Join the Crew
Get the best resources for producers delivered to your mailbox
Get the best resources for producers delivered to your mailbox
The Wrapbook Team consists of individuals who are thrilled about building modern software tools for creators. We’re a team of compassionate and curious people dedicated to solving complex problems with sophisticated solutions. You can find us across the U.S. and Canada.
At Wrapbook, we pride ourselves on providing outstanding free resources to producers and their crews, but this post is for informational purposes only as of the date above. The content on our website is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal, accounting, or tax advice. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances.
Completion bonds are the final green light many investors require before releasing funds, and are a valued part of film financing. These guarantees ensure a project will be delivered on time and budget. They’re a non-negotiable part of modern film finance.
Yet the bonding marketplace can feel opaque. Producers often don’t know which firms are reputable or best suited to their project’s scale. The right partner can make the difference between a smooth financing process and a stalled production.
Below, you’ll find a curated shortlist of the most trusted film bonding companies working today, with a look at what sets each apart. Strong financial oversight and real-time cost control are pillars of any bonded production—areas where a platform like Wrapbook helps productions stay compliant and transparent.
A film bonding company provides completion bonds (also called completion guarantees). These are insurance policies that protect investors by guaranteeing a project will be completed and delivered according to specifications.
These bonds establish a tripartite agreement between the production, its investors, and the bond company. If the production encounters financial difficulties or timeline issues, the bond company steps in. They'll either provide additional funds to complete the project or, in extreme cases, take over production to ensure delivery.
For financiers and distributors, completion bonds provide essential risk mitigation. By ensuring that a project will either be completed or their investment returned, these bonds create the confidence needed to release funds.
This is particularly critical for independent productions operating outside the studio system, where financial backing often comes from multiple sources and investors need assurance their money won't disappear into an unfinished project.
The bonding process involves a rigorous assessment of your production's viability. Bond companies thoroughly review your budget, schedule, key contracts, and compliance measures before issuing a guarantee. This evaluation often strengthens your production plan, identifying potential issues before cameras roll.
The stakes of choosing the right bonding company cannot be overstated. Without a completion bond from a reputable provider, your financing may stall completely. Many lenders, equity investors, and distributors simply won't release funds until a guarantee is in place from a bonding company they trust.
Beyond securing financing, the right bonding partner adds significant value throughout the production process. An experienced bond company has seen countless productions through challenges and can offer invaluable guidance when issues arise.
Conversely, the wrong provider can create unnecessary friction. They might impose unrealistic constraints, slow-walk approvals, or create communication bottlenecks when quick decisions are needed.
Bond companies typically require regular financial reporting, including detailed cost reports, payroll compliance documentation, and insurance verification. These requirements can feel just as stressful as a production audit. Meeting them is much easier with streamlined production finance tools that provide real-time visibility into spending and compliance.
A bond company's reputation within the industry also holds significant importance. The film financing world is relatively small, and relationships matter. A well-respected bond company can strengthen your project's standing with potential investors and distributors, adding another layer of credibility to your production package.
When selecting a bonding company, producers should evaluate providers across several key dimensions:
Look for companies with a solid history of successfully bonded projects. The number of films they've guaranteed, how long they've been in business, and whether they've weathered industry downturns all speak to their stability and reliability.
Different bonding companies specialize in different budget ranges. Some focus exclusively on indie projects under $5 million, while others primarily handle tentpole productions with nine-figure budgets. Finding a company with experience in your budget range ensures they'll understand the specific challenges you're likely to face. A skilled production accountant can also help you evaluate before approaching a bond company.
If you're shooting domestically, many bonding companies can meet your needs. However, for international co-productions or multi-territory shoots, you'll need a company with global capabilities and experience navigating different regulatory environments, plus practical remote accounting tips to keep finance teams aligned.
Bond companies vary significantly in their oversight style. Some take a hands-off approach, conducting periodic check-ins but otherwise staying out of your way. Others employ more active monitoring, with representatives regularly visiting the set and requiring daily reporting. Understanding a company's service philosophy helps you anticipate the working relationship.
Some bond companies have developed expertise in specific genres, formats, or production types. If you're making a documentary, animation project, or VFX-heavy film, look for a bonding company with relevant experience in these specialized areas.
The following profiles highlight ten of the most respected bonding companies in the industry today, covering a range of specialties and approaches.
UniFi stands as one of the global leaders in film bonding, with a reputation for handling projects of all sizes with professionalism and flexibility.
Services: Completion bonds, credit facilities, production insurance, tax incentive financing
Locations: Los Angeles, New York, London, Toronto
Specialty: Feature films and television series across all budget ranges ($5-200+ million)
Notable Projects: The Irishman, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Bohemian Rhapsody
Differentiators: UniFi's global footprint makes it particularly valuable for international co-productions. Their team includes former producers and finance professionals who understand production challenges firsthand.
Unlike traditional bond companies, Loeb & Loeb approaches completion guarantees from a legal perspective, leveraging its broader entertainment law expertise.
Services: Legal project management with completion bond services
Locations: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Beijing, Hong Kong
Specialty: Projects with complex legal elements, including major studio releases
Notable Projects: The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Matrix, Titanic
Differentiators: Their combination of legal and financial expertise positions them uniquely to handle projects with complicated rights issues or intricate financing structures.
30West approaches bonding from a strategic investor perspective, often combining completion guarantees with other forms of project involvement.
Services: Completion bonds, equity investment, distribution consulting
Locations: Los Angeles, New York
Specialty: Director-driven prestige projects
Notable Projects: Killers of the Flower Moon, I, Tonya, Triangle of Sadness
Differentiators: 30West often takes a more holistic approach to projects, potentially engaging not just as a bond company but also as an investor and distribution advisor.
