Sargent-Disc
Sargent-Disc is a UK-based software and services provider, founded in 1986, delivering payroll, production accounting, and the Digital Production Office® SaaS suite to film and television productions across the UK and Ireland. It operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cast & Crew.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersBeaconsfield, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Sargent-Disc does
Sargent-Disc Ltd is a UK-headquartered software and services company, founded in 1986 by John and Marija Sargent, that provides payroll, production accounting, and production management software to the UK and Ireland entertainment industry. Its core offering is the Digital Production Office® suite—a cloud-based SaaS platform comprising native iOS and Android applications including CrewStart™ (digital crew and artiste onboarding with e-signature and configurable approval chains), Digital Purchase Order (DPO) for procurement and expense approval, Payroll and Payslip applications, Payscales (UK crew cost budgeting), PSL+ (integrated budgeting and cost tracking), and AP Automation (invoice-to-PO matching). The company holds ISO/IEC 27001 and UKAS certifications and is positioned as the first provider of a complete digital production payroll workflow in UK and Ireland, with HMRC compliance, multi-currency (£, €, $) support, and UK Tax Credit qualification.
Sargent-Disc monetizes through a mix of recurring subscription licensing for the DPO software suite, recurring payroll and residuals processing fees for cast and crew, professional production accounting and production services engagements, transactional fees on the SD Production Card (a cashless purchasing solution developed in association with Barclaycard), and bespoke or scheduled software training. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The platform is sold via enterprise field sales to studios and large production companies, self-serve access for mid-market productions, and through the global Cast & Crew network following the 2019 acquisition. Named enterprise users include Warner Bros., Paramount, and Mammoth Screen, alongside numerous individual UK film and television productions.
Since 2019, Sargent-Disc has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cast & Crew, the international entertainment production software and services provider. Directors Dr. Laurence Sargent and Lara Sargent serve as Co-Heads of International at Cast & Crew while continuing to lead the UK business. The company maintains multi-year partnerships and sponsorships with PACT, the Production Guild of Great Britain, the Royal Television Society (headline sponsor of the RTS Programme Awards 2024-2026), the National Film and Television School, and hosts the International Producers Reception at the Cannes Film Festival alongside partners including the British Film Commission, CMPA, FIAPF, Screen Australia, and Screen Producers Ireland. The firm is actively operating and celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026.
Sargent-Disc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sargent-Disc
- Legal name
- Sargent-Disc Ltd
- Website
- https://sargent-disc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sargent-Disc is a UK-based software and services provider, founded in 1986, delivering payroll, production accounting, and the Digital Production Office® SaaS suite to film and television productions across the UK and Ireland. It operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cast & Crew.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sargent-Disc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Entertainment Production Management Software
- akta.pro primary industry
- Contractor / Freelancer Payments (FSAMAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Catalog & eProcurement Enablement (Punchout, Item Master) (BPAAAJAI)
Keywords
Where Sargent-Disc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Beaconsfield
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sargent-Disc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Payroll & Residual Processing Services: Full-service payroll processing for cast, crew and employees including multi-currency support (£ € $), HMRC compliance, UK Tax Credit qualification, and integration with auto-enrolment pensions. Weekly, Monthly and Four Weekly processing cycles.
- Production Accounting Services: Integrated accounting services at every stage of production including budgeting, pre-production, production, and post-production support.
- Production Services: Production Service Agreement for UK filming including employer liability, VAT and company reporting, acting as 'the employer' for location shoots and one-off payments.
- Production Card: Cashless purchasing solution developed with Barclaycard for Sterling and Euro purchasing with card management, spend limits, and balance payment services.
- Software Licensing & Training: Bespoke and scheduled online training for CrewStart™ and Digital Purchase Order applications, along with software user manuals and documentation.
