Chapter Seven
Special Considerations

“Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration, don’t fail me now.”

Dan Aykroyd as Elwood Blues, in The Blues Brothers

Each type of film presents different challenges that require special consideration. For example, some films take longer than others to make (features), require intermittent shoot schedules (documentaries), pose severely restrictive time and financial parameters (most films), or format (web and TV), or use of non-actors (educational and corporate). The commonalities are to:

  • Figure out what you know and start from there
  • Ask questions
  • Apply logic and common sense
  • Consolidate resources (people, places, things) whenever possible

Turn your schedule upside down and run different scenarios, “What if…longer days, shorter days, longer weeks, shorter weeks, non-union, union, 2nd unit, 3rd unit.”

Turn your budget upside down, “What if…different vendors, less overtime, when will we need funds, rent kits instead of purchasing or renting supplies, cast your own extras.” Identify potential line items that are tight, or roomy—where there may be potential extra money. Budget line items are based on assumptions—using a certain location or number of background actors determines the lenses you must rent for that day; if there are plans to rent equipment from several companies, cost savings may be achieved by consolidating an equipment order with one vendor.

Thorough knowledge of the budget will assist with cash flow—a schedule of when you will need funds and how much, the cost report— actual spending of costs to date and the film’s ultimate audit. Films are audited after the fact, so funders can see how their money was spent—on the film, not on a vacation to Aruba. The producer has to be able to account for every penny to their financiers. You don’t want to go too much “under” budget (the financiers will want the balance of funds back); you can’t go over, because the producer will be on the hook during production and it may damage the film. You will be counted upon as primary budget caretaker.

One way to do up-close examination of the budget is to do comparisons and make groups.

While working on the budget, it is helpful to compare costs of specific groups of items. You can see what would happen if you omit a certain group, or changed it in a fundamental way. Comparing local to distant shoot prices, prep versus wrap, helps to discover potential savings.

When you set up your budget, you created groups (Setup/Groups); For Local and Distant, to compare their costs.

Fig. 7.1 Groups Help You Examine and Compare Expenses

Fig. 7.1 Groups Help You Examine and Compare Expenses

Fig. 7.2 Local, Distant are Commonly Used Groups

Fig. 7.2 Local, Distant are Commonly Used Groups

At the Detail level, apply groups to associated line items. Select local lines:

Fig. 7.3 Select Local Line Items, View/Apply Groups

Fig. 7.3 Select Local Line Items, View/Apply Groups

Fig. 7.4 Tag Local and Close

Fig. 7.4 Tag Local and Close

Repeat for Distant—Highlight Distant lines, click View/Apply Groups, Tag Distant.

Fig. 7.5 Repeat for Distant: Select

Fig. 7.5 Repeat for Distant: Select

Fig. 7.6 View/Apply Groups

Fig. 7.6 View/Apply Groups

Fig. 7.7 Tag Distant

Fig. 7.7 Tag Distant

Note totals—the complete budget total in the lower left and the total of Local and Distant Shoots on the lower right—to monitor changes as you work. Budget totals and session totals track recent changes. The Budget Total is the entire Budget amount at that moment and Session Totals consist of changes you have made since opening the file.

Fig. 7.8 Inside Groups, Budget Totals and Session Totals Track Changes

Fig. 7.8 Inside Groups, Budget Totals and Session Totals Track Changes

All of the Local Shoot Lines together add up to 157,599; the Distant Shoot adds up to 74,447. (At this point, the Local shoot is roughly twice as much as the Distant Shoot. Why don’t 157,599 + 74,447 add up to the Total Budget number $1,442,888? Either because there are many non-location specific items within the budget, or you haven’t assigned groups to everything yet.)

The meaning of these figures, in a broader sense, pertains to the screenplay. If scenes at the Distant Shoot are minor, would it be possible to send fewer crew or cast, or a second unit? Hire locals and send a talented AD? That might reduce the Distant portion of the budget and related travel/lodging expenses. The reduction in cost must be weighed against reduced efficiencies of fewer people, or hiring unknown local crew. By hiding, or suppressing, the Local Shoot part of the budget, you can observe where the biggest changes occur and in what categories.

UNCHECK the Local Shoot to suppress it.

Fig. 7.9 Setup Groups to Suppress Different Budget Parts

Fig. 7.9 Setup Groups to Suppress Different Budget Parts

Fig. 7.10 Uncheck the Part of the Budget You Want to Suppress

Fig. 7.10 Uncheck the Part of the Budget You Want to Suppress

And the overall budget total immediately updates WITHOUT the Local Shoot cost.

Fig. 7.11 Suppressing Parts of the Budget Can Help You and your Team Make Important Spending Decisions

Fig. 7.11 Suppressing Parts of the Budget Can Help You and your Team Make Important Spending Decisions

Most budgeting software shows updated totals, either at the top or the bottom of the page.

