Film Budget

FILM BUDGETS

The following is a step by step look at a Budget I wrote for Bravo Short late last year. I’m using this budget an example for budgets because #1 - the budget never changed much all the way to the development stage to the distribution stage, #2 - it’s a small scaled budget for a two day shoot and #3 - there weren’t any out of the ordinary budgeting in it. It was a basic two day short film without any special effects, CGI and/or stunts.

Clink Here to see the budget template I used for the budget so there is a guideline to follow. Once your on the page, scroll down to the USEFUL TOOLS section and then click on the 3rd link from that section called Telefilm’s Standard Budget. This was the budget I HAD to use for this film because it’s the Canadian Standard Budget Template and I was making a film for Bravo Canada. You always have to use proper budget language so to speak for the organization/person you are viewing it to.

In that budget you’ll see a Main Title Page, a Budget Summary Section and the Budget Section Itself. This is standard for all budgets.

The first thing I do is figure out what I don’t need in the budget categories and what I do need. You might as well trim the fat from your budget with the headings that are not applicable for your budget.

So here is what my budget looked like using that template:

TITLE OF FILM: The Yard Sale
FORMAT: DVX-100 with 35mm lens adaptor
# of Days: 2 days shoot
UNIONS: ACTRA (Canadian Acting Union) ABOVE THE LINE

01 STORY RIGHTS/ACQUISITIONS
description---------------------------TOTAL
01.01 Story Rights/Acquisitions--------200.00
-Writer optioned script to Wildcard Pictures


02 SCENARIO
description------RATE----------PERIOD---------# UNITS---TOTAL
02.01-----Writer(s)---------------flat------------------200.00
Writer writes 2 drafts for script. Paid $100.00 a script.

03 DEVELOPMENT COSTS
description--------------------------------------TOTAL
03.70 Misc. Equipment--------------------------43.24
-Supplies for budget and script development- Print, paper etc.


04 PRODUCER
description--------------------RATE-----PERIOD--#UNITS---TOTAL
4.05 Producer(s)-------------flat-------------------500.00
-Producer's flat fee


05 DIRECTOR
description--------------------RATE-----PERIOD--#UNITS---TOTAL
05.01 Director---------------flat--------------------500.00
-Director's flat fee


06 STARS
description--------------------RATE-----PERIOD--#UNITS---TOTAL
06.01 STARS - TWO-----------$150.00----2day---8hrs---600.00
This is the standard fee as per the ACTRA TIP agreement

06.04 OVERTIME RATE---------$17.50-----est. 8 hours--280.00

06.40 CFTPA ADMIN FEE------flat rate-----------------252.50
(this was a fee to renew our Producer's Guild Membership. We just added the fee to our budget because we were renewing for this film)

06.44 Rights Payment---(ACTRA admin fee)flat rate----252.50

06.60 ACTRA GST/TAX PENSION FEES-72 HOURS--0.18%-----129.60

06.65 4 DAILY ACTORS-------$100.00---1day---8hrs-----400.00
(standard ACTRA TIP rate for daily performers)

06 TOTAL STARS------------------------------------1914.60
(NOTE: Instead of adding a Section 10 for ACTORS. I just put all of the performers section in Section 6)


BELOW THE LINE

12 PRODUCTION STAFF
description---RATE----Wrap---Shoot-----# UNITS----TOTAL
12.05 Production Manager---flat---------------300.00