- Digital Production Office® Suite: Cloud-based SaaS applications for production management including CrewStart, Payroll, Payslip, Payscales, Digital Purchase Order, and PSL+.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Contact-based pricing - Custom solutions tailored to production needs |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Sargent-Disc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sargent-Disc is the UK provider of payroll, production accounting and production management software for the film and television entertainment industry. It sells the Digital Production Office® suite — cloud-based SaaS applications including CrewStart™ for crew onboarding, Digital Purchase Order (DPO) for procurement, and Payroll/Payslip/Payscales applications — alongside professional services such as payroll processing, residuals, production accounting, production services agreements, training, and the SD Production Card cashless purchasing solution.
Product overview
Sargent-Disc offers the Digital Production Office® platform—a unified suite of cloud-based mobile apps and software applications for film and television production and accounts teams. The portfolio includes CrewStart™ for crew onboarding and contract management, Digital Purchase Order (DPO) for expense approval and procurement, Payroll and Payslip applications for payroll processing and payslip access, Payscales for crew cost budgeting, PSL+ for comprehensive budgeting and cost tracking, and AP Automation for accounts payable streamlining. The Production Card (with Barclaycard) provides cashless purchasing. Alongside software products, Sargent-Disc delivers professional services spanning payroll and residuals, production accounting, production services, and training. The End-to-End Digital Payroll Workflow integrates CrewStart™, Payroll, and Payslip applications into a unified paperless workflow.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Digital Production Office®: A suite of software applications and mobile apps designed to help film and television production and accounts teams work more efficiently and securely, enabling remote working and reducing carbon footprint.
- CrewStart™
- Digital Purchase Order (DPO)
- Production Card
- PSL+
Products and services
- Digital Production Office® A unified suite of cloud-based mobile apps and software applications designed for film and television production and accounts teams, enabling secure remote working and reducing the carbon footprint of productions. Integrates CrewStart™, Payroll, Payslip, Digital Purchase Order, Payscales, and PSL+ applications.
- CrewStart™ Application that streamlines the entire onboarding process for production crew and artistes, managing contractual information, start forms, contracts, and timesheets digitally with electronic signatures, customisable approval chains, and mobile compatibility.
- Digital Purchase Order (DPO) Award-winning cloud-based procurement system designed for the entertainment industry that allows control and approval of expenses efficiently with a customisable user interface and 24/7 access worldwide.
- Payroll Application Native iOS and Android app providing instant, secure access to online reporting, payrolls, payslips and payment histories 24/7 with single sign-on and secure messaging for production crew and staff.
- Payslip Application
Companies that use Sargent-Disc
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Sargent-Disc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature9 records
Sargent-Disc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Cast & CrewcoreCast & Crew acquired Sargent-Disc in 2019. As part of Cast & Crew, Sargent-Disc has scaled services globally and can help productions worldwide. Directors Laurence Sargent and Lara Sargent serve as Co-Heads of International at Cast & Crew.
- BarclaycardcoreProduction Card developed in association with Barclaycard, Europe's leading issuer of Visa Commercial Cards. Barclaycard provides card infrastructure for SD Production Card used for Sterling and Euro purchasing.
- PACT (Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television)coreMember of PACT, working to inform and educate members about Sargent-Disc services and products.
- Production Guild of Great BritaincoreBusiness partner of PGGB, informing and educating members. Sponsors annual PGGB Awards and Talent Showcase.
- Royal Television Society (RTS)coreMajor Patron for 8 years, now Headline Sponsor of RTS Programme Awards for 2024, 2025, and 2026. Supports RTS Futures and Bursary Scholarships for new industry entrants.
- National Film and Television School (NFTS)core10-year partnership sponsoring Production Management Diploma. John Sargent Scholarship supports new production accounting entrants. Presents Best Budgeting Skills Award and Best All-Round Production Management Award at graduation.
- British Film CommissionminorPartner for International Producers Reception at Cannes Film Festival.
- Women in Film and Television (WFTV)minorAnnual sponsor of WFTV brunch at Cannes Film Festival. Supports women networking events.
- Canadian Media Producers AssociationminorPartner for International Producers Reception at Cannes Film Festival.
- FIAPF (Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films)minorPartner for International Producers Reception at Cannes Film Festival.
