QuickFilmBudget.com - anyone used this?

V

VivaChiba

Exactly that. I came across this site today and was wondering if anyone's tried it... for $199 dollars, it seems way too good to be true, but does feature several posters of films which were made from the result of their budget!

Anyway, if someone here has used it, please let us know (or me, via PM) as to how reliable the budget was, or if it's better to fork out $3K for a Line Producer.
To be honest, I can't see how some on-line program can accurately incorporate the cost of fight scenes and stunts - especially without knowing they exist in the script! - but for that price, on a member's recommendation, I'd give it a go.

Thanks.
 
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I looked at the sample - “Bloody Movie!” - it’s a very good line item
template. It’s almost exactly what I use. Of course the numbers
change with each show, but the general template is good. I guess
what you’re paying for is the blank template so you can put in your
own numbers. Very convenient. I made one myself years ago. It
took me a long time. I learned how to put together a spreadsheet
and I modified it to fit my exact needs. This will save that time.

For someone who doesn’t want to generate their own spreadsheet
the $199 seem like a good deal. You still need someone with some
experience to put in numbers accurate to your project.
 
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I'm not really sure what your situation is but $200 for an internet budget sounds like a rip off.

You mentioned the number $3000. Why so high? Are you looking to hire an LP throughout the shoot or are you simply looking to get a professional-grade budget? I'm guessing you just need the budget done, right? Well, assuming you do NOT have a good relationship with anyone already, and assuming you do NOT have a great people skills, you can still get an LP to create a budget for $750 or less. I mean, seriously, if you can be even remotely nice about it, you can get that number to go down. Way down.

Now, if you have a very small project that really doesn't need a bullet-proof 30-page budget, you can get templates online for like $10. And you can just tinker with the global variables like number of days and number of crew and tax rates, etc.

Maybe I'm missing something but, seriously, $200 for an online budget sounds lame. You're knocking on the door of a price range that could reach live, in-person, legit line producers.

Shanked
 
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$200 for a templet doesn't sound lame to me. Perhaps you can point
VivaChiba to the $10 template.

Depending on the needs $3,000 for a good line-item budget with
accurate, local numbers is on the high side but not terrible. $750 or
less seems way to low for someone who really knows the local numbers.
You're right - $3,000 for a very small project is crazy high so it really
depends on the project.

I gotta tell you; even someone with excellent people skills couldn't
get me to put together a complete, accurate line-item budget for
$750 or less. I value my time to much. But I'm sure there are many
people who would.
 
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$10 template... while its a little more than $10, here is a template that comes with a book I read a little on film budgeting while back:

www.mwp.com
In a section Sample Budgets
-> Virtual Film School
-> Resources
-> Download Excel Spreadsheets

While technically you're supposed to buy their book, their section is publicly available for free. Do with this information as you will.
 
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If you just google around you'll find quite a few sites that offer cheap little generic budget templates. Reel Grok is one... www.reelgrok.com.

Directorik, while I do respect your hardline stance at $750, you may be interested to know that there are quite a few line producers who were happy to budget a $1.5m feature for a labor cost of $500. Some of these men and women had credits with heavy hitters in Hollywood. I just want to state this info since it's relevant for someone who's weighing in on spending $200 for an online budget. (I'm still not sure exactly what that involves.) But at the end of the day, it is possible to get, let's say, an up-and-coming LP to budget for deferred pay or something like $350 straight up. Again, nothing against YOUR hardline personally, but your minimum is floating higher than the indy rates around town... especially if a producer can utilize relationships or represent an intriguing project.

Shanked
 
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Shanked said:
Again, nothing against YOUR hardline personally, but your minimum is floating higher than the indy rates around town...
Click to expand...
I said, "But I'm sure there are many people who would."

I actually meant that. I am sure there are people who would put
together a line-item budget for $750 or less. Not sure why you feel
my personality is "hardline" because I charge more. We have no
disagreement at all. It's great that a producer can shop around and
find the right person for the exact amount they are willing to pay.
 
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Huh? Directorik, sorry, but I think you misread my post. I didn't say anything about your "personality." I said your minimum pay is a hardline at 750... and I used the word "personally" in reference to me NOT having any disrespect toward a guy who uses that number. I truly believe we all have our minimums, so me using the word "hardline" toward you is not negative at all. I'm just calling a spade a spade. Myself -- I have a hardline minimum to direct a feature. We all really should have a hard line somewhere.

I realize I was being somewhat redundant to your post, but my goal was simply to make it clear to any new producer that budget prep rates begin with newbie LP's around several hundred bucks. If I were a newbie LP, I would much rather have producers knocking on my door with a shitty offer of pay (that I could refuse) versus having them go straight to the internet with no offer to me at all.

Just for the record, I do think 750 is a reasonable number and I'm sure you're worth it and more. When we bring on someone at 500, we do it knowing that they're taking a hit. But we lay the project out in front of them and make sure they're aware that everyone else is taking a hit, too. Me, the producer, the actors, everyone. Commensurately. Proportionately.
 
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