Fig. 7.12 Totals Under the Primary Toolbar Show Recent Changes and the Budget Total

Fig. 7.12 Totals Under the Primary Toolbar Show Recent Changes and the Budget Total

Create a new version of a budget and do a comparison. Open your budget, do a SAVE AS and name it something different, related to the experiment. SpunOutLove_Budget_V2_ReducedTravel, SpunOutLove_Budget_V3_NonUnion, etc. Make changes to this new budget. Recalculate, Save and Close. Now compare.

Compare Budget A with Budget B.

Fig. 7.13 Comparing Budgets Gives You an Opportunity to find Opportunities to Save Money

Fig. 7.13 Comparing Budgets Gives You an Opportunity to find Opportunities to Save Money

Fig. 7.14 Compare Budgets with the Same Categories and Numbering System

Fig. 7.14 Compare Budgets with the Same Categories and Numbering System

In this example, it’s easy to see that in Budget A, the producer and director figures are very different from Budget B. Now you can go investigate that—should figures be reduced, was something missing, why the discrepancy and how to come up with a solution.

FYI: If the comparison budgets (you can compare several) don’t have the same account format, it is confusing and not useful; you’re comparing apples to oranges.

Fig. 7.15 Producers and Financiers often Find it Helpful to Compare and Contrast Different Budget Scenarios

Fig. 7.15 Producers and Financiers often Find it Helpful to Compare and Contrast Different Budget Scenarios

Narrative Feature Film

In addition to the myriad of details to be worked out during preproduction, one priority is to work the script. Readings, rehearsals (once cast is identified and available) and rewrites will strengthen the material. The stronger the plot and structure, the more vivid and believable the dialogue, the better the completed film will be, at any budget. All script preparation, such as videotaping rehearsals, previs and storyboarding important scenes can save time and money during principal photography.

Tell everyone you know about the film, the story, cast, crew, draw support. Update them with email newsletters (Constant Contact, SendInBlue, MailChimp, MadMimi). In addition to appointing a Producer of Marketing and Distribution, you may also need a Producer of Social Media; the point is to make it a responsibility for a member of the team. Make a website, get on social media (Vine, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Vimeo, LinkedIn) and start connecting to people. Solicit support from friends and family; they serve as valuable resources for locations, food, transportation, extras, even financing and contribute to building momentum and awareness. If there is some facet of the production that is newsworthy and would make a good story, consider crafting an article or series (or assigning someone) for one of the independent websites/magazines/film communities.

Marathon Mentality

Has everyone “trained” with a 5K or 10K? Short races are training for marathons, while short films are training for features.

More Money

You can help the producer and the film, by exploiting every possible source of financing, whether location based, grant or foundation based, regional, state-, and city-wide. Keep a Google alert set for contests and competitions and join filmmaking communities online (distributors and agents of all sizes troll them) and keep your eyes out for new angel investors, partners and funding sources.

This activity will contribute to both the schedule and the budget in the form of an unlikely consequence, celebrity interest or involvement, news story, winning publicity and free stock, lab time, access to equipment, locations, mentorship, community involvement. Just like networking on a personal level leads to new opportunities, networking for a film leads to publicity and relationships that will improve the final product and increase marketing and distribution opportunities.

Don’t Wait to Budget (Time and Cash) for Marketing and Distribution

Often overlooked (until everyone is exhausted and the money is gone), this work should start as early as possible, hopefully during development or at least preproduction. Plan to take pictures; of cast, rehearsals, makeup, shoot, crew, construction, the production office, to create the story of making the film (marketing and distribution requires good stills). Videotape the production office; vlogging and creating “extra” DVD materials (the making of your great film) is fun (and experience) for an intern/filmmaker.

Plan distribution deliverables for a feature along the way, so there’s less scrambling at the end. Some of the items can only be completed before post, but others are available during preproduction—such as the synopsis, bios, crew and cast list and certain contracts.

  • Masters and prints, original negative, work prints, answer print, show prints, any interpositives or duplicates
  • Audio masters and sound elements
  • Videotape masters and screeners
  • Editing materials: EDLs (edit decision lists), code books, camera reports
  • Textless backgrounds, all footage, ends, trims, whether used or unused, dailies, source material
  • Quality report from the lab, Lab access letter (if applicable)
  • Stills in (20–30) Color, (10–20) in Black and White (high-resolution images)
  • Detailed written information regarding run-time, aspect ratio and type of audio track
  • All marketing and publicity materials created, including a paper press kit and EPK (electronic press kit): synopsis, complete cast and crew list, bios of key filmmakers, final script, news hooks
  • Music—cue sheets, copies of music licenses, publishing rights and clearance agreements, song titles, the music publishers, run-times, credits, names of the performing artists, songwriters and composers, lyrics
  • Trailers and Bonus materials
  • Chain of title documents
  • M and E (music and effects) tracks
  • MPAA rating (if applicable)
  • Key art, posters, logos, design elements related to the film
  • Access to online marketing materials created for the film
  • A list of contractual credits with corresponding agreements, releases, contracts and permissions related to the production
  • Guild and union paperwork, signed as required

Strengthening the Relationship w/Your Team

One complaint I hear from cast and crew after a film’s completion is that they want to know what’s up with the production, its status, festival acceptances, access to clips for their own use—and this is even more important when everyone is paid little (or nothing). Automate and share this information whenever possible in a way that interested cast and crew can subscribe to a blog or feed about the film.

