how to make a short film
7. The money you need: Making it all pay off
Always, always, always remember to feed the cast and crew! As an army is said to travel on its stomach, so it is with your film workers. Be disciplined in how you allocate your available budget, stick to it, and keep good records. Of all the areas you should allocate your money, the few areas that are usually neglected are food, transportation reimbursements (for cast and crew), overtime pay, GST (for consumables), festival fees and related expenses (airfare, accommodation, per diem), advertising & publicity, insurance and contingency.
Short films are essentially loss-leaders. In other words, the money you’ve spent is sunk and you won’t be making profits per se (although some festivals offer prize money), so don’t start offering stock options. The returns are intangibles.
So where’s the money? You may secure sponsors in either cash or kind. For example, some equipment rental companies may offer discounts, in which case note down the actual cost, and the difference between that and the discounted cost is the amount of sponsorship you’ve received in kind. Some crew may offer their services for free, but in exchange for film credits. Again this is sponsorship in kind. But you’ll also want to secure real hard cash to pay your people. Apart from taking it out of your life savings, you have options of grants (eg. Singapore Film Commission’s Short Film Grant) and sponsorship from foundations (some foundations favour student works and would dish out money just like that). Product placement is another recent innovation in getting the money. You’ll need to approach these companies to offer them a publicity vehicle for their products, and essentially you’ll be asking them to dip into their ad-spend money and redirect them to your film rather than to the usual print, poster or TV ads. If your film’s theme matches their company vision or ideology, you’ll have a good chance of squeezing small amounts from them.
Plan carefully where the film will travel and be seen, and what forms of publicity you will accord the film, as this will impact how you reward and what you have to offer to sponsors (in cash or in kind) and benefactors, and consequently how successful you are in securing sponsors and benefactors.
Here is a standard budget sheet. Remember that each production will be different in terms of items in the budget. Take note of the columns listed “budget” and “actual” so you’ll track when you’re over and under budget and by how much. Always start with how much you’ve got, and then work your way backwards, scaling your production and expectations upwards and downwards accordingly.
Budget
Name of production:
Prepared by: Date:
Length in minutes:
Number of days for principal photography:
Producer:
Director:
Actual
Budgeted
Budget Summary (top sheet)
ABOVE THE LINE
Screenplay/Screenwriter
Producer/Director
Talent
PRODUCTION
Production Department
Crew
Equipment
Sets/Props/Wardrobe
Location Expenses
Consumables
POST-PRODUCTION
Video Editing
Sound Post-production
Duplication
EXHIBITION & DISTRIBUTION
Festival Expenses
Travel & Accommodation
ADVERTISING & PROMOTION
Design & Print
OVERHEAD
Office Expenses
INSURANCE
GST (5% on taxable items)
Sub-total
Contingency (5-15% of budget)
GRAND TOTAL
Actual
Budgeted
Budget Details<
SCREENPLAY/SCREENWRITER
Rights
Research
Script (per draft)
Typing, copying & binding
Other
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR
Producer
Director
Other
TALENT
Principals
Supporting
Extras
Accommodation
Meals
Transport
Overtime
Other
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT
Production Manager
Assistant Director
Location Manager
Transport
Meals
Other
CREW
Director of Photography
Camera Operator
Camera Assistant
Sound Mixer
Sound Boom
Art Director
Prop Master
Wardrobe Person
Hair/Make-up Person
Driver
Meals
Transport
Overtime
Other
EQUIPMENT
Camera (and tripod)
Camera extras (lenses, filters, etc)
Sound Equipment
Lighting Package
Extra Lighting
Power Cables, Adaptors
Special Equipment
Expendables (batteries, cleaners, etc)
Van Rental
Petrol, Parking, ERP
Other
SETS/PROPS/WARDROBE
Set Construction
Prop Rental
Prop Purchases
Wardrobe
Hair, Make-up Expenses
Special Effects
Other
LOCATION EXPENSES
Location Rentals/Fees/Guarantees
Permits
Location Phone
Car Rental
Petrol, Parking, ERP
Other
CONSUMABLES
Video Tape Stock
Audio Tape Stock
Still Photos & Process
Other
VIDEO EDITING
Editor
Edit Suite/Equipment
Titles, Special Effects
Other
SOUND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor
Sound Effects
Music
Library Music
ADR/Foley Studio
Sound Engineer
Transfers
Other
DUPLICATION
Master Tapes
Distribution Stock (DVD, VHS, Beta)
Conversion, Copies
FESTIVAL EXPENSES
Entry Fees
Shipping & Custom Duties
Postage, Shipping, Handling
Marketing Booth Rental
Other
TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATION
Airfare, Airport Tax
Hotel
Transfers, Transport
Per diems (meals, expenses)
Warm Clothing
Other
DESIGN & PRINT
Audition Notices
Name Cards
Posters
Flyers
Packaging (jewel case, tape cover)
Film Notes (synopsis, bio, production stills)
OVERHEAD
Audition Space
Telephone
Photocopying
Stationery
Paper
INSURANCE
Talent, Cast
Equipment
Location
Postage, Shipping, Handling
Travel
