Welcome to the School of Production Accounting

Your pathway to a career in the entertainment industry.

We provide training in the unique and lucrative field of Production Accounting for film and television.

The amount of film and television production has increased enormously to fill the needs of the ever-expanding subscription channels and streaming services. Just think of all the programming choices you have today versus what was available 10 years ago.

Simply put – there are too many jobs and not enough people trained to fill them. This expansion has resulted in an extreme shortage of qualified personnel.

  • Entry-level Clerks

  • 2nd Assistants to handle paying vendors and reconciling purchasing cards

  • 1st Assistants to meet the studio or financier needs and supervise the accounting team

  • Payroll Accountants and Assistants to ensure the cast and crew are paid accurately and on time.

  • Key Accountants responsible for budgeting, cost reporting and managing all financial matters for the production.

We intend to address the shortage on several fronts:

  • Invite successful finance professionals in other fields to adapt their existing skill-set to production accounting.

  • Encourage high school and college students to direct their career path to production accounting.

  • Provide training to support career advancement for existing production accounting professionals.

  • Empower students from diverse and underserved communities giving them access to a career in entertainment.

To learn more, please select one of the two buttons below

Student if you want more information to see if this might be the right career for you and to learn about the courses.

Sponsor if you want more information about how to support SPA and provide opportunities for our graduates.

Testimonials

  • - Eugene H

    “You were a wonderful teacher and I was incredibly lucky to have a teacher like you, and I wouldn’t be at my current job if it were not for you! I am working on a show as an Accounting Clerk at Warner Bros. I have literally used everything I learned from you and I can honestly say I am doing well working hard and having a wonderful time. Thank you so much!”

  • - Jim M

    “After having worked in the entertainment industry for 5 1/2 years, I still learned much about the industry from Ida Lee's class, not to mention the wealth of knowledge I gained about starting a career in accounting. Ida Lee has a straightforward and clear manner of instruction that allows you to easily follow and take notes for reference later on. This is an industry where everyone is looking for people who don't need training. I am thankful Ida Lee took on the task of training to make us more marketable. Additionally, she did the unthinkable. She provided clear direction on how to create a strong resume, even offering feedback on how to improve it. That's something I didn't even get from my grad program!”

    UPDATE: I have secured a payroll clerk job on a Ryan Murphy show. The CFC class, without a doubt, helped me convince everyone to take me on. I literally pulled out my notebook of notes and was able to reference topics we covered. It was wonderful. I wanted to let you know and thank you again for all your work helping us out!

  • - Marissa P

    “Ida Lee is a wonderful teacher. She taught us a great deal about production accounting and the entertainment industry. Soon after completing the class, I landed a job as a production finance assistant at a studio. I would definitely recommend her class.”

  • - Juan L

    “The knowledge, experience, and advice you'll get from Ida Lee's teaching are INVALUABLE! Not only will you get insider knowledge and training to get you lightyears ahead, but you'll get a teacher that actually cares about who you are and what you want to do in your career. I highly suggest that you join her course!"

  • - Edith J

    “As a result of your teaching and sharing your experience in the industry, I have gained a deeper understanding of production accounting, which has been instrumental in my professional development in the field. The course was informative, engaging, and taught by a dedicated and passionate instructor. I wholeheartedly endorse Ida Lee as a teacher and highly recommend the School of Production Accounting to anyone seeking to enhance their skills in the field of production accounting. Thank you for your guidance!”

  • - Lisett E.

    “Ida Lee gave us a very comprehensive picture of production accounting on this course. I am thankful to her for generously sharing her experience and knowledge. Each module is explained very clearly and concisely, and the video explanations are gold! I have kept handy all the materials she gave us for whenever I need them!”

  • - Christine M

    “Thank you so much, Ida Lee! The course has been amazing, the perfect balance between how to do things, and why they are done that way. So often in my career, there was little contextualization for tasks - which makes the tasks more difficult! I truly appreciate your candor and encouragement.“

  • - Nilson S

    Ida Lee's patience and expertise gave me the confidence I needed to pursue a career in the world of film and television. I'm now working on the studio side of finance, but what I learned from Ida Lee has proven invaluable when meeting with Production Accountants and everyone involved at different stages of the production planning process.