- Screen AustraliaminorPartner for International Producers Reception at Cannes Film Festival.
- Screen Producers IrelandminorPartner for International Producers Reception at Cannes Film Festival.
- New Zealand Film CommissionminorPartner for International Producers Reception at Cannes Film Festival.
- albertminorSustainability certification body for film and TV. Sargent-Disc supports carbon reduction initiatives.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sargent-Disc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Entertainment Partners: The leading US-based provider of entertainment industry payroll, residuals, and production accounting services. Direct competitor serving the same customer base (film/TV productions and studios) with overlapping payroll, production accounting, and digital workflow products.
- GreenSlate: US-based payroll and production accounting provider serving film, TV, and commercial productions. Direct competitor offering digital production accounting and crew management that overlaps with Sargent-Disc's Digital Production Office® suite.
- CAPS Payroll: Sibling company under Cast & Crew providing payroll services to the entertainment industry. Direct peer operating in the same payroll/production accounting category, though focused on US productions.
- Checks & Balances: Sibling Cast & Crew company providing payroll and accounting services for the entertainment industry. Direct peer with overlapping product capabilities and customer base.
- Film Industry Financial Services (FIFS): UK-based film industry payroll services provider. Direct competitor in the UK market serving the same entertainment production customer base with payroll and production accounting services.
Broad incumbents
- Cast & Crew: Parent company since 2019 and the largest North American entertainment payroll/production services provider. Operates broadly across the same industry with overlapping capabilities; Sargent-Disc functions as its UK/Ireland arm.
- ADP: Global payroll and HR services giant that competes in the broader payroll/payments market. Less specialized in entertainment-specific compliance but represents the scale competitor Sargent-Disc could face as customers consolidate vendors.
- Workday: Enterprise cloud applications provider for finance, HR, and payroll. Represents the broader incumbent threat as productions seek to consolidate onto single enterprise platforms rather than best-of-breed vertical solutions like Sargent-Disc.
Emerging players
- Wrapbook: Modern production payroll, payments, and insurance platform built for film/TV productions. Overlaps with Sargent-Disc's payroll and production accounting offerings but is US-anchored with a newer technology stack and growing UK ambitions.
Others
- Final Draft: Sibling Cast & Crew company and the leading screenwriting software for film and TV. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor, but illustrates the broader Cast & Crew production workflow suite that Sargent-Disc complements.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sargent-Disc social profiles
Digital presenceSargent-Disc compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Sargent-Disc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sargent-Disc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Sargent-Disc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sargent-Disc M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sargent-Disc
What does Sargent-Disc do?
Sargent-Disc is the UK provider of payroll, production accounting and production management software for the film and television entertainment industry. It sells the Digital Production Office® suite — cloud-based SaaS applications including CrewStart™ for crew onboarding, Digital Purchase Order (DPO) for procurement, and Payroll/Payslip/Payscales applications — alongside professional services such as payroll processing, residuals, production accounting, production services agreements, training, and the SD Production Card cashless purchasing solution.
Is Sargent-Disc a public or private company?
Sargent-Disc is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sargent-Disc founded?
Sargent-Disc was founded in 1986. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sargent-Disc based?
Sargent-Disc is headquartered in Beaconsfield, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Sargent-Disc make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Payroll & Residual Processing Services are the primary driver. The others are production Accounting Services, production Services, production Card, software Licensing & Training and digital Production Office® Suite.
Who are Sargent-Disc's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Entertainment Partners, GreenSlate, CAPS Payroll, Checks & Balances and Film Industry Financial Services (FIFS). Broad incumbents are Cast & Crew, ADP and Workday. Wrapbook is listed as an emerging player. Final Draft is listed as an others.
Does Sargent-Disc have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sargent-Disc.
What industry is Sargent-Disc in?
Sargent-Disc's product category is Entertainment Production Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMAKAC, Contractor / Freelancer Payments, with a secondary code of BPAAAJAI, Catalog & eProcurement Enablement (Punchout, Item Master).