When presented with a budget ask for a schedule, if schedule is not there, it’s a bullshi* budget

Using EP budgeting

Looking at Budgeting

Always get 3 bids, great if you can get 5 bids

ATL: story, developer, Producer, Talent, Director

Producing team should make approx. 10 % of the total budget max,

35 % should be kept for postproduction; often it gets under budget-ed, so be aware of that pitfall,

When you need to save, look at ATTL where you can save, cut on producer and talent

If your budget is suddenly slashed, seek to cut from production team,

Reduce the number of days of the shoot

Also as a line producer you make no creative calls, but see if

The scene advances the story, and or if it gives new info, if not, these scenes can be cut to save cost.

When do u decide if you pay daily or weekly?

If u pay daily u pays little more, but if u pay weekly u can cut a deal, u pay daily when u think u might be able to shave off a few days

Those who are needed daily pay them weekly, else pay daily, so u might be able to save a few 100 here and there, by reducing number of days of shoot.

Below 3 million, is considered a small film

ATL: no ceiling to how much they are paid, but more risk of not getting paid at all

BTL: ceiling as to how much they make, but they can be sure they will be pad for sure.

Ideally: pay daily: grip/ Electric/ DP/ Camera/ AD

Use old budget as a template, n if certain heads are not needed don’t delete them, just keep them as zero, u might need them at a later point.

Use budget breakdown sheets to make budget as u get into actuals,

If you are asked for a budget:

a. Ideal page count 3 per day

b. 5 day weeks

c. All gear

d. All grip and electric and other crew

e. Fill all departments

Make a full-blown budget, which is your ideal budget and then give a lower budget, which is your 2^nd budget.

Schedules can’t be reused

Budgets can be

When presented with a budget ask for a schedule, if schedule is not there, it’s a bullshi* budget

Decide what genre is the film

Then what’s the audience?

Based on that decide the budget you want to suggest

Maybe also say the actor u are suggesting.

Remember comic will need a better talent then a horror.

Be careful whom u suggests, as people are vicious in Hollywood.

Average preproduction time is 8 weeks

Soft prep could take up to a year

SAG paperwork will take at least 30 days; they also take a 10 % deposit

If movie is with Weinstein brothers or Miramax, it will be an aesthetic beautiful movie,

There will be higher spend on: Location / music / cinematographer/ production design.

Pre Production:

1^st get line producer

Then talent scout / casting agent

Location scout

Where is it cost effective?

Set up production office

Set up shell company, LLC

Scout location

Get location and talent

Try to make sure there are areas near location for catering set up/ staging area/ green room/ place for talent to wait/ make up / bathroom/ production space

Start early process to get music release, tales a lot of time

Put paper work in order

See all documents that effect time and money

Production coordinator is the one who one interacts with not the line producer.

Script times is necessary so u know how long it will take to shoot (script supervisor actually times scene)

Do not produce from home, as it is like a snow ball, will build up fast with people needing to be there, and needing things

Also get stunt master / voice coach, as talent might need to be coached