Documentary Film

Docs don’t usually have a traditional script. Wildlife, historical, technical and political documentaries all have different styles, but are founded upon an outline, proposal, or treatment. Filmmakers have some idea of shots needed to structure the story, but not all, parts of the story emerge through a process of discovery built upon specific goals.

Documentaries have milestones—climactic and pivotal scenes—without which there would be no story, just like a feature. Schedule and budget for each important beat in the outline. Strive to capture important footage as early in the process as possible to maintain forward momentum. If there is no script, use different locations as “scenes” and number them. A narrator’s Voice Over, a host, interviews, research, archival, travel, lodging, are all concrete elements that can be scheduled and budgeted for. Often, a lot of shooting, then wading through footage happens before the storyline emerges—followed by more scripting and planning.

Documentary teams are generally smaller than features and tend to be more mobile. Travel, interviews, or specific events are concrete items to schedule around and budget for. It is natural for a doc to be scheduled in fits and starts—similar to running a triathlon—a long race in disparate pieces. Use the same parameters you would for a feature—how much time will be allocated to each phase of production? Center your schedule around key events, interviews, good weather for outdoor scenes and, to the best of the team’s ability, schedule pivotal scenes first. Research is a significant (and sometimes expensive) aspect of the doc process. Together with your team, identify a filmmaker to stylistically model the film after (Michael Moore, Errol Morris, Morgan Spurlock) and pinpoint the expensive and time-consuming elements, which get the story across.

A typical narrative film, whether long or short, generally progresses in a relatively linear fashion: Development: prep, shoot, post/wrap, like so:

Table 7.1

table7_1

Documentaries are iterative: development, financing, prep and shooting, pause—analyze footage, post production, craft story, which leads to more prep and shoot (and possibly the search for more funding). It is not unusual for the overall schedule to look more like this and there may be large gaps between shoots.

Table 7.2

table7_2

Doc budgets have line items that do not necessarily appear in feature film budgets:

  • Research, stock footage and images
  • Historic experts, licensing audio and video clips
  • Permissions, clearances and releases of interview subjects
  • Motion Graphics, Animated sequences
  • Cast: Narrator, Voice Over, or Host
  • E and O Insurance (important)
  • Fiscal Sponsorship, Grants, Foundation Funding
  • Cash Donations, In-Kind Donations
  • Legal guidance on fair use elements incorporated into the story

Look at other docs that match your team’s concept, analyze how much footage should be interviews, establishing shots, stock footage, stills, personal stories. It’s one thing to shoot Michael Moore style (mobile crew, lots of moxie), Dying to Live about organ donation, by Lance Lipman (patience and finesse in a delicate situation), How’s Your News (close personal relationships, man on the street interviews in a new way) another to shoot March of the Penguins or Winged Migration. Will you need a lot of gear? People? Transport to the Arctic?

The same process applies as to any other project scheduling and budgeting—find out the intended end-plan for the project. ITVS, PBS, cable channels such as Discovery, or the BBC, require technical delivery requirements. Do your homework to find out what that is, call and ask, talk to other filmmakers.

Many docs do not pay interview subjects Make sure that is clearly understood by participants. When you are working with non-actors, plan extra time; the camera may make them nervous. Prepare your subjects as much as possible (unless your intention is the opposite) with a brief list of topics. Let them know what you are doing, the need for space or quiet and approximately how much time you will need. Assure them that they do not need to memorize a script.

When scheduling shooting rare, or one-time only, real-life events, prepare thoroughly—gear, stock, releases and people—and get as much footage as you can.

Following is a top sheet for a documentary, created in Excel, the format of which differs slightly in its more streamlined nature.

Table 7.3

Documentary: Coffee-licious
Fringe assumptions: Production:
Payroll Tax 23% Format: Video (4K)
Overtime 10% Prep: 4 weeks
Unions: None Shoot: 9 days
Length: 30min. Post: 6 weeks
SUMMARY BUDGET
02-00 Script 4,680
03–00 Producers Unit 25,600
04–00 Direction 12,300
05–00 Cast 554
TOTAL ABOVE-THE-LINE 43,134
10–00 Production Staff 13,284
15–00 Set Operations 531
21–00 Electrical 4,853
22–00 Camera 9,151
23–00 Sound 3,965
24–00 Transportation 495
25–00 Location Expenses 936
27–00 Stock—Production 1,400
TOTAL PRODUCTION 34,615
30–00 Editorial 13,042
33–00 Music 2,000
34–00 Post Production Sound 4,900
35–00 Titles and Graphics 2,400
TOTAL POST–PRODUCTION 22,342
37–00 General and Administrative , Insurance 5,700
38–00 Fiscal Sponsor Fee 4,350
TOTAL OTHER 10,050
Total Above–The–Line 43,134
Total Below-The-Line 67,006
Total Above and Below-the-Line 110,141
Contingency @ 10% 11,014
GRAND TOTAL $121,155

Note the line from the preceding budget, near