 2025

We were proud to have supported The Production Guild of Great Britain’s annual PGGB Talent Showcase last week. During the event, the winner of the third annual Duke of Edinburgh Film & TV Inclusion Award was announced. Launched in 2022, this initiative highlights the inspiring work of organizations and individuals promoting talent inclusion in the UK screen production workforce. This year’s award goes to the Sara Putt Associates Trainee Scheme & Foundation! The award was presented by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh to Laurily Adams, Nicola Lees, and Kelly Spearman at The InterContinental Hotel in London. The winner was selected by a jury from PGGB’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee.

The evening was made even more special for the Sargent-Disc team and our guests with the chance to meet HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

Founded 12 years ago, the Sara Putt Associates Trainee Scheme & Foundation aims to support new and diverse talent in the film and TV industry. This scheme helps trainees develop essential skills through workshops and events, providing them with valuable industry access. Additionally, the formation of the Foundation has expanded the talent pipeline, enabling individuals who might not otherwise have opportunities to enter the industry, enhancing diversity and representation.

The evening also featured an insightful panel discussion on the impact of inclusion in the industry, expertly hosted by the brilliant Ria Hebden. It was an inspiring reminder of the importance of diversity and representation in film and television.

All photographs by Theo Wood.

UK Launch of AP Automation

On November 20th, we were thrilled to host the UK launch of AP Automation—a ground breaking new feature in DPO that transforms how productions manage their accounts payable processes. The event began with an engaging showcase of the feature, followed by a audience Q&A session. We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and contributed insightful questions to the discussion.

After the presentation, attendees had the chance to network over some canapés and drinks, while also exploring the new system hands-on. Laptops were set up around the room, allowing participants to experience AP Automation first hand and discover how it simplifies and streamlines AP workflows.

So, what is AP Automation? The innovative new DPO feature is designed to significantly reduce the time and effort that currently goes into traditional AP processes. By automatically suggesting best match purchase orders for invoices sent directly to DPO, users can shift their focus to higher-value activities, while DPO handles the tedious work—such as data entry, document collation, and approval routing.

With PO and AP approvals integrated into DPO, as well as seamless integration into PSL+, productions can benefit from a one-stop-shop approval workflow. This streamlined process not only enhances efficiency but also improves visibility, enabling departments to track the real-time status of invoices and purchase orders with ease. The result? Faster, more transparent approvals that keep your production running smoothly.

If you’d like to see AP Automation in action or learn more about its integration with PSL+, we’d love to hear from you! Contact us at sales@sargent-disc.com to schedule a demo or for more information.

Celebrating Talent – Production Guild Awards 2024!

The 2024 PGGB Awards are a celebration of the depth and breadth of talent working within the UK production industry. Launching the evening in style, sponsors Cast & Crew, Sargent-Disc’s parent company, was delighted to welcome guests to the pre-Awards reception.

 

Award nominees across the six categories were a roll call of the best talent working within our industry.  The winners all stressed the importance of the production team to deliver the very best work, and the quality of the talent they work alongside.

 

Producer, David Heyman (Barbie, Wonka and Paddington) was presented with the ‘Contribution to the Industry Award’ for his incredible body of work which includes all eight Harry Potter features, the three Fantastic Beasts movies, Paddington, Barbie and Wonka.  He thanked the Guild and said, “This has been a really challenging period for the film and television industries in the UK – we’ve had COVID, we’ve had the strikes, and the economy in general has been struggling, to put it mildly. But I feel we’re turning a corner.”

 

“Next year, I think more productions will start up and more will come to the UK because it’s the best place in the world to make films and TV shows.”

 

Cast & Crew with Sargent-Disc hosted a table, and with our guests, we toasted the nominees and winners.  We were delighted that Sargent-Disc founder Marija Sargent was able to join us, whom with the late John Sargent, won the 2018 PGGB ‘Contribution to the Industry’ Award.

Courtesy of The Production Guild of Great Britain

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!

