A Producer Explains the Benefits of GreenSlate's Paperless Payroll

Does GreenSlate’s paperless payroll system have a positive, measurable impact across an entire production? Definitely, writes producer Claudine Marrotte in her first-person account in a recent issue of Produced By.

Marrotte, a sustainably-minded line producer, incorporated the NYC Film Green Program, the first U.S. government program that promotes sustainable practices on film/television productions, on her last feature, and decided to look at all the areas of production that could be streamlined by going digital, with the primary goal of reducing paper.

Her initial concerns about going digital? The crew’s potential resistance to filling out startwork forms and timecards online, as well as possible technical delays that could affect submitting payroll on time.

Marrotte met with GreenSlate to discuss these concerns and learn how our digital tools work. Once she saw how simple the process would be for the entire production team with GreenSlate’s user-friendly interface and digital workflows, Marrotte was ready to move forward.

The GreenSlate team also attended the pre-production meeting to answer questions from the crew. The crew’s main concern was whether their personal information would be secure online. But as Marrotte explains, storing these details digitally is both safer and more efficient than hard copies: There’s more opportunity for paper startwork packets to be misplaced (or fall into the wrong hands) en route from the Paperwork PA to the payroll team. She also outlines the many other benefits of a paperless system:

• The crew had to input their startwork information only once—it then remains safely on file with GreenSlate for all future productions

• Paper notes that were formerly attached to startwork forms were instead inputted electronically, ensuring they wouldn’t get lost

• The new, paperless workflow expedited the approval process: Marrotte simply logged on to the GreenSlate interface to quickly review and approve the startwork

• The crew found their digital timecards easier to read and complete

• Accountants saved time by not having to scan startwork documents or deliver them to the payroll service company

Marrotte also accomplished her goal of reducing paper. When the production wrapped, GreenSlate’s “Eco Tracker” revealed that it saved over 5,000 sheets of paper and 15,000 gallons of water by adopting a paperless production payroll system. Read Marrotte's entire story in Produced By.

To learn more about how going “green” can streamline the payroll process on your next production, contact GreenSlate at help@gslate.com.