Budgeting & Scheduling Rates?

[FreedomlandProductions]

feature film trying to get a budget of million+ need a line producer to schedule & budget the script.
how much will a person charge for just scheduling & budgeting?

Also is 5k a week as line producer Crew/ rate too much ? what's ideal?

 

[tokenwhiteboy]

I'll do it for 5k a week.

 

[Alcove Audio]

If you truly have a budget of $25million you should already know the answer to the question. And why are you asking about budgeting for a $25million on a website for folks who scrounge to get $2,500 together? Why aren't you asking your legal counsel? Your entertainment attorney should have all sorts of tasty contacts. And if you don't have an entertainment attorney you don't have the $25million deal.

 

[directorik]

Welcome to indietalk.

Hey just got a feature film with a budget of 25 million & they need a line producer to schedule & budget the script. how much will a producer charge just for scheduling & budgeting.

The budget quotes are typically gathered by the UPM - a good one will
charge $3,500 to $4,500 per week. The schedule will be done with
the UPM and the First AD.

Also is 5k a week as line producer rate too much ? what's ideal?

That's about right for a Line Producer - a little low for the budget
you mention.

When you say you "just got" a feature, what does that mean?

 

[FreedomlandProductions]

If you truly have a budget of $25million you should already know the answer to the question. And why are you asking about budgeting for a $25million on a website for folks who scrounge to get $2,500 together? Why aren't you asking your legal counsel? Your entertainment attorney should have all sorts of tasty contacts. And if you don't have an entertainment attorney you don't have the $25million deal.

My mistake, Please read the question again.

 

[FreedomlandProductions]

Welcome to indietalk.


The budget quotes are typically gathered by the UPM - a good one will
charge $3,500 to $4,500 per week. The schedule will be done with
the UPM and the First AD.

That's about right for a Line Producer - a little low for the budget
you mention.

When you say you "just got" a feature, what does that mean?

Made edits to my original question, Please read again.

 

[FreedomlandProductions]

Bare with me, i don't need the criticizing. Was offered to do a budget & schedule, i have line produced before, but never offered the B&S service so i don't know what one would charge. Help!

Meeting a Mentor on indietalk would be great too!!!

 

[directorik]

feature film trying to get a budget of million+ need a line producer to schedule & budget the script.
how much will a person charge for just scheduling & budgeting?

You need an experienced UPM to budget the script. Depending on what
you mean by "a budget of million+" you are looking at anywhere from
$1,500 to $4,500 per week.

Also is 5k a week as line producer Crew/ rate too much ? what's ideal?

It's too much for some shows and way too little for some. Depending
on what you mean by "a budget of million+" 5 large a week could
be the ideal rate.

 

[directorik]

i have line produced before,

What did you charge?

 

[FreedomlandProductions]

What did you charge?

min 1800 wk / max 3k

 

[FreedomlandProductions]

so for a filming schedule & to prepare a budget for the producers to show how much funding they will need. One would charge ?

Flat rate ?

i know the weekly rates.

 

[Sweetie]

feature film trying to get a budget of million+ need a line producer to schedule & budget the script.
how much will a person charge for just scheduling & budgeting?

Also is 5k a week as line producer Crew/ rate too much ? what's ideal?

So many questions.

DGA shoot?
Duties/responsibilities?
How complicated is the shoot?
Past experience?
Contacts?
Specialty?
Geographical Areas handled?
Ongoing responsibility?
Deferred payment?
Has development already been funded?

5k/week isn't too much in some circumstances, in others it can be both too much and too little.

 

[FreedomlandProductions]

Answered your questions below.

So many questions.

DGA shoot? NON UNION
Duties/responsibilities? Line producing
How complicated is the shoot? Period Piece
Past experience?Plenty
Contacts? Plenty
Specialty? Line Producing, Loc Mang, 1st AD
Geographical Areas handled? NY
Ongoing responsibility?
Deferred payment?No
Has development already been funded? Script stage, Need schedule & budgeting for funding. [investors on board]

5k/week isn't too much in some circumstances, in others it can be both too much and too little.

 

[directorik]

so for a filming schedule & to prepare a budget for the producers to show how much funding they will need. One would charge ?

Flat rate ?

i know the weekly rates.

Flat rate could work.

You've worked as a line producer so you know several AD's and UPM's. Some
will do a full budget and a schedule for a flat rate. Their fee would depend
on so many variables that someone throwing out a number here would be
kind of useless. Any reason you aren't contacting the people you know and
asking what they would charge?

 

[FreedomlandProductions]

Flat rate could work.

You've worked as a line producer so you know several AD's and UPM's. Some
will do a full budget and a schedule for a flat rate. Their fee would depend
on so many variables that someone throwing out a number here would be
kind of useless. Any reason you aren't contacting the people you know and
asking what they would charge?

