Visualnet for Production Companies — Production Intelligence for film and TV procurement

Your market. Your regulatory framework.

The regulatory framework depends on where you produce and for whom.

Domestic production, international co-production or service producer — each profile has distinct regulatory obligations and one common requirement: that every eligible production cost is contracted at real market rate and is documentally defensible.

Domestic production

More than 28 states offer film and TV tax credits. Every program asks the same question: can you prove market-rate spend?

Georgia, California, New York, New Mexico, New Jersey, Louisiana, Illinois — each state program has its own cap, rate and qualifying criteria. What they share is the requirement that every production cost is real and contracted at market rate. If your production involves related entities, IRC §482 gives the IRS authority to reallocate income where pricing was not at arm's length. For publicly traded companies, the CFO certifies the accuracy of internal controls under SOX §302 and §404 — personally.

Regulatory framework

28+ state tax credit programs IRC §482 (IRS) SOX §302 / §404 FCPA (DOJ/SEC)

What Visualnet certifies

Every BTL cost line was procured through a documented competitive process at verified market rate. The sealed benchmark report — generated under our proprietary Patent Pending methodology (U.S. App. No. 64/036,591) — is the evidence each state program and structured to meet arm's length documentation requirements before state programs and the IRS. 98,000+ verified companies. 139,000+ activity records.

International co-productions

Your European co-producer controls a budget you co-finance. The DOJ can reach into that budget.

When a US production company co-produces with a European partner seeking local tax incentives, it co-finances a budget that a foreign entity controls. The incentive authority can require proof that all costs were at real market rate. Under the FCPA, you are also responsible for payments made by your co-producer — including above-market vendor payments that the DOJ could interpret as irregular. The SEC has launched industry-wide FCPA investigations against major Hollywood studios over their foreign co-production dealings. Your CFO has already certified under SOX that internal controls are adequate. That certification extends to your co-producer's budget.

Regulatory framework

FCPA (DOJ/SEC) IRC §482 SOX §302 / §404 Transfer pricing documentation

What Visualnet certifies

Your European co-producer's BTL procurement — documented, benchmarked against verified market data and sealed under our Patent Pending methodology. The documentation designed to demonstrate to the DOJ and IRS that vendor payments were at market rate. Your FCPA exposure from your co-producer's decisions, documented away.

Service production for US studios

£5.5B market

You control the budget your US client's auditor will review. Your adequate procedures are their SOX certification.

The UK is the primary service production destination for Hollywood, with over £5.5 billion in annual inward investment. When a US studio hires you as service producer, your procurement decisions flow directly into their compliance obligations. If your company is a related entity of the US studio, the IRS applies IRC §482 to every vendor transaction you control. If not, the studio's FCPA obligations still require that your procurement was at market rate — the DOJ holds them responsible for their associated persons' conduct. The SFO holds you responsible under the UK Bribery Act for adequate procedures across your own supply chain. Your US client's CFO has already signed under SOX that controls are adequate. That signature covers your budget.

Regulatory framework

UK Bribery Act 2010 (SFO) Adequate procedures IRC §482 (IRS) FCPA (DOJ/SEC) SOX §302 / §404

What Visualnet certifies

One NISR 4400 sealed report that structured to meet the IRS arm's length standard, the SFO adequate procedures requirement, and the internal control record your US client's SOX certification demands. You protect yourself and your client simultaneously. Generated automatically at project level, with tamper-proof SHA-256 audit trail and eIDAS qualified certificate.

Domestic production

HMRC HETV. BFI Film Tax Relief. UK Bribery Act. One undocumented procurement process can compromise all three.

The HMRC High-End TV Tax Relief requires that 80% of spend qualifies as genuine UK production expenditure at market rate. The BFI applies the same standard for Film Tax Relief. The UK Bribery Act 2010 requires that your organisation demonstrates adequate procedures across your contracting chain — independently of any HMRC audit. Three separate obligations. Three separate enforcement bodies.

Regulatory framework

HMRC HETV Tax Relief BFI Film Tax Relief 80% qualifying spend test UK Bribery Act 2010 (SFO)

What Visualnet certifies

Every qualifying UK cost line was procured through a documented competitive process with verifiable coverage of the eligible supplier market. The sealed report is your HMRC audit evidence, your BFI substantiation and your adequate procedures record before the SFO — in a single document.

International co-productions

Your foreign co-producer is your associated person. Their conduct is your liability under the Bribery Act.