Media Guarantors focuses specifically on independent film and television, with services tailored to these often budget-conscious productions.
Services: Completion bonds, production insurance, cash flow solutions
Locations: California, New York
Specialty: Independent films and television series
Notable Projects: Primarily independent films under $15 million
Differentiators: Media Guarantors offer specialized cash flow solutions alongside their bonds, helping productions manage the often complex timing of financing inflows and production expenditures.
As the oldest and most established guarantor in the business, Film Finances Inc. (FFI) has guaranteed over 6,000 productions since 1950. They’re the most experienced player in the field.
Services: Completion bonds, gap financing, bridge loans
Locations: Los Angeles, London, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Scandinavia, Germany
Specialty: Feature films across all budget ranges, with particularly strong expertise in studio-adjacent independent films
Notable Projects: The Twilight Saga, The Hunger Games, The Fast and the Furious franchise
Differentiators: FFI's longevity and scale give them unmatched industry relationships and institutional knowledge. They're often the first choice for bank lenders due to their stability and reputation.
Blue Fox provides a full spectrum of film financing solutions, with completion bonds as one component of their offerings.
Services: Completion bonds, tax credit loans, gap loans, foreign pre-sales
Locations: Los Angeles
Specialty: Independent films with budgets under $10 million
Notable Projects: Never Too Late, The True Adventures of Wolfboy, The Lost Husband
Differentiators: Blue Fox specializes in packaging multiple financing solutions together, making them particularly valuable for independent productions with complex funding structures.
ProSure Group operates as a surety agency providing nationwide coverage for film and video game productions.
Services: Completion bonds, credit facilities, production insurance
Locations: Los Angeles, New York, London, Toronto
Specialty: Animation and visual effects-heavy productions
Notable Projects: The Lego Movie, The Angry Birds Movie, The Smurfs
Differentiators: ProSure has developed specialized expertise in bonding animation and VFX-intensive projects, with risk assessment models tailored to these production types.
Allen Financial takes an insurance-first approach to completion bonds, offering them as part of comprehensive production insurance packages.
Services: Completion bonds, cast insurance, general liability, errors and omissions
Locations: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Nashville, Washington DC, San Francisco
Specialty: Franchise films and high-budget studio projects
Notable Projects: The Avengers, Iron Man, Captain America
Differentiators: Their integrated approach allows productions to streamline insurance and bonding through a single provider, potentially creating efficiencies and cost savings.
The Fyzz operates as both a producer/financier and a bonding company, giving them a unique perspective on the production process.
Services: Completion bonds, equity investment, gap financing
Locations: Los Angeles, London
Specialty: Prestige independent features
Notable Projects: The King's Speech, The Artist, The Theory of Everything
Differentiators: As active producers themselves, The Fyzz brings a filmmaker-friendly approach to the bonding process, often showing more flexibility around creative changes.
Rainmaker positions itself as a specialty finance company focused exclusively on entertainment, with a strong emphasis on risk management.
Services: Completion bonds, risk management, film monitoring, post-completion bonds
Locations: Los Angeles
Specialty: Mid-budget features with pre-sold distribution
Notable Projects: Extremis, Dusty and Me, Sometimes Always Never
Differentiators: Rainmaker offers post-completion bonds, an unusual product that guarantees delivery of final elements even after principal photography is complete.
Elite Risk Services is an emerging specialty provider of completion bonds and film finance services, known for their agile approach to complex productions and ability to support both indie and large-scale projects.
Services: Completion bonds, risk assessment, production auditing, cash flow management
Locations: Los Angeles, Atlanta, London
Specialty: International co-productions, new media, and high-risk genres
Notable Projects: Select independent releases and high-profile streaming originals
Differentiators: Elite Risk Services stands out for offering rapid assessments and a tech-enabled risk platform, making them the “go-to” partner for productions facing unconventional challenges or tight deadlines.
Ready to bond your next film? We've designed Wrapbook to make meeting bond company requirements straightforward and stress-free. Our platform streamlines these processes, making it easier for you to stay compliant while focusing on what matters most: making your film.
Bonding companies require regular, accurate financial updates. Wrapbook's real-time cost tracking eliminates the need for manual spreadsheets and late-night reconciliations. Our platform automatically categorizes expenses and provides up-to-date budget vs. actual reports that satisfy even the most demanding bond company requirements.
Labor compliance issues can trigger bond company interventions. We handle complex union and labor rules automatically, ensuring that film payroll wage rates, work rules, and fringe calculations meet all regulatory requirements. This reduces compliance risks while generating the documentation bond companies need.
Bond companies need clear visibility into all production expenses. Wrapbook centralizes expense tracking in one system, from petty cash to purchase orders, creating a complete audit trail that satisfies both bond companies and financiers.
The bond company reporting process can consume valuable production time. We automate the creation of financial reports, making it easy for you to generate the documentation bond companies require without manual data entry or complex spreadsheet manipulation.
Finding the right bonding partner is a critical step in bringing your project to life. As you evaluate your options, keep these essential points in mind:
The right bonding company does more than just guarantee completion. They become a partner in your production's success, providing expertise and support when challenges arise. Combined with robust production finance tools that ensure transparency and compliance, a strong bonding relationship creates the foundation for a successful production.
Reach out to trusted bonding companies early in your financing conversations, and set your production up for success with tools that provide the visibility and control that bond companies require. See how Wrapbook keeps your production aligned with bond requirements—connect with us for a demo today.
