New filmmakers tackling their first indie feature will obviously ask, “What is this film going cost to produce?” The answer to this – like many of these questions – is, “It depends.” The cost of making a film is directly related to the resources needed and the time required for each resource. That often has little to do with the time involved in actually filming the scenes.
A friend of mine, after directing his first feature, was fond of saying, “The total time of saying the words ‘roll, action, cut, print’ was probably less than an hour; but, it took me two years prior to that to have the privilege.” Cost is almost never related to return. I’ve often told budding filmmakers to consider long and hard what they are doing. They could instead take the same amount of money and throw themselves the biggest party of their life. After all the effort of making the film, you might actually have more to show for it from the party. Film returns tend to follow other media success percentages, where typically 15% are successful and 85% fail (or at least don’t make a financial return). Understanding how to maximum the value on the screen is integral to budgeting a feature film.
I often work in the realm of indie features, which includes dramatic productions and documentaries. Each of these two categories tends to break into cost tiers like these:
Dramatic films
$0 – $50,000
$200,000
$500,000
$1,000,000-$2,000,000
Over $2,000,000
Documentaries
$0 – $30,000
$50,000
$300,000-$1,500,000
Over $1,500,000
Money is always tight within these ranges. Once you get over $2,000,000, you tend to have a bit more breathing room and the ability to tackle issues by adding more resources to the equation. Production is related to time and that varies greatly between scripted films and documentaries, where the story is often evolving over time and out of the director’s control. Here is a typical rule-of-thumb timeline for the production of each.
Dramatic films – timeline
1 year to secure rights and funding
2 months of casting, scouting, preparation
1 month readying actual production logistics
2-5 weeks of production (stage and location)
8-20 weeks of picture editorial
8-20 weeks sound editorial and scoring (usually starts after picture is “locked”)
1-2 weeks of picture finish/conform/grade
1-2 weeks of audio mix (re-recording mix)
1 week to finalize all deliverables
Documentaries – timeline
The timeframe up to the start of editorial differs with every project and is an unknown.
8-60 weeks of picture editorial
8-20 weeks sound editorial and scoring (usually starts after picture is “locked”)
1-2 weeks of picture finish/conform/grade
1-2 weeks of audio mix (re-recording mix)
1 week to finalize all deliverables
Clearly any of these categories can take longer, but in the indie/low-budget field, indecision and letting things drag out will destroy the viability of the project. You don’t have the luxury of studio film timeframes. This is where a savvy line producer, unit manager and production manager (often the same person on small films) can make or break the budget. Here are some cost variables to consider.
Cost variables that need to be evaluated and balanced
Union versus non-union.
More days of shooting versus fewer, but longer days, with overtime pay.
The size of the cast and the experience level of the actors.
Allotting adequate (non-filmed) rehearsal time.
The number of script pages (a shorter script means a less costly production).
Accurate timing of scene descriptions to determine how much production time is required for each scene.
The number of locations and location changes/distances.
Period drama versus a contemporary story.
Stage and sets versus shooting at real locations.
The number of make-up and wardrobe changes.
A production location with local crews and facilities versus bringing in resources from the outside.
Film versus digital photography.
The number of cameras.
The amount of gear (dollies, cranes, etc.).
Cost-saving tips
Investigate opportunities to partner with regional film schools.
Using a director of photography who is his own camera operator and who can supply his own cameras and lenses.
Using a location mixer with his own gear.
Using an editor with his own gear.
Eliminate the needs for an elaborate “video village” and possibly reduce the need for a DIT (if you have savvy camera assistants).
Negotiate lower equipment rental costs based on fewer days per week.
Negotiate local resources for food, lodging, travel and craft services.
Explore alternatives to stages, such as empty warehouses.
Explore unsigned local musical artists for songs, scores, etc.
Hold one or more days of production in reserve (to fix “gaps” discovered during editing), in order to shoot inserts, B-roll, transitional shots, the opening title, etc.
Errors that will drive up cost
The film is too short or too long (ideal is a first cut that’s about 10% longer than target, so it can be trimmed back).
Unforeseen or poorly executed visual effects.
Judgment calls made on location to “save” time/effort on a rushed day.
Allowing the actors too much freedom to ad lib and improvise, as well as play with props.
Indecision in the edit.
Changing the edit after the cut is “locked”.
Using stock images or popular music without making provisions in advance for clearance and budgeting.
Cost-saving items that AREN’T
Failing to shoot a complete master shot as part of the coverage on complex scenes.
Using two or more camera throughout the entire production.
Letting actors ad lib in lieu of adequate rehearsal.
Not hiring a script supervisor/continuity person.
Using blue/green-screen effects for driving shots.
Relying on low-light cameras instead of proper lighting.
Extensive use of the “video village” on set.
Limiting the amount of footage sent to the editors (send them everything, not only “circle takes”).
Short-changing the importance of the role of the data wrangler.
Not allowing adequate time or resources for proper data management.
For reference, I put together two sample budgets a year ago, as part of a presentation at Digital Video Expo in Pasadena. It’s available for download here in Numbers, Excel and PDF versions. Feel free to manipulate the spreadsheets for your own production to see how they stack up. I break down a film/DI and a digital photography budget. As you can see, going with 35mm film adds about $175K more to the budget, largely due to stock, processing and DI costs. In a major studio feature, the difference in formats is inconsequential, but not in the million dollar indie range. I have not included a “film-out”, which will add $75-$200K.