When you co-produce with a US, European or international partner, that partner becomes an associated person of your organisation under the UK Bribery Act 2010. If they pay above-market rates to any vendor — intentionally or not — the SFO can investigate your organisation. The only available defence is to demonstrate that adequate procedures were in place covering your co-producer's activities.

Regulatory framework

UK Bribery Act 2010 (SFO) Associated person doctrine Adequate procedures defence

What Visualnet certifies

Your co-producer's BTL procurement documented and benchmarked against verified market data. The adequate procedures defence, extended to the foreign element of the co-production. Tamper-proof audit trail with eIDAS qualified certificate.

Domestic production

You produce for the national market. The AEAT can review every line item.

Art. 36.1 LIS, Canary Islands incentive or foral tax authorities — in any case, the tax authority can inspect that declared expenses are real and at market rate. Without documentation of a competitive process, the deduction can be voided in full. LO 1/2015 adds corporate criminal liability where negligence in internal controls is established.

Regulatory framework

Art. 36.1 LIS REF Canario (50%+10%) Haciendas Forales ICAA AEAT / Haciendas Forales LO 1/2015

What Visualnet certifies

Every BTL line was contracted through a documented competitive process at the real price of the audiovisual market. The sealed report under proprietary Patent Pending methodology (U.S. App. No. 64/036,591) is the document structured to meet the market rate evidence standards required by the AEAT and foral authorities. 98,000+ verified companies. 139,000+ activity records.

Service producer

You produce for a foreign studio. Their regulatory exposure is also yours.

When a service producer works for a foreign studio and claims the Art. 36.2 LIS or the Canary Islands incentive, the AEAT can inspect that every budget line is at real market rate. If the financing studio is US-listed, the IRS will review the same costs under IRC §482. If it is British, the SFO can investigate under the UK Bribery Act. Your NISR 4400 report protects the studio before its regulators and protects you before the AEAT.

Regulatory framework

Art. 36.2 LIS REF Canario (50%+10%) AEAT · ICAA IRC §482 (IRS) UK Bribery Act (SFO)

What Visualnet certifies

The NISR 4400 benchmark is the document structured to meet the standards of the IRS, SFO and AEAT simultaneously. Your contracting process is documented, sealed and signed with an eIDAS qualified certificate. In the Canary Islands, Visualnet's Tech Fee is an eligible expense — half of it financed by the incentive itself.

Visualnet · Process

How it works for Production Companies

From the first request for proposals to the final award, with documentary evidence at every step.

The production company creates the project and assigns the Production Manager

The production company administrator creates the project, defines the production type (feature film, series, documentary...) and assigns one or more Production Managers to manage the requests for proposals. The history begins from this moment.

The Production Manager launches the request for proposals

They select the activity from the catalogue (106 categories), describe the technical requirements and publish. The integrated AI assistant suggests improvements to the description to maximise the quality of supplier responses. On publishing, the system automatically notifies 100% of qualified suppliers for that activity and geography.

Suppliers submit their bids in a confidential environment

Each supplier sees only their own bid — no competitor can see another's proposal. Bids can be edited until closing. The Production Manager receives real-time notification of each bid received.

At closing, the market benchmark is sealed

The platform automatically calculates and seals the market range: minimum, below average, average, above average and maximum. The Production Manager accesses the comparison view. The benchmark cannot be modified after closing — no administrator can alter it.

Award with documented justification

The Production Manager selects the supplier. If the awarded price exceeds the market average, the platform requires a written justification before confirming. The award is immutable and recorded in the history with its justification.

Exportable history for any review

Every action in the process is recorded with an identifier chained to the previous event. Exportable as PDF for auditors, tax incentive bodies, investors or any third-party reviewer. Valid before AEAT (Spain), HMRC (United Kingdom) and IRS (United States).

See full technical documentation →

Pricing

No monthly fee. You pay when you use it.

The cost depends on the number of requests for proposals you publish and the eligible awarded technical production budget at project close.

Phase A · Development

15€ + VAT / request for proposals

For projects in development. Indicative market benchmark, without binding award.

✓ Automatic notification to all qualified suppliers
✓ Receipt of non-binding bids
✓ Market benchmark (minimum / average / maximum)
✓ Complete process history
— Binding award
— NISR 4400 certification

Phase B · Pre-production

60€ + VAT / request for proposals

For real pre-production. Binding award, sealed benchmark and full NISR 4400 certification.

