Production SABBA Productions — script-to-set workflow for small crews

saba said:

Hi, I’m Sabatino, an independent filmmaker based in Italy, and I’m building SABBA Productions.

I’m trying to understand one practical handoff in small productions: how do you keep breakdown details, the shooting schedule and the call sheet in sync when the crew is working across separate documents and chats? Which information gets re-entered or goes out of date first?

SABBA is free during testing by invitation. I built it, so I have a clear interest in the project. If product feedback is welcome in this section, I can share a short demo and hear what does not fit your workflow.

Here’s the one-minute English demo: https://www.sabbaproductions.com/en/#home-video

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Michael said:

Hi Sabatino, welcome to FilmPlatforms!

One of the biggest challenges for small productions is when the shooting schedule changes but not everyone receives the updated information in time, especially when different documents are being used.

How does SABBA handle last-minute changes? Are related documents updated automatically, or does someone on the crew need to approve the changes?

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saba said:

Hi Michael, SABBA syncs project changes and notifies crew members who are authorized to access the affected sections.

Approval depends on the project owner’s, or “master’s,” settings. For each collaborator and section, the master can choose read-only access, direct editing, or “propose changes.” In the latter case, a proposal stays pending until the master approves it. The master can make changes directly.

If a change is approved by mistake or someone makes unintended changes, the Time Machine lets the master restore the project, or an individual item, to an earlier point. SABBA creates a backup before the restore, and records the restore itself, so it can be reversed.

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Zoltan said:

Sabatino, independent filmmakers often work with tight budgets and tools they already know. Have you explored whether independent crews, production companies, or film schools offer the strongest commercial potential for SABBA?

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saba said:

Thanks, Zoltán. SABBA grew out of a need I experienced firsthand on set. I had tried similar apps, but I couldn’t find the particular workflow I needed, so I built it into SABBA.

Tools such as StudioBinder, Celtx and Yamdu already cover many parts of production planning, including breakdowns, schedules and call sheets. What I wanted to bring together for my own work also included practical on-set tools: logging takes, working offline, and recording lighting setups with exposure and contrast measurements, false-colour references and comparisons between setups.

I think independent filmmakers and small productions could benefit a lot, especially when a small crew needs to keep project information organized and accessible. Film schools could benefit too: student groups could collaborate on the same project and coordinate the different departments more easily.

That’s my perspective as the person who built it; I haven’t validated it with market data yet. From your experience, which of these groups would you approach first?

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