12.20 1st Assistant Director(s---flat---2 days--200.00

12.23 2nd Assistant Director(s)----flat---3 days---200.00

12.28 3rd Assistant Director(s)----flat--2 days----volunteer

12.35 Production Assistant(s)----flat---3 days-----volunteer

12.80 Script Supervisor/Continuity---flat----2 days-----volunteer

12------TOTAL PRODUCTION STAFF------------------700.00


13 DESIGN LABOUR Weeks sub- Prep/ acct description RATE Wrap Shoot # UNITS TOTAL 13.01 Production Designer flat 2 weeks 2 days 200.00 13.10 Set Decorator flat 1 week 3 days 0.00 13 TOTAL DESIGN LABOUR 200.00 14 WARDROBE LABOUR acct description RATE Wrap Shoot # UNITS TOTAL 19.01 Costume Designer flat 200.00 19 TOTAL WARDROBE LABOUR 200.00 20 MAKEUP/HAIR LABOUR Weeks sub- Prep/ acct description RATE Wrap Shoot # UNITS TOTAL 20.01 Makeup/Hair Labour - Plus Supplies flat 2 days 200.00 20 TOTAL MAKEUP/HAIR LABOUR 200.00 22 CAMERA LABOUR Weeks sub- Prep/ acct description RATE Wrap Shoot # UNITS TOTAL 22.01 Director of Photography flat 1 week 2 days 300.00 22.70 Still Photographer - Plus Supplies flat 2 days 100.00 22 TOTAL CAMERA LABOUR 400.00 23 ELECTRICAL LABOUR Weeks sub- Prep/ acct description RATE Wrap Shoot # UNITS TOTAL 23.01 Gaffer - includes their expendables flat 1 day 2 days 200.00 23.10 Best Boy flat volunteer 0.00 23.20 Electrician(s) flat volunteer 0.00 23 TOTAL ELECTRICAL LABOUR 200.00 24 GRIP LABOUR Weeks sub- Prep/ acct description RATE Wrap Shoot # UNITS TOTAL 24.01 Key Grip - includes their expendables flat 1 day 2 days 200.00 24.10 Second Grip flat volunteer 0.00 24 TOTAL GRIP LABOUR 200.00 25 PRODUCTION SOUND LABOUR Weeks sub- Prep/ acct description RATE Wrap Shoot # UNITS TOTAL 25.01 Mixer/Sound Recordist - Plus Equipment/Supplies flat 2 days 500.00 25.10 Boom Operator flat volunteer 0.00 25 TOTAL PRODUCTION SOUND LABOUR 500.00 28 PRODUCTION OFFICE EXPENSES sub- acct description RATE PERIOD # UNITS TOTAL 28.07 Office Equipment estimate 50.00 28.10 Photocopy estimate 35.00 28.15 Stationery/Supplies estimate 5.00 28.30 Courier estimate 55.00 28 TOTAL PRODUCTION OFFICE EXPENSES 145.00 31 SITE EXPENSES sub- acct description RATE PERIOD # UNITS TOTAL 31.05 Site Rentals - Surburban Homes 200 2 days 2.00 400.00 31.07 Site Power tie in 134.00 31.10 Truck Rental + Insurance flat 400.00 31.15 Site Insurance Unionville 3 days 467.00 31 TOTAL SITE EXPENSES 1401.00 32 UNIT EXPENSES sub- acct description RATE PERIOD # UNITS TOTAL 32.01 Meal Payment estimate 2 days 400.00 32.10 Catering 11.00 person 2 days 16.00 208.00 32.95 taxes 44.00 32 TOTAL UNIT EXPENSES 652.00 37 SET DRESSING sub- acct description RATE PERIOD # UNITS TOTAL 37.10 Rentals estimate 100.00 37.30 Purchases estimate 100.00 37 TOTAL SET DRESSING 200.00 38 PROPS sub- acct description RATE PERIOD # UNITS TOTAL 38.10 Rentals estimate 50.00 38.30 Purchases estimate 50.00 38 TOTAL PROPS 100.00 41 WARDROBE SUPPLIES sub- SUB- acct description RATE PERIOD TOTAL TOTAL 41.10 Rentals estimate 2 days 150.00 41.30 Purchases estimate 2 days 200.00 41 TOTAL WARDROBE SUPPLIES 350.00 45 CAMERA EQUIPMENT sub- acct description RATE PERIOD # UNITS TOTAL 45.10 Basic Package Rentals 800 2 days PS 1200.00 45 TOTAL CAMERA EQUIPMENT 1200.00 46 ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT sub- acct description RATE PERIOD # UNITS TOTAL 46.10 Basic Package Rentals 550 2 days 300.00 46 TOTAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT 300.00 47 GRIP EQUIPMENT sub- account description RATE PERIOD # UNITS TOTAL 47.10 Basic Package Rentals 200 2 days 200.00 47 TOTAL GRIP EQUIPMENT 200.00 50 VIDEOTAPE STOCK sub- acct description RATE LENGTH # UNITS TOTAL 50.01 Original scenes: Master 55 60 minute 10.00 550.00 Audio Cassettes 5 60 minutes 10.00 50.00 50 TOTAL VIDEOTAPE STOCK 600.00 60 EDITORIAL LABOUR sub- acct description RATE PERIOD # UNITS TOTAL 60.10 Editor - With Equiipment flat 400.00 60.24 Sound Design Editor -With Equipment flat 400.00 60.30 Composer - With Equipment flat 400.00 60 TOTAL EDITORIAL LABOUR 1200.00 70 UNIT PUBLICITY sub- acct description RATE PERIOD # UNITS TOTAL 70.01 Unit Publicist flat 150.00 70.40 Promotion flat 150.00 70 TOTAL PUBLICITY 300.00 80 CONTINGENCY sub- acct description TOTAL 80.01 Contingency 1205.84 80 TOTAL CONTINGENCY