I did get their rates just making sure I'm not getting screwed. Asking around taking vigilant steps into making sure I'm covering all corners correctly. The crew, i deal with them on a more professional rates, since this is an independent project I'm lost on rates. Even a general idea can help

 

[directorik]

I did get their rates just making sure I'm not getting screwed. Asking around taking vigilant steps into making sure I'm covering all corners correctly. The crew, i deal with them on a more professional rates, since this is an independent project I'm lost on rates. Even a general idea can help

I guess I'm a little confused. You are an experienced line producer.
You know UPM's and AD's yet you are concerned that their quotes
might be out of line. You know what the general rates are yet you're
worried that the people you know might screw you. So you ask for
numbers from strangers. You ask people you don't know, people
who may have no idea what a fair, reasonable rate is. People who may
have no experience at all. And you give no information on your, specific,
production.

Okay, I'll throw out a number. Based on not knowing anything about
the project I'd say that $5,000 per week is a fair rate for an experienced
UPM to do a full breakdown, a rough budget and a schedule. And it
should take four weeks.

But that could be way, way off. In the post you removed you said the
budget was 25 million. So $20,000 isn't unreasonable. But you removed
that and I have no idea what you mean by "a budget of million+" so
20 large may be stupid money to spend.

A general number is $2,500 to $35,000 depending on the project. I hope
that helps. It's too bad the only people you can ask are people you think will
screw you.

 

[FreedomlandProductions]

I guess I'm a little confused. You are an experienced line producer.
You know UPM's and AD's yet you are concerned that their quotes
might be out of line. You know what the general rates are yet you're
worried that the people you know might screw you. So you ask for
numbers from strangers. You ask people you don't know, people
who may have no idea what a fair, reasonable rate is. People who may
have no experience at all. And you give no information on your, specific,
production.

Okay, I'll throw out a number. Based on not knowing anything about
the project I'd say that $5,000 per week is a fair rate for an experienced
UPM to do a full breakdown, a rough budget and a schedule. And it
should take four weeks.

But that could be way, way off. In the post you removed you said the
budget was 25 million. So $20,000 isn't unreasonable. But you removed
that and I have no idea what you mean by "a budget of million+" so
20 large may be stupid money to spend.

A general number is $2,500 to $35,000 depending on the project. I hope
that helps. It's too bad the only people you can ask are people you think will
screw you.

They wouldn't screw me (i think) I'm just paranoid and cautious (im'a perfectionists) plus its my first big project. just getting a lay of the land making sure what i learned in all my years are still accurate in the independent world. My apologies for being so vague

 

[Sweetie]

(im'a perfectionists)

Oh really?

They wouldn't screw me (i think) I'm just paranoid and cautious (im'a perfectionists) plus its my first big project. just getting a lay of the land making sure what i learned in all my years are still accurate in the independent world. My apologies for being so vague

Give you an idea of ball park. DGA minimums for UPM's are a little over $4.8k/wk and AD's are a little over $4.6k/wk. During production, it goes higher. The good ones charge more than the minimum.

If you want a useless budget/schedule, you can get those done in days. The more time they get to spend with the other department heads, the more accurate they can be. Hell, if you want cheap, just use a template or copy and paste a schedule/budget from another movie. Don't expect those to be that useful.

On top of all that, what's the purpose of this budget/schedule? To find financing or to be a useful production tool? You're being too vague to allow anyone to give you useful answers.

 

[FreedomlandProductions]

Oh really?



Give you an idea of ball park. DGA minimums for UPM's are a little over $4.8k/wk and AD's are a little over $4.6k/wk. During production, it goes higher. The good ones charge more than the minimum.

If you want a useless budget/schedule, you can get those done in days. The more time they get to spend with the other department heads, the more accurate they can be. Hell, if you want cheap, just use a template or copy and paste a schedule/budget from another movie. Don't expect those to be that useful.

On top of all that, what's the purpose of this budget/schedule? To find financing or to be a useful production tool? You're being too vague to allow anyone to give you useful answers.

@Sweetie Very Useful Info…

Here it is!!! I was contacted by a producer from LA to do a full breakdown, a rough budget and a schedule. He is looking to submit that to his financiers which he already has in place. Now here is where I'm confused - I work with big companies with unlimited budgets. My first time going independently charging for just a breakdown,budget, schedule - i charged 3k a week is it too much ?

 

[directorik]

They wouldn't screw me (i think) I'm just paranoid and cautious (im'a perfectionists) plus its my first big project. just getting a lay of the land making sure what i learned in all my years are still accurate in the independent world. My apologies for being so vague

Your vagueness does not allow for usable information. And your
story keeps changing in your effort to remain vague. It's
confusing.

It's too bad you that in all your years you never found any people
you can fully trust to not screw you.

i charged 3k a week is it too much ?

You will know it's too much if the producer says, "That's a little high.
Will you do it for two?"

You work with big companies with unlimited budgets so you know the
Guild rates. You charge "min 1800 wk / max 3k" so I'd say that asking
your top weekly is too much when working with an independent producer.
You should charge your minimum, not your max.