Jonas and i plan to do a video for that in future episodes. Film budgeteers august 15, 2017 film budgeting tips 1 comment film budgets can be daunting. Production budget template for a documentary special, 201819. It doesnt matter if you want to create a short film, an ad, a music video or a movie. Any good filmmaker knows what it takes to get her film made, and knows how to put together a simple budget for their project, but most new filmmakers arent intimately familiar with the vast amount of categories and line items found in a typical. What is a contingency in relation to a film budget. He needs to do all these throughout the planning and execution of the film. Toeing the line items in the february 2006 issue of the international documentary associations documentary magazine. Learn how to budget your film, and get funding in under 3. Pickup days occur after the scheduled shoot days in order to shoot something that was missed during principal photography.
A dvd documentary is a documentary film of indeterminate length that has been produced with the sole intent of releasing it for direct sale to the public on dvds, as different from a documentary being made and released first on television or on a cinema screen a. The template includes a percent cost by category, which provides an overview of how the money is being spent. Make sure that whenever you use sample budget forms to budget your film, set aside a good amount of finances for unexpected expenses. If you are working in the film industry, talking about the budgets must not be something new. Jun 16, 2016 your first reaction to the word budget is probably a bad one. Ben long and sonja schenk at have put together 3 sample film budgets pdfs and break each one down in these informative articles. Your film budget template will vastly look different for each. The documentary budget template pack contains 2 templates our updated easy template. Weekly lessons from a fulltime filmmaker so you can earn a living making films by getting funding, distribution, and learning to pitch effectively. It is based on a series of workshops presented by the author at. If anything, the script breakdown example above shows how different productions use the same elements, but weigh them accordingly. This budget includes the deferred salaries of all the crew, including a line producer. And a good budget reveals a lot about how a film is going to be made, what kind of story youll be telling, what kind.
Often times, on larger budget productions this is a mandatory portion of the film s budget, usually amounting to 10% of the overall film s budget on top of the budget of the film. This is a fully revised look at documentary budgeting, and updates the 2006 documentary article dont fudge on your budget. A 2hour consultation with line producer elizabeth ventura a rare opportunity to discuss your unique production needs, ask questions and get valuable advice. The ultimate film budgeting guide free film budget template. Entertainment is good for the mind and for socialization. The preparation of budget for a movie starts when the screenwriter. Other costs that are usually low or exempt are art department, wardrobe, locations and more.
Production department costs such as hiring out an office, internet, general paper and printer costs, you will also need to ideally print out script copies and call sheets. How to budget for documentary production wide awake films. The documentary film budget template captures and provides rough estimates of these unique expenses. Your first reaction to the word budget is probably a bad one. Heres the topsheets for two different film budgets we made. But you dont need to spend a lot of money for using complicated software. As a final preparatory step, list the key assumptions that define the budget. Film budgeting refers to the process by which a line producer, unit production manager, or production accountant prepares a budget for a film production. For example, if an independent film will be made on a minimal budget, then certain items must drop close to zero. If the film should run over budget, you can rely on the contingency as opposed to returning to the investor to ask for more. Creating a documentary requires a lot of effort and planning in order to get the most out of it.
The sample documentary budget provides you with a rare glimpse at a real documentary budget. The term film budgeting is actually a process of estimation and allocation of expenses to produce a film or shoot a movie. Film budget template sample movie production budgeting. The project type and genre play a big role in the structure of your accounts and subaccounts on your film budget breakdown. You can always find a solid place to reallocate it, if unused. The detail area of a budget has multiple columns to help you segment and digest costs, while still giving you an accurate total. A documentary film is a nonfictional, motion picture intended to document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record.
Feel free to take a look at where we put our money, at least on paper, to give you an idea of where you should allocate funds in your own film s budget. Always include an allowance for ot in your budget even if you think you wont need it. A customizable budget template with a sample 1hour documentary on excel provides you with a rare glimpse at a real documentary budget. Introduction to documentary budgeting international. Budgets are organized in a spreadsheet in excel or using other software, such as movie magic budgeting. Dec 02, 2019 for example, explain whether your documentary focuses on global issues, such as the environment and wildlife preservation, or on niche topics, such as local foodproduction concerns or the unexpected rise of a local sports team. If even one element is missing, your project is too early for consideration. Depending on the project, story rights may also need to be obtained for example, if you are making a film based on an adaption of a book, video game, or play. One could require more resources while others ask for less. We had no money and no significant investors, despite garnering interest and even a few letters of intent from a handful of name actors. The preparation of budget for a movie starts when the screenwriter creates an idea. Jul, 2015 feel free to take a look at where we put our money, at least on paper, to give you an idea of where you should allocate funds in your own films budget. Dec 03, 2019 for example, a low budget film can hold its production department in a crew members house.
