Drafting a Budget - How To

Rodney Petrie

Rodney Petrie

I am interested in the exact process of how a budget is drafted from looking at the screenplay and exactly what is being looked at to determine how much budget is required? Is it just as simple as - How much does the paint cost to paint this backdrop and to find out I will look at how much it is in stores to buy?

If I were to write a script and send it to someone to work out the budget for it, how would the breakdown be done?
 
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Line Producer.

Contact a few agents, tell them in a line or two about your company and script and ask for rates on an experienced Line Producer.
Get all candidates' info, haggle over costs (because we're paupers, not Hollywood, and are self-funding during Development (as well as being unemplyed because this projects eats up all your waking hours) and pick your man/woman.

Once you have a proper budget and shooting schedule back from them, marvel at how you really couldn't have done it with anywhere near the accuracy yourself and start learning... or be prepared to pay again for your next project (which is likely the best option - always use a professional, if you want a professional job).

IF, however, you're filming a 5 minute short in your attic, you should most likely be able to obtain a good estimate yourself:
- what are you paying actors?
- paying yourself?
- hiring/buying/already own the camera?
- mics?
- lighting?
- cost of props?
- cost of editing?
- cost of music (if any)?

And then BOSH, you're pretty much good to go.

Best of luck.
 
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Budget breakdown largely depends upon the project's budget.
Small, medium, and large projects are broken down differently.

This may be useful for you: http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?p=264223

Myself, I've only considered very small projects.
For those I would begin by reviewing the script then writing down each of the following as I read it:
  • Locations
  • Actors
  • Costumes
  • Props
  • Practical Special Effects
  • Digital Special Effects
  • Other

The thing with budgets is is that the audience wants to see the money on screen, even for lo/no budget works.
Transportation costs of cast/crew/equipment (with set up & break down) really suck up expense even for free locations, so really try to keep those in check.

There also might be something useful to you in this project management paper I wrote for a class assignment:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/...7IvLIgeM/edit?authkey=CMn1gA8&authkey=CMn1gA8

Of the references attached to that paper the two most germane to this conversation are:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/...O3CfL3ojUVF60Q/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=CLaKh4oG
and
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...ZNd0E&authkey=CK7Ch5QN&authkey=CK7Ch5QN#gid=0

I strongly suggest that you HEAVILY weight your analysis on a proposed project by the merits of its story and less so to its guesstimated budget.
Too many stories suck or are sufficiently lame that a greater budget wouldn't make them viable for anything more than "experience."

Good luck.



Ray
 
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Thank you Viva and Ray, really appreciate the information provided.

I'm working in the realm of no-budget (obviously some expenditure is involved but nothing I have yet worked on has gone over into low-budget) at the moment but I am wanting to develop scripts that can be produced by others as I do not have either the resources available or time to make them myself - therefore knowing about budgeting will help me give an idea to potential producers.
 
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Rodney Petrie said:
If I were to write a script and send it to someone to work out the budget for it, how would the breakdown be done?
Click to expand...
I do this often. The short version:

They will carefully read each scene and note every prop, vehicle,
costume, effect, set decoration, etc. in the script. EVERYTHING.
They will note each exterior and each interior. They will note
every single character mentioned and appx number of extras and
how many scenes each are in. They will note each special effect,
each visual effect, each time a weapon is used (and by whom)
and each wardrobe change.

There is a LOT more to it but that's the basics.

Then the script is broken down into eighths - each page is eight
eighths - and each scene is given a number of pages. Each location
is given a number of pages. Each interior is given a number of
pages. Each exterior is given a number of pages. Then it is determined
what locations will be practical and which built. Of the built sets it
is determined which will be a standing set and which will be built
from bare ground.

Again, there is more to it but this is the simplified version.

Then it comes down to how much each rental will cost, how many
board feet of lumber will be needed, what props need to be purchased,
what props will be built and which will be rented. And, yes, how much
paint is needed and where it will be purchased. All the way down to
how many C-47's, Band-Aids and cans of soda. How many gallons of
gas for the trucks and how many rolls of gaffers tape.
 
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Rodney Petrie said:
I am wanting to develop scripts that can be produced by others as I do not have either the resources available or time to make them myself - therefore knowing about budgeting will help me give an idea to potential producers.
Click to expand...
STOP.

Don't even.

There's no possible way that you're going to know or predict the talent/location/equipment/budget resources of any director/producer.
I promise the WHOLLLLLLLE screenplay is going to have to be square-one rewritten (multiple times) to accommodate.
It's a futile effort to do what you're proposing.
Even for shorts, if not especially for shorts.
Do you have any idea of how many writer/director/producers there are? It's like 80+% of the short film market.

What you want to do is write proof of concept for characters and especially story.
Everything else from the story's premise to final details is going to radically change from script to screen - EVEN FOR THE WRITWR/DIRECTOR!!!
There's no "off the rack" short (or even feature length) scripts.
I've been here at IT for a little over a year now and have seen a dozen nubie (can't write themselves) wannabe-directors petition and beg the IT crowd for pie-in-the-sky screenplays to develop.
Ain't never seen a single one of them find something and shoot it.
Never.
Nothing even close.
They all leave here long faced or worse, as if we're SUPPOSED to provide that magic something for them that even they don't know what it is.
It's ridiculous.



Write your stories.
Create characters that are memorable.
Fabricate scenarios that are engaging IMMEDIATELY! (None of this "building up to it" rubbish.)
Start promoting your "will write for screen credit" abilities - or start spending your own dime on directing/producing/promoting. :lol: Lotta fun there!

will.write_.4.food300.jpg


GL!



PaulGriffith said:
I saw a quote the other day, "you aren't really a filmmaker until you spend more time in Excel or Numbers than you do in FCP or Premiere."
Click to expand...
L!
M!
A!
O!

Yup.
 
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directorik said:
I do this often. The short version:

They will carefully read each scene and note every prop, vehicle,
costume, effect, set decoration, etc. in the script. EVERYTHING.
They will note each exterior and each interior. They will note
every single character mentioned and appx number of extras and
how many scenes each are in. They will note each special effect,
each visual effect, each time a weapon is used (and by whom)
and each wardrobe change.

There is a LOT more to it but that's the basics.

Then the script is broken down into eighths - each page is eight
eighths - and each scene is given a number of pages. Each location
is given a number of pages. Each interior is given a number of
pages. Each exterior is given a number of pages. Then it is determined
what locations will be practical and which built. Of the built sets it
is determined which will be a standing set and which will be built
from bare ground.

Again, there is more to it but this is the simplified version.

Then it comes down to how much each rental will cost, how many
board feet of lumber will be needed, what props need to be purchased,
what props will be built and which will be rented. And, yes, how much
paint is needed and where it will be purchased. All the way down to
how many C-47's, Band-Aids and cans of soda. How many gallons of
gas for the trucks and how many rolls of gaffers tape.
Click to expand...

I saw a quote the other day, "you aren't really a filmmaker until you spend more time in Excel or Numbers than you do in FCP or Premiere."
 
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There is so much information to grasp :)

I'm new to the prospect of finding out whether anyone is interested in directing/producing from a screenplay I've put together so any help and hints is appreciated :)
 
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Consider aspects of the film that require no money, like acting or editing.

Then consider the big expenses.

Raise the budget estimate by 10% at least and you should have a pretty good round up.
 
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