Production Costs

Instag8r

Instag8r

Total Newbie question...

In April or May I will be shooting my first ever film. It will be a twelve minute short shot over two days. It will contain four locations three of which will be in one house filmed all on the first day. The third will be a restaurant.

I am trying to come up with a budget for the film. I will be filming on a 5D MKII.

I have all of the equipment that I need (so that is no additional cost).

I know what I am paying my actors.

I know what I am paying my sound man.

I know what I will be paying for food.

I know what I will be paying for wardrobe.

I have the production stills covered.

I have no editing knowledge so I will need to hire an editor. I have absolutely NO idea what that will cost.

What other expenses will I en cure? What am I missing? Anything that might possibly come up? Pre-production costs? Post production costs?
 
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Hair/Make-up

Audio Post

CGI/Color Correction (editors don't always do this)

Composer (real instruments?)

Source Music (even just a token fee...)

DVD copies for all involved

Festival Fees

Slush Fund (to cover those unexpected emergencies)
 
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It's none of my business how you approach this but do you really think it's wise to be paying so much for your first short film?

I mean don't get me wrong, pay the people you think should, however you should approach this situation very business like.

Remember, this is your short film so you SHOULD be making as much mistakes as possible so your 2nd short film is 10 ten times better than your first. However, the way you're approaching it is that your 2nd short film will most likely be the same quality as your 2nd, with mistakes and all.

Attempt the edit yourself, get your friends to be the crew etc.
 
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Is Charlie Sheen involved ? Add $100K a weekend for porn starlets & blow...

Sounds like you have some $$ to play with. How will you deliver footage to the editing folks ? both video & sound. Will the delivery & storage cost you ? Do you want backups ? I will never trust anyone w/ my stuff. I want to go home every night w/ all sound & video in case anyone backs out.


Props? Transportation ? FX






.
 
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Psy said:
do you really think it's wise to be paying so much for your first short film?
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You know, he never mentioned how much he was going to pay. We don't know how big the cast and crew is. And I have to give major props, even if it's only token payments to the talent and crew, for having thought out that much, and asking what else needs to be accounted for. And what's wrong with spending money to get quality? Why not get it right the first time?

The first feature on which I did audio post was done by a first time director. It was also his first script - he had never even written or directed a short - and it won two major festivals and screened at quite a few more. BTW, he also played the lead character.
 
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There are many different approaches for different people. I spent $7000 on my first short (35 minutes). That bought me a pro DP, a pro sound guy, real lights, a pro makeup person, an editor who knew what he was doing, etc... Now when I say my first short, I mean my FIRST short. I had never made a 90 second short for you tube. I had never (as I always say) shot me kids soccer game. What that 7K bought me (besides a ton of fun, and several festival screenings) was the opportunity to absorb a TON of knowledge from those people. If you have the luxury of access to some cash, it can really accelerate the learning process. I learned on that one film what many people may have flopped around trying to learn on their own for several years.
 
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Insurance?

But the things that (in addition to what you have) I would definitely say 'set aside some money for' are Festival Fees and Music.

The cost of an editor will depend on the complexity of the project. If it's SFX heavy then that will be expensive, but if you are simply looking for someone with experience to cut the film then you might be able to do it fairly cheaply.

But I agree with Alcove that you should always set aside enough money to cover any unexpected events. A contingency fund will mean that if an actor drops out, or if someone gets sick and you need to get extras in then you can afford it. Or if there a tube strike (possibly not a problem in Colorado :) ) and people have to take taxis to get to the set. Or if you suddenly realise you've cated for 10 people instead of 30. Whatever the problem, you should make sure that you have some money that can be accessed in case of difficulties.
 
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Psy said:
It's none of my business how you approach this but do you really think it's wise to be paying so much for your first short film?
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How much would that be?

I mean don't get me wrong, pay the people you think should, however you should approach this situation very business like.
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Hmmmm. Paying people what they are worth and paying for needed products and services is not" business like"?