How to create the most accurate budget for your film. A few years ago, my company and i produced two feature films, from script to screen. A film budget can have many hidden elements that can come back to bite you. Film budgeteers july, 2015 film budgeting tips 2 comments.
Write a documentary from the heart productions inc. Jun 08, 2009 sundance documentary film proposal checklist nb. Ideally, it is also a living document that can help get. In order to do this, he will need a film production budget template.
Documentary film proposal theres a revolution transforming education. Any good filmmaker knows what it takes to get her film made, and knows how to put together a simple budget for their project, but most new filmmakers arent intimately familiar with the vast amount of categories and line items found in a typical professional lineitem film budget. However, this is the best documentary budget sample sheet ive found online. If your budget is too big you might scare off a potential sponsor. Budget and expenses mentioned in film budget templates. Here are a few steps you can take when filming your next documentary. Producing a film entails a lot of different things. How to write your own documentary pitch deck to secure. Often times, on larger budget productions this is a mandatory portion of the films budget, usually amounting to 10% of the overall films budget on top of the budget of the film. There is no set amount for a documentary budget forms due to the resources being different. A film budget template helps you to manage your shoot expenses and overall budgeting. But if youre looking for a cheap documentary film camera, you could do. A film budget breakdown should fit your movie like a glove. A documentary how to about all aspects of documentary producing from idea.
Development proposals must be far enough along in their research to include all of the criteria listed below. For example, if you want your film to be like a tv episode of australian story, you will want your film shot by a professional camera operator with professional equipment, including good lighting and sound. They, however, carry fewer details compared to documentaries. On the other hand, if your budget is not in line with your production ideas a potential sponsor may feel you are too inexperienced or unrealistic. This document, which could be over 4 pages long, is used to secure financing for and lead to preproduction and production of the film. Why film budgets are important, beyond the cost of production. It depends a whole lot on the documentary in question. The best thing you can do is to write a documentary film proposal and use it to seek financial support. An introduction to documentary budgeting revised 10152010. Indeed, there must be careful planning so that the expenses are not beyond the money that has been prepared. Here is an example of a good template that you can download, read, and pick a few concepts that you can use to write a compelling proposal.
How to budget a film the topsheet line items film budgeteers. But if you are undertaking a reenactment, a historical documentary, or a biography with recreation of events, youll need to budget like a feature film. Brief logline in a concise 23 sentences provide a description of your film that cites location, characters. Film shoots may be a challenging activity in itself, but it. This is the documentarys hook described in one sentence. A short film budget is vastly different from a kung fu action film budget. Documentary has been described as a filmmaking practice, a cinematic tradition, and mode of audience reception that is continually evolving and is without clear boundaries. The films producer has a lot of responsibilities to take care of. An introduction to documentary budgeting revised 10152010 by robert bahar this article was originally published as dont fudge on your budget. But a budget is actually a creative and organizational tool to help you figure out how to make your project happen. Should you need to explore more choices, check out our post on business budget templates. This film proposal is written from the perspective of a person that has conceived a film and has written a script but requires a producer to fund the project as is typical, the people who have the money and the people who. Sample documentary film budget template pdf besttemplatess123. A contemporary drama will cost less in production design than a scifi.
The sample budget shows that the project will be shot on hd using sonys ex3. The movie will be filmed locally or in areas that can double for other locations simply because the budget cannot accommodate travel expenses or other costs that will not ultimately appear on the screen. A good example would be that certain equipment broke down during the production period which you will need to have fixed. This film proposal is written from the perspective of a person that has conceived a film and has written a script but requires a producer to fund the project as is typical, the people who have the money and the people who have the creative vision are not one and the same. The film s producer has a lot of responsibilities to take care of. A production budget template for a documentary special, 201617. These are just for one of the features we produced.
At the center of the documentary business is the budget, which offers a map of the filmmaking process, expressing both the film youre planning to make and how you plan to make it. One of those is film, which is only sensible given that a films budget can reach fairly high numbers. Many people like to go to the cinema to spend their free time. One important thing the producer needs to do is create the budget for the film. Using the film financial and business plan templates. For example, you are renting one single item lets say a prop gun description, for 6. I am still very new to filming, and i am always learning. An aspiring film maker might wonder what finances to have for a documentary to come to life, and the budget which depends on a lot of factors. Production budget template for a documentary special, 2018. Making a documentary, short film or feature film budget.
For example, explain whether your documentary focuses on global issues, such as the environment and wildlife preservation, or on niche topics, such as local foodproduction concerns or the unexpected rise of a local sports team. They, however, carry fewer details compared to documentaries because they narrow down to one specific topic. A well thoughtout budget is a clear plan for making a film. A documentary budget is a key item to raise money for your film. The essential guide to film budgets with free film budget. Typically screenwriters get 2% of the films production budget, their payment will need to be negotiated before you start work on the film.