Pre-Production List

A

Andrew McCarrick

I'm in pre-pro on a feature film, and I'm making a list of what I need to do.

Here's what I have right now, looking for comments on what I'm leaving out.

Budgeting/Scheduling throughout as details are finalized.
1. Headshots/Resumes
2. Fund Raising
3. Auditions
4. Location Scouting
5. Audition Call Backs
6. Finalize Cast and Locations
7. Purchase Equipment
8. Equipment Tests
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Are these numbered in the order you intend to do them in? 'cos starting to fundraise should probably be looked into before starting pre-prod. After all, you need to know how much you have on hand before you can start apportioning those funds.

Also, depending on your actual needs, #7 might be replaced with "Rent equipment". :cool:
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Why purchase equipment? Why not rent or hire folks who have the equipment?

Don't forget table reads, and they should include department heads.

Remember to bring the production sound mixer to the locations.

Wardrobe, hair/make-up, set design, set dressing, props.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Yeah I'd go with schedule hire for equipment.

Also:

Budgeting, Script Breakdowns, Scheduling, Fittings, Rehearsals, Prop sourcing and buying, Crew finding/confirming, Equipment prep day, etc. etc.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Alright, updated to this point:

1. Headshots/Resumes
2. Fund Raising
3. Auditions
4. Crew Hire
5. Location Scouting
6. Call Backs
7. Prop sourcing and buying
8. Finalize Cast and Locations/Permits
9. Purchase/Rent Equipment
10. Equipment Tests
11. Table Reads
12. Rehearsal
13. Call Sheets
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
20120412UnderstandingFilmmakingProductionStepsMatrixChart.png

You might wanna already get started on your financing beyond "fundraising", marketing and distribution outlets ASAP.

NJ isn't much of a state for film incentives.
http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=40055
http://www.njfilm.org/

state_map2.jpg

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsBznn8D13zOdHVZN2NOQnV4em5nbTZZU2M3eXg2RGc#gid=1

What's your project's budget target?
But maybe it doesn't matter. Next door to you Pennsylvania apparently has no minimum project spend limit, only 60% of the budget in state, to qualify for a 25% tax credit.
http://filminpa.com/incentives/
http://filminpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Film-Tax-Credit_Guidelines-09.pdf




Andrew McCarrick said:
Right now the rough estimate on budget is $150k. But since I haven't secured my locations yet, nor found out where my actors live (if I can cast local I don't need to provide lodging).

So I'm hoping that'll come down significantly. The goal is to ultimately be around the $50k mark.
Click to expand...
Definitely goto Penn, then.
Get 25% of your expense costs back from tax credits.
Penn might provide tax free lodging, the base rate of which likely counts as qualified expenses.

GL!
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Right now the rough estimate on budget is $150k. But since I haven't secured my locations yet, nor found out where my actors live (if I can cast local I don't need to provide lodging).

So I'm hoping that'll come down significantly. The goal is to ultimately be around the $50k mark.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Don't forget to budget for post - editing, color correction, CGI, sound design, scoring - and for after post - festival fees (if that's the way you're going) with associated travel and promotion, or marketing, searching for distro, etc.

And, of course, don't forget the wrap party for the cast and crew, the completion party for the post team and the private screening for cast, crew, post team and associated persons.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Hey Andrew,

Your cast and crew might get hungry. "Catering" ?
"Planning meals"

Andrew McCarrick said:
Alright, updated to this point:

1. Headshots/Resumes
2. Fund Raising
3. Auditions
4. Crew Hire
5. Location Scouting
6. Call Backs
7. Prop sourcing and buying
8. Finalize Cast and Locations/Permits
9. Purchase/Rent Equipment
10. Equipment Tests
11. Table Reads
12. Rehearsal
13. Call Sheets
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I'd go with budget as soon as you've got money. Not much you can do at all without a set budget. And a realistic budget, not a here's a budget for 150k when we only actually have 50k kinda budget..
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
First thing you need to do is put together a complete line item
budget. You do that before you ask for headshots, before you
ask for financing. Right now you are asking people to donate
to your Indiegogo campaign (at $15,000) but you don't even
know exactly how much you need.

Put that at the top of your preproduction check list and get it
finished BEFORE you do anything else.

When you are making an under $10,000 feature you can ask
cast to provide their own wardrobe - when you get into the
$80,000 to $150,000 range YOU hire a costumer and buy
the wardrobe.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
directorik said:
First thing you need to do is put together a complete line item
budget. You do that before you ask for headshots, before you
ask for financing. Right now you are asking people to donate
to your Indiegogo campaign (at $15,000) but you don't even
know exactly how much you need.

Put that at the top of your preproduction check list and get it
finished BEFORE you do anything else.

When you are making an under $10,000 feature you can ask
cast to provide their own wardrobe - when you get into the
$80,000 to $150,000 range YOU hire a costumer and buy
the wardrobe.
Click to expand...


I've already done a line item budget:
http://www.area51entertainment.co/xmas/xmas.xlsx

But that is based on getting hotel rooms for everybody. I maybe able to pull rental houses in the area, which reduce the lodging budget down to $30k as opposed to the current $60k.

I'm trying to do everything possible to reduce costs.

And as far as casting goes, I've already gotten over 600 submissions.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
No post costs..? No legal costs..? No marketing costs..?

Also, every single producer I have ever worked with adds an extra 10% of the total budget as a contingency.

I'm not really sure what's going on here though - you've drawn up a budget for 150k but expect that you won't get it? If you expect that you're only going to raise 50k, then you need to do a line item budget for 50k, or keep raising funds until you hit 150k.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top