Production companies with up to 5 employees — independent producers, small outfits. Relevant for funding applications and production budgets.
Those working with smaller productions will sooner or later stumble upon this classification – it determines how budgets are calculated, what funding is possible, and what the overall crew structure looks like. Production companies of this size operate with a core team of a maximum of five employees. This is the definition, but the reality on set looks different: these outfits are generalist shops. The producer is also the production manager, the assistant handles locations and catering, and someone still has to write the invoices.
The practical relevance lies in the budget structure and funding guidelines. When applying for funding – whether film funding, DFFF, or regional grants – the company size is often used as a criterion. Small production companies in this category pay different social security rates, their overheads are incurred differently, and the available funds for technical equipment are limited. This means in concrete terms: you work with smaller camera teams, flatter hierarchies, and improvised solutions. Some of these companies are highly specialized – for example, in documentaries or industrial films – others are purely commissioned productions for agencies.
You notice this immediately on set. The producer is involved in financial planning at the editing table themselves, handles rental contracts, and talks to the camera team. This has advantages and disadvantages: decisions are made faster, but the burden on individual shoulders is higher. In larger productions with established structures (see also: Production Management), there are departments for these tasks. Not here. On the other hand, more personal working relationships and less bureaucratic overhead often arise.
For cinematographers and sound engineers, this means: direct contact with management, often more flexible budgets for spontaneous changes, but also less planning security. A Group e-PAEV will rarely handle multiple projects simultaneously – when one is running, all capacity is tied up. Funding applications and calculations consciously take this structure into account: the standards differ from those of larger companies, especially regarding overhead costs and calculated profits.