What does a cashier do?
Cashiers help assistant accountants and production accountants keep accurate records of how the money on a film or TV drama is spent.
They primarily deal with expense claims, comparing what people have claimed with the receipts they have submitted, and making sure VAT is claimed where appropriate. They also track money that’s been given to crew (floats), and make sure this money is available to the relevant crew members (and returned at the end of a shoot).
They also perform petty cash reconciliations, where the cash on site is counted and cross referenced with outgoing spends. They photocopy, input data, and back up data. They might help ensure a production isn’t over-spending by providing comparisons between the budget and the actual spending. They also make tea.
What’s a cashier good at?
- Maths: enjoy figures, spreadsheets and data
- Watching film and TV drama: have a passion for the genre and a love of the industry
- Learning by watching and asking: observe what’s happening and ask questions at the appropriate moments
- Taking instruction: listen to the production accountant and do what’s asked
- Discretion: able to keep confidential information to yourself
- Communication: be social and work well with the accounts department, be able to chat to people in each department and learn what is going on in the production
- Working long hours: work the same hours as the crew who will be working longer than 9 to 5 to make the most of the shooting day
