film costs

This Subtopic tells film production and distribution entities how to classify certain film-related cash flows in the statement of cash flows. Cash outflows for film costs, participation costs, exploitation costs, and manufacturing costs are operating activities—not investing—even though film costs are capitalized as assets. Amortization of film costs is added back in the reconciliation of net income to net cash flows from operating activities.

This Subtopic governs how film production and distribution entities account for costs of manufacturing or duplicating products held for sale, such as videocassettes and digital video discs. Manufacturing/duplication costs are charged to expense on a unit-specific basis when the related product revenue is recognized (705-926-25-1). The cost of theatrical film prints is instead expensed over the period benefited (705-926-25-2).

ASC 855-926 was the film-industry-specific subsection of the subsequent events guidance, which previously required film entities to consider post-balance-sheet information (such as actual results after the reporting date) in estimating ultimate revenue and testing film costs for impairment. Every substantive paragraph (855-926-05-1, 15-1, and 35-1) was superseded by ASU 2012-07, so the subtopic now contains no operative guidance. Film cost impairment and ultimate revenue estimation are addressed instead in ASC 926-20, and general subsequent events guidance remains in ASC 855-10.

ASC 926-10 is the overall/scope subtopic for Entertainment—Films. It establishes that Topic 926 provides only incremental, industry-specific guidance on film costs, participation costs, and manufacturing costs for producers and distributors that own or hold rights to distribute or exploit films in any market or territory. Entities in scope must still apply all other applicable GAAP not contained in Topic 926.

ASC 926-20 governs how film production and distribution entities capitalize, amortize, impair, and disclose film costs, which must be reported as a separate asset on the balance sheet (926-20-25-1). Films predominantly monetized on their own are amortized by the individual-film-forecast-computation method — current-period revenue over remaining unrecognized ultimate revenue as of the beginning of the fiscal year (926-20-35-1) — while films in a film group are expensed based on a reasonably reliable estimate of the film's use (926-20-35-2). Unamortized film costs are written down to fair value when triggering events indicate impairment, and such write-downs may never be restored (926-20-35-13).