Remember, this is your short film so you SHOULD be making as much mistakes as possible so your 2nd short film is 10 ten times better than your first. However, the way you're approaching it is that your 2nd short film will most likely be the same quality as your 2nd, with mistakes and all.
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I don't want to be rude but... what are you talking about? I am sure that I will make plenty of mistakes. On my first... second.... third... you get the point. The trick is NOT to keep making the same mistakes. Even if my first film is total 100% perfection (which I am shooting for but seriously doubt it will happen) I will still expect my second and every film to follow to be better (they may or may not be).


Attempt the edit yourself, get your friends to be the crew etc.
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I do not have editing software or the knowledge right now. For what I pay right now for software that I don't know how to use I could pay for some other needed item/service that could make a great deal of difference. Especially when I can hand it over to somebody that knows what they are doing and then at least I have a chance a final product that will be viewable.

I appreciate everyone's input. Your responses will help me a great deal. I want to make sure this thing is funded so I am not even going to attempt to start it until I have the funds saved up. I don't mind cutting corners unless they effect the overall product.

Cracker Funk... You have an incoming PM.
 
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Instag8r said:
I want to make sure this thing is funded so I am not even going to attempt to start it until I have the funds saved up.
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You start with a shooting script and the associated preproduction. The type of project will dictate much of the budget; an action piece will cost a lot more than a drama, for example, as the action flick will need stunt people, special effects (either on-set or CGI), additional insurance, perhaps a B-cam+crew, etc.

There are dozens of variables, so do a preliminary shooting script and preproduction to see where you stand. BTW, there are production teams out there that will do the project with you soup to nuts; they're used to working together, have access to lots of resources (talent, locations, catering, security, etc.) so may be able to save you some money.
 
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Im totally hard headed.. I do everything myself.. Im just that way. editing is an art just like sound, directing, DOP If you are going all out, then find people who have mastered the steps.

I highly suggest finding an editor and a sound mixer BEFORE you shoot. It is important to have some ideas of what you need to get the final product before anyone says action IMO. I need to know what the final thing is gonna be before I get any sound or footage.

Im wanting to master ( or learn as much as I can ) about as many aspects of filmmaking to make me a better filmmaker. I am learning that I must get help in major areas to get to a higher level, but first I want some mastery of each process first before I delegate
 
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Alcove Audio said:
You start with a shooting script and the associated preproduction. The type of project will dictate much of the budget; an action piece will cost a lot more than a drama, for example, as the action flick will need stunt people, special effects (either on-set or CGI), additional insurance, perhaps a B-cam+crew, etc.
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It's not a terribly complicated piece. It is basically broken down as follows:

Act 1 - three actors in a kitchen/dining room having a conversation. (3.25 pages)

Act 2 - two actors having a phone conversation. One in bedroom. One in Living room. These first three locations will be shot in the same house. (6.75 pages)

Act 3 - three actors in a restaurant. One actor only has two lines of dialogue and then leaves. (2 pages)

Mostly just dialogue with normal movements that occur during a conversation. Act 3 is the most visually complicated with the interaction between the waitress who appears disappears and then reappears. This act will have close ups, extreme close ups, two-shots, three-shots, and over the shoulder shots.

I have a good sound man for recording and he can also do audio sweetening in post if I need him.

I have 2 of my five actors. I will be doing a casting call and auditions for the remaining three.

My wife and I both are great cooks so we will be providing good quality food.

The house belongs to a friend. No charge there.

Don't have a location for the restaurant yet. May have to cheat that or rewrite Act 3 as a bar scene (my friend owns a bar) if I can't find a suitable place at a reasonable cost.

Only major props will be a piece of Tiramisu and a waitress uniform.

My friend will be doing the lighting. I will be DOP and director. I have another friend as first assistant director. He knows some others that can assist as grips and such.

I have the blocking and shot list in my head. However, I have never created a shooting script. I guess I am going to have to learn how to do that. Any suggestions on places I can see sample shooting scripts so I can learn how to properly do one?
 
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