The 2024 winners were:

Contribution to the Industry – David Heyman

Production Team of the Year, Film – Wonka

Production Team of the Year, HETV – Supacell

Inspiration Award – Georgette Turner

Diversity and Inclusion – Valeria Bullo

Spotlight on New Talent – Marc Ronnie

Courtesy of The Production Guild of Great Britain

Congratulations to the Edinburgh TV Festival 2024!

Patrick Spence – Producer AC Chapter One; Monica Dolan – actress; Sarah McKenzie, Business Development Sargent-Disc

Cast & Crew was delighted to be the headline sponsor of the Edinburgh TV Awards 2024 for the third year running at the Edinburgh TV Festival.

Another inspiring Festival, the 2024 edition shone the spotlight on several key issues including the social make-up of the work force and reduced production budgets. It also celebrated the incredible depth of talent, creative and crew, within the British industry.

The pain felt by company closures was clearly acknowledged. However, many industry insiders such as Patrick Holland (Banijay UK), Charlotte Moore (BBC), Nicola Shindler (Quay Street) and Ian Katz (C4) expressed a long held view that there were just too many indies to be sustainable.

This ‘resizing’ of the workforce is likely to make it harder for working class people to enter the industry and build their careers. Both James Graham during his McTaggart Memorial Lecture and Carol Vorderman in her Alternative McTaggart Lecture highlighted how serious an issue this is for the future of the industry. They spoke about the detrimental impact of only 8% of those working in television coming from a working-class background – in terms of content, representation and workplace role models. Several participants feel that the TV Access Project (TAP) is making a difference. It’s importance was also flagged up by Julie Clark, ITV Studios, Director of Production Drama during her Sargent-Disc International Women’s Day In Conversation. With the support of the broadcasters and streamers it is having a real impact, but more work needs to be done.

The extent of talent and creativity within the UK television industry along with the current financial challenges were clearly evidenced in so many of the festival sessions. For instance, ‘Back From the Brink: Reimagining The Future of Television’, the ‘Spotlight On …….’ series with ITV, BBC, Netflix, C4, Warner Brothers;  ‘Will.I.Am: AI and The Future of Creativity’ supported by his AI assistant, ‘Saving Mr Bates: The Future of Factual Drama’ and many more.

The Festival’s major celebration of this creativity was the 90 minute 2024 Edinburgh TV Awards which showcased the best of the previous year’s British and international productions. Cast & Crew was honoured to support the event. Sargent-Disc, Cast & Crew’s UK company, was proud to Chair the ‘Best Drama’ and ‘Best International Drama’ judging panels and to present the best Drama Award to the very deserving winner ‘Mr Bates v the Post Office’. It was a thrill to realise Sargent-Disc had provided payroll, production accounting and Digital Production Office services to so many of the nominated productions

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!

Patrick Spence and Monica Dolan accepting Best Drama Award for Mr Bates v the Post Office.

The 2024 winners were:

Outstanding Achievement Award:
Martin Lewis

 

Channel of the Year:
ITV1

 

Production Company of the Year:
Studio Lambert

 

Best Drama:
‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’ – ITV Studios and Little Gem for ITV1

 

Best International Drama:
‘The Bear’ – FX Productions for Disney+

 

Best TV Actor – Comedy:
Bridget Christie in ‘The Change’

 

Best TV Actor – Drama:
Monica Dolan in ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’

 

Climate Impact Award:
‘The Great Climate Fight’ – Keo Films Ltd for Channel 4

 

Best Comedy Series:
‘Big Boys’ – Roughcut TV for Channel 4

 

Small Indie of the Year:
Hardcash Productions

 

Best TV Presenter Entertainment:
Graham Norton – ‘The Graham Norton Show’

 

Best TV Presenter Factual: Nadifa Mohamed – ‘Britain’s Human Zoos’

 

Breakthrough Performance:
Dylan Thomas Smith in ‘G’wed’

 

Best Documentary:
‘Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland’ – Keo Films & Walk on Air Films for BBC Two & BBC Northern Ireland

 

Best On Demand Service:
BBC iPlayer

 

Best Entertainment Series:
‘The Traitors’ – Studio Lambert for BBC One

 

Best Popular Factual Series:
‘Sort Your Life Out’ – Optomen for BBC One

 

Production Group of The Year:
Banijay UK

 

TV Moment of the Year:
‘Hairy Bikers Coming Home for Christmas’

 

What a fantastic year it’s been!