✓ Everything included in Phase A
✓ Binding award with shoot date
✓ Sealed and immutable benchmark at closing
✓ Mandatory justification if price > market average
✓ PDF export of history
✓ Full NISR 4400 certification

Tech Fee on eligible awarded technical production budget

Applied at project close, on the sum of the eligible technical production budget awarded in Phase B. Calculated exclusively by the system.

Eligible awarded technical production budget	Tech Fee (Production Company)
Up to €2,000,000	3,00%
From €2,000,000 to €10,000,000	2,50%
From €10,000,000 to €30,000,000	2,00%
Over €30,000,000	1,50%

Minimum Tech Fee per project: €5,000 + VAT. Studios and broadcasters have a differentiated rate — see pricing for Studios. Visualnet's Tech Fee is an eligible expense for the Art. 36.2 LIS deduction.

Cost example — typical project

Item	Amount
4 Phase A requests for proposals	60€
6 Phase B requests for proposals	360€
Eligible awarded technical production budget	150.000€
Tech Fee 3.00% (Tier 1, up to €2M)	4.500€
Total cost (excl. VAT)	4.920€

For a project with €150,000 of eligible technical production budget, the cost equals 3.28% of the total — with full traceability and NISR 4400-certifiable history. For higher-volume projects, the Tech Fee decreases progressively to 1.50%.

Prepaid wallet model

Platform access is free. The minimum initial deposit is €500 + VAT. Requests for proposals are automatically deducted from the balance on publishing. Unused balance can be requested as a refund.

Payment methods

Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Bank transfer for amounts over €500. Processed via Stripe with PCI DSS certification.

You have a tax incentive.
You need to be able to defend it.

The regulatory framework depends on where you produce and for whom.

More than 28 states offer film and TV tax credits. Every program asks the same question: can you prove market-rate spend?

Your European co-producer controls a budget you co-finance. The DOJ can reach into that budget.

You control the budget your US client's auditor will review. Your adequate procedures are their SOX certification.

HMRC HETV. BFI Film Tax Relief. UK Bribery Act. One undocumented procurement process can compromise all three.

Your foreign co-producer is your associated person. Their conduct is your liability under the Bribery Act.

You produce for the national market. The AEAT can review every line item.

You produce for a foreign studio. Their regulatory exposure is also yours.

The problem is not how you procure. It's how you justify it when required.

How it works for Production Companies

The production company creates the project and assigns the Production Manager

The Production Manager launches the request for proposals

Suppliers submit their bids in a confidential environment

At closing, the market benchmark is sealed

Award with documented justification

Exportable history for any review

Structured procurement without extra bureaucracy

No monthly fee. You pay when you use it.

Tech Fee on eligible awarded technical production budget

Cost example — typical project

What we get asked most

Is there a monthly or subscription fee?

How is the eligible technical production budget calculated?

What happens if I cancel a request before publishing it?

How many bids are needed to certify the process?

Do prices include VAT?

The report generates itself.
The incentive, protected.

You have a tax incentive.You need to be able to defend it.

The regulatory framework depends on where you produce and for whom.

More than 28 states offer film and TV tax credits. Every program asks the same question: can you prove market-rate spend?

Your European co-producer controls a budget you co-finance. The DOJ can reach into that budget.

You control the budget your US client's auditor will review. Your adequate procedures are their SOX certification.

HMRC HETV. BFI Film Tax Relief. UK Bribery Act. One undocumented procurement process can compromise all three.

Your foreign co-producer is your associated person. Their conduct is your liability under the Bribery Act.

You produce for the national market. The AEAT can review every line item.

You produce for a foreign studio. Their regulatory exposure is also yours.

The problem is not how you procure. It's how you justify it when required.

How it works for Production Companies

The production company creates the project and assigns the Production Manager

The Production Manager launches the request for proposals

Suppliers submit their bids in a confidential environment

At closing, the market benchmark is sealed

Award with documented justification

Exportable history for any review

Structured procurement without extra bureaucracy

No monthly fee. You pay when you use it.

Tech Fee on eligible awarded technical production budget

Cost example — typical project

What we get asked most

Is there a monthly or subscription fee?

How is the eligible technical production budget calculated?

What happens if I cancel a request before publishing it?

How many bids are needed to certify the process?

Do prices include VAT?

The report generates itself.The incentive, protected.

You have a tax incentive.
You need to be able to defend it.

The report generates itself.
The incentive, protected.