Visual Cast Scheduling — the Latest Addition to Dramatify's Integrated Cloud Production Platform
At The Production Show, London Olympia, Dramatify released an innovative visual cast scheduling tool that decreases the cost and risk of mistakes and scheduling conflicts through smart integrations and a clear visual interface.
“Smart cast availability integrated with scene scheduling and overall production planning has been one of our most requested features,” says Dramatify CEO Annika Lidne. Dramatify’s core mission is to help production companies save time and money through a smart, integrated cloud production platform for drama, entertainment and non-fiction. “Today, too much production time and money are spent using manual workflows and old-school tools. Since Dramatify is a cloud platform, team members can collaborate and add their input depending on their role in the production. The gathered information in one place allows us to innovate with new unique features and automate many production tasks that are done manually today.”
Comprehensive cast scheduling at a glance
Cast scheduling for both drama and entertainment is usually handled through low-tech manual labour — spreadsheets or single-user boxed software with no integration to other people or other parts of the production. Dramatify’s new visual cast scheduling combines availability inputs for individual cast members with scene and production scheduling and the traditional Cast Day Out of Day view. At a glance, in one view, producers, schedulers, coordinators, ADs and casting managers can see who’s available, who’s scheduled, who’s confirmed a booking, and whether there are any conflicts.
Optimising cast work hours
Availability time options optimise cast time, allowing for theatre engagements and other jobs — especially crucial for high-volume series and in-demand cast members. For schedulers, visual cast scheduling combines with the Day Out of Day report to optimise and minimise the time cast members are engaged, saving cast costs.
Integrated across the whole production
In Dramatify’s scene scheduler, users can turn the availability checker on or off, flagging potential cast scheduling problems and conflicts for each scene. “It can just be that no one has added a cast member’s availability, or a conflict with another production team where the cast member is already scheduled to work,” says Annika Lidne.
Shared workflows mean lower risk
The shared workflows in Dramatify also mean lower risk for the production. If a key team member — like a casting director — suddenly falls ill or becomes unavailable, their information isn’t lost with them: the work can continue, with clear status for the rest of the production team. “All in all, this is the feature a lot of broadcasters and production companies have been waiting for,” Lidne summarises.