Sargent-Disc Rolls Out Okta

What is Okta?

Okta, an integrated identity and mobility management system, allows users to connect to applications securely from any devices 24/7 using multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Benefits of logging in via Okta

  • Greater security when logging in using multi-factor authentication
  • More authentication options including password, push notification, and Okta code verify are available
  • Biometrics or facial recognition can be setup on Okta Verify and using push notifications you can log in without needing a password each time
  • Okta will allow single sign on to be rolled out in future across all SD applications
  • Okta will allow federation so that Studios can manage their own user logins from their own Okta tenant
  • For more information about Okta click here.

Please see below guides for how to log in for the first time and set up the Okta Verify app.

Migration Guide
Login Guide

How to install the Okta app

For a short video on Okta and how to install the app check out the below video or click here

FAQs

A: Okta, an integrated identity and mobility management system, allowing users to connect to applications securely from any devices 24/7 using multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Okta supports the following web browsers: Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Safari and Chrome.

This new sign–on process is security that relies on more than just your password, and is similar to what most financial institutions employ to protect your personally identifiable information. In short, MFA is a better way to secure your account.

Yes, MFA is an important part of Sargent-Disc’s commitment to security and protection of your documents and is required to access your account beginning September 22, 2024. MFA adds the additional necessary security that is necessary to protect your account against today’s sophisticated cyber threats.

You will receive a message to say your account has been locked and will be automatically unlocked after 30 minutes.

Okta Verify is a multifactor authentication (MFA) app that allows users to confirm their identity when they sign in to their Okta account.

To install Okta Verify, please refer to the below video/ guides:

 

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZu–diVQCg            

 

Apple: https://support.sargent-disc.com/portal/en/kb/articles/review-2-downloading-okta-verify-app-apple

 

Android: https://support.sargent-disc.com/portal/en/kb/articles/review-2-downloading-okta-verify-app-android

If you’ve forgotten your password when migrating your account to Okta, please refer to the following guide:

 

https://support.sargent-disc.com/portal/en/kb/articles/review-2-payslip-forgot-password-during-okta-migration

If you’ve forgotten your password when logging in (after account has been migrated) refer to either of the following guides:

 

Forgot Password with Okta Verify app installed:  https://support.sargent-disc.com/portal/en/kb/articles/review-2-forgot-password-with-okta-verify-app

 

Forgot Password without Okta Verify installed:  https://support.sargent-disc.com/portal/en/kb/articles/review-2-forgot-password-without-okta-verify-app

Correct! A password will no longer be needed to sign into SD applications if you have the Okta Verify app installed with biometrics enabled.

Want to know how to install the app / setup biometrics? Refer to FAQ: What is Okta Verify app / how do I install this?

On the SD login page, click the ‘Forgotten username’ tab and enter the required fields to be sent an email to recover your username.

Yes! Follow the guide on how to setup Okta Verify once logged into your account: https://support.sargent-disc.com/portal/en/kb/articles/review-2-setup-okta-verify-app-later-after-account-has-been-migrated  

Please contact our Customer Support team for further assistance. Our Customer Support team can be reached by calling 01753 639007 or emailing support@sargent-disc.com

For any errors received during migration or sign in process, please contact our Customer Support team with the error code.

Okta allows you to have more than one device linked to your account. You can setup additional mobile numbers / additional devices on Okta Verify.

Refer to the following guide: https://support.sargent-disc.com/portal/en/kb/articles/review-2-link-additional-devices-to-account        

When migrating your account via your mobile device, you will be given two options to setup Okta Verify (via email and text). It is important you have the Okta Verify app installed before going through this process.

 

Via email: https://support.sargent-disc.com/portal/en/kb/articles/review-2-okta-verify-setup-on-a-mobile-device-email-option

 

Via text: https://support.sargent-disc.com/portal/en/kb/articles/review-2-okta-setup-on-a-mobile-device-text-option