Behind The Budget Line – Gerry Tyrrell

Article By Immy Mohr

Career Journey

I’ve only recently jumped the fence into Film and TV.  Prior to that, I spent over 25 years in industries where precision, speed, and stakeholder trust were probably every bit as critical as they are on a production.

I began in Treasury, managing daily positions for currency and interbank dealers. It was a very early lesson in the true cost of cash and the sensitivities of cashflow!

I left to pursue my ACCA qualification, studying at night while managing financial accounting for Whirlpool’s Nordic operations.  This role taught me how to partner across diverse European teams and currencies.

From there I moved into high-value medical equipment. It was hands-on: I built budgets and costing models to support complex manufacturing operations.  To put it in perspective, in my first healthcare role we produced critical-care ventilators with an annual production cost of USD $ 200m.  Two of devices ended up on the set of E.R. !

Working in medical technology, you’re helping to create products that save lives – but it also means navigating strict regulatory and commercial environments.  I later supported a company that designed and manufactured retinal imaging devices before deciding to leave the sector in 2021.   I’d achieved a lot and it felt like the right time.  

It was an opportunity to ask: “What would I do, and what can I bring?” I’d always had an interest in stagecraft, so I explored options in screen.  The NFTS Diploma in Production Accounting provided the bridge, which I completed in early 2023.  After some ad hoc budget work, I landed my first screen industry job with Mammoth Screen on their shoot for Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy.

I really enjoy it. There are so many parallels with my previous roles, especially in how you engage with production teams, non-finance departments and stakeholders to get the best outcome for the production and the production company behind it.

Most Memorable Production

The first job with Mammoth Screen really stuck with me. Great team, strong art department, and being a ’50s period piece, the set decoration and costume were brilliant.

It proved my transferrable skills worked in a fast-paced environment. Sometimes it’s just about being transparent – even a one-liner to an email: “Here’s the risk, here’s the mitigation.”  That kind of communication keeps everyone aligned and informed.

Accounts are the first line of defence for areas with huge consequences at Company level – from Money Laundering and GDPR to the incoming Failure to Prevent Fraud offence (from 1st Sept). Large companies and their subsidiaries all fall within scope, so Accounts need the space to support this as well as the production.

Mammoth Screen’s accounting manual and delegated authority worked well. It gave flexibility at production level, and was actively supported at head-office.  That really resonated with me: you tailor your controls to the size of the team. If there are only got three or four in accounts, you can’t run an exhaustive control framework, but you can still protect stakeholders and maintain compliance.

What I Love About the Role

I get to engage, learn and contribute at all levels of the production.  My first port of call is usually the co-ordinators – they’re on board early, they spend money early, and they need support.  Once you engage, there’s less chance of them going off-piste.  It’s a bit like the factory floor:  people will come to you if they have an issue or spot a risk. Sometimes it’s as simple as a WhatsApp check-in, sometimes it’s a more strategic conversation tied to the schedule and budget.  Those approaches help build trust and keep the production moving.

Digital Transformation

At different points in my career, I’ve worked with two exceptional manufacturing directors who championed Lean principles.   It was striking to see how they empowered these complex organisations to flex and absorb change at short notice – without extra headcount or capacity.

I brought that mindset into finance:  mapping processes, removing waste steps, and focusing my team on value-adding activity.  In production finance, I apply the same approach: set workflows up correctly from the start, make them scalable, and ensure each touchpoint counts. 

Whether in a factory or a production, the aim is the same – remove bottlenecks, free people to apply themselves effectively, and keep things moving at pace.  Always reflect and adapt:  Ask colleagues outside Accounts how the process is working – they’re your most important customers.

I’m a champion for Digital Transformation.  Finance isn’t naturally directly value-adding, so you have to find ways to make it so, whether that’s through insight or partnering with other departments. Going digital frees capacity.

On Mint (House Productions/Fearless Minds), I used the DPO and PSL integration and coached people to raise POs with consistent language. That text flowed through PO, invoice validation, matching, and into PSL. So, when someone searched the ledger or DPO, the same reference was there from start to finish. It was only entered once – no rekeying, no duplication. 

I’d explored OCR technology outside screen, where our AP team handled 45,000 invoices annually. Back then the licence cost far outweighed the benefit. This time, the tech was accessible and it made a real difference. It gave the team space to focus on value-adding work and deliver a clean handover.

Other departments have embraced tech to move faster, but finance can lag behind, often running workflows originally designed for paper.  Digital transformation is a real opportunity.

Tools of the Trade

My favourite tool is probably Excel.  I’ve done a lot of forensic work where linked systems were not present, often establishing insight for the first time before building repeatable reporting.

I’ve learned to be cautious about overengineering.  If you build something too complex, you become the sole point of support, and that’s a risk both for you and the production company. When spreadsheets replace what should be repeatable system processes – especially with macros or VBA – it’s a sign the core reporting systems need to improve.

Advice for Newcomers

You’ll feel loyal to the person who brought you in, and that’s natural, but don’t be afraid to move on. New teams, processes, budgets and availability of cash will stretch you, help you grow, and push you out of your comfort zone. Pick up new skills and ways of working, and carry the ones that fit with you.  Engage early, be approachable and available – it makes everything smoother.  That advice is not unique to screen – it applies everywhere.

Quick Fire Round:

Go to office snack?

Our craft team from Department Q made amazing millionaire shortbread, but off the shelf it’s a bourbon cream.

Excel or Google Sheets?

Excel.

Your dream production to work on?

In high school I dreamed of working for Jim Henson, so if another Muppets film came along, I’d jump at it. The Muppet Movie was the first film I ever saw on the big screen, and the “Turn Left at the Fork in the Road” gag has stuck with me since.

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!)

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.

£500M Film and TV Production Restart Scheme

On 28th July, Oliver Dowden, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced the launch of a new £500 million scheme to help jump-start UK film and television production struggling to secure insurance for COVID-19 related costs.

The new Film and TV Production Restart Scheme will enable UK productions to get back up and running by providing cover for coronavirus-related losses such as filming delays or cast and crew illnesses.

This is fantastic news for the production industry, ensuring that production teams can get back to creating the high-quality TV shows and features that we all enjoy equipped with sufficient cover for disruptions and delays that arise from the pandemic,” says Dr Laurence Sargent, Director of Sargent-Disc, Co-Head of Cast & Crew International.

Draft Scheme Rules and supplementary Explanatory Notes have been published by DCMS and HM Treasury here.

How it works

The government has introduced this temporary measure to cover productions which commence filming before the end of 2020 for COVID-19 related losses. The scheme will allow productions to backdate future claims to 28th July 2020 as per the initial announcement. The registration deadline has been extended to 23.59 GMT on 28th February 2020, and claims can be submitted up to 23.59 GMT on 30th November 2021 for losses incurred up until 23.59 GMT on 30th June 2021.

Eligible productions will be able to apply for compensation for costs caused by coronavirus delays up to a value of 20% of the production budget. Abandonment of productions will be covered by up to 70% of the budget, upon agreement with the Government that it was necessary. There is a total cap of £5m on claims per production.

Alongside ensuring they are adequately insured by purchasing cover for non-coronavirus risks, productions will need to pay an appropriate excess during the claims process as well as a fee when joining the scheme.

Eligibility

Eligible productions will need to have spent at least half of their budget in the UK and provide evidence that they are unable to start up again due to a lack of insurance. The scheme is expected to support over 70% of film and TV production until the end of the year.

Further details around the claims process and eligibility requirements will be released in the near future.

This is very welcome news from the UK government, who have worked at pace with the UK’s film, TV and broadcasting industry to develop a fund that will unlock tens of millions of pounds of production spend and help to get production companies and freelancers back to work doing what we do best – making great programmes for the UK and global audiences,” says John McVay, Pact CEO.

DCMS and HM Treasury will be reviewing the scheme periodically to ensure it supports film and television productions to restart following the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information, visit the HMRC website here.

This article is for general information purposes. It is not addressed to any specific parties and does not constitute advice (legal or otherwise) to any person.