In ProdPro Analytics, we provide multiple ways to analyze production data, including different date fields that help measure activity and spending at various stages of a production’s lifecycle. This article explains the difference between Year/Month of Filming, Year/Month of Principal Photography Start, and the Shoot field in the Pipeline module.
Year/Month of Filming vs. Year/Month of Principal Photography Start
These two fields serve different analytical purposes:
Year/Month of Filming
Measures the number of unique productions actively filming during a given period.
Helps estimate the total amount of money spent on productions within that timeframe.
Captures data over the entire course of a production’s filming phase—from Principal Photography Start through Principal Photography Wrap.
Year/Month of Principal Photography Start
Tracks when productions begin principal photography.
Helps measure the total estimated production budget committed at the start of filming.
Attributes the entire production and its associated spend to a single time period (i.e., the start date).
Key Takeaway
If you want to measure how many productions were actively filming (and their spending) within a timeframe, use Year/Month of Filming.
If you want to measure how many productions started principal photography (and the committed budget for those projects), use Year/Month of Principal Photography Start.
What is the "Shoot" Field in Pipeline?
The Shoot field in the Pipeline module corresponds to Principal Photography Start in Analytics. It represents the date a production officially begins filming.
Need More Help?
If you have any questions or need further clarification, feel free to reach out to our support team!