Public record of company legal status, ownership, capital — used for due diligence and credit checks. Essential before signing production contracts or crew agreements.
Before you sign a contract with a production company, you check the Business Registry — this is the first due diligence that every line producer and unit production manager (UPM) performs. There you will find the legal structure, the managing directors, the share capital, and most importantly: whether the company is currently or has been in insolvency. You don't need this data daily on set, but in pre-production and during contract drafting, the registry is your protection.
In Germany, the Commercial Register (Handelsregister - HR) is the official point of contact — for GmbHs, AGs, and partnerships. You will find the current managing directors, authorized signatories (Prokuristen), representation arrangements, and any restrictions. This is essential: if the managing director signs the contract, she must be registered in the registry. Otherwise, the contract is contestable. Production companies are usually GmbHs — with small registered capital (often a minimum of 25,000 EUR), frequently newly founded multiple times after project completion. This is completely normal in this business, but it also means: the company could be highly illiquid.
Practically, you use the registry for three things: Creditworthiness check — is the company reliable as a debtor, are there insolvency entries? Contract validity — who is authorized to sign for the company, and is that person currently registered? Calculation of liabilities — especially if you choose subcontractors or have to negotiate yourself as a line producer. Many production companies operate with minimal capital and maximum credit lines. If you don't check these, your budget will later face liability issues.
The registry is public — you pay a small fee (approx. 2-5 EUR per extract) and receive updated data online or by certificate. Some production companies hide behind multiple entities or deliberately provide standard information. This is not a sign of criminality, but standard tax strategy. Important: The registry shows the external perspective — for the true financial substance, you will later need a business report or annual financial statement (if the company is obliged to disclose it). With the Business Registry + Schufa query, a producer covers most risks.