The budget I developed, with the help of a number of experienced unit managers, represents a fairly typical, non-union, indie film. It includes most of the cost for crew, cast, production and post, but does not include such items as the cost of the script, props, sets, production office rentals, hotels, insurance, creative fees and others. As a rule-of-thumb, I’ve factored gear and stage rentals as 3-day weeks. This means you get seven days of use, but are only charged for three. In the past year, I’ve heard rates as low as 1.5-day weeks, but I don’t think you can plan on that being the norm. A 3-day or 4-day week is customary.
Many states offer film production incentives, designed to entice producers to shoot a project in that state. Often local investment money and economic incentives will attract producers to a particular locale. That’s great if the state has good local crew and production resources, but if not, then you’ll have to bring in more from the outside. This adds cost for travel and lodging, some of which an enterprising producer can negotiate for trade in the form of a credit on the film. There’s no guarantee of that, though, and as it’s such a variable, this is a cost item that must be evaluated with each individual production.
Remember that post production work has to occur in some physical place. Audio post is typically done in a studio owned or rented by the audio engineer. That’s not the case for editors. If you hire a freelance film editor, you will also need to factor in the cost of the editing system, as well as a rental office in which to house the operation. Some editors can supply that as a package deal and others don’t.
Naturally, a savvy line producer can find ways to bring this budget even lower. I work a lot with the Valencia College Film Technology Program in Orlando. Over the years they have partnered with many producers to complete Hollywood-grade features. I’m not talking student films, but rather name directors and actors working alongside students and working pros to put out films destined for theatrical distribution. The films produced there often place a level of production value on the screen that’s as much as twice the actual out-of-pocket cost of production and post. All thanks to the resources and services the program has to offer.
Most new producers have a good handle on the production phase, but post is a total black hole. As a consequence, post often gets short-changed in the budgeting process. Unfortunately, some producers try to figure out their post production costs at the point when everything is in the can, but almost all of the money has been spent. That’s in spite of the fact that post generally takes much more time than the period allotted to location and stage photography. In order to properly understand the post side of things, here are the workflows for four finishing scenarios.
Film – traditional post
Shoot on location with film – 1,000ft. of 35mm = about 10 minutes of unedited footage.
Process the negative at the lab and do a “best light” transfer to videotape or a hard drive.
The assistant editor loads and logs footage and syncs double-system audio.
The editor cuts a first cut, then the director’s cut and then the final version.
The sound team edits dialogue, ADR and sound effects (also temp music at times).
The composer writes and records the score (often in a parallel track to the above).
Sound is mixed in a re-recording session.
The editorial team generates a cut list for the negative cutter.
The negative cutter conforms the negative (physical splices).
All visual effects are added as optical effects.
Lab color timing is performed and answer prints are generated for review.
Film deliverables are generated.
Film – DI (digital intermediate) post
Shoot on location with film – 1,000ft. of 35mm = about 10 minutes of unedited footage.
Process the negative at the lab and do a “best light” transfer to videotape or a hard drive.
The assistant editor loads and logs footage and syncs double-system audio.
The editor cuts a first cut, then the director’s cut and then the final version.
The sound team edits dialogue, ADR and sound effects (also temp music at times).
The composer writes and records the score (often in a parallel track to the above).
Sound is mixed in a re-recording session.
The editorial team generates edit lists for the finishing house.
Selected shots are retransferred (or scanned), conformed and graded.
Visual effects are inserted during the conform/grade.
Digital and/or film deliverables are generated.
Digital production – camera raw photography
Shoot on location with a digital camera that records in a raw file format to a card or hard drive.
The footage is converted into a viewable form for the editors.
The assistant editor loads and logs footage and syncs double-system audio.
The editor cuts a first cut, then the director’s cut and then the final version.
The sound team edits dialogue, ADR and sound effects (also temp music at times).
The composer writes and records the score (often in a parallel track to the above).
Sound is mixed in a re-recording session.
The editorial team generates edit lists for the finishing house.
Camera raw files are conformed and color graded in a process similar to a DI.
Visual effects are inserted during the conform/grade.
Digital and/or film deliverables are generated.
Digital production – tape or file-based (not raw) photography
Shoot on location with a digital camera and recorded to tape or as files to a card or hard drive.
The assistant editor loads and logs footage and syncs double-system audio.
The editor cuts a first cut, then the director’s cut and then the final version.
The sound team edits dialogue, ADR and sound effects (also temp music at times).
The composer writes and records the score (often in a parallel track to the above).
Sound is mixed in a re-recording session.
The editorial team generates edit lists for the finishing house.
Camera files are conformed and color graded.
Visual effects are inserted during the conform/grade.
In some cases, the editing format and the system is of a level to be considered final quality and the same editor can do both the creative edit and finishing.
Digital and/or film deliverables are generated.
As these workflows show, a lot goes into post beyond simply editing and mixing the film. These elements take time and determine the level of polish you present to your audience. The sample budgets I’ve compiled aren’t intended to cause sticker shock. It’s clear that getting the tally to $1 Million doesn’t take very much and that’s a pretty realistic range for a small film. Granted, I’ve worked on films done for $150,000 that looked like a lot more, but it takes a lot of work to get there. And often leaning hard on the good graces of the crew and resources you use.
For comparison, here’s an example at The Smoking Gun that’s purported to be the working budget for M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village under the working title of The Woods. It doesn’t really matter whether it is or it isn’t the actual budget. The numbers are in line with this type of studio film, which makes it a good exercise in seeing how one can spend $70 Million on a film.
Whether you play in the studio or the independent film arena, it’s important to understand how to translate the vision of the script in a way that correlates to time and money. Once that becomes second nature, you are on your way to becoming a producer that puts the most production value on the screen for the audiences to appreciate.
©2012 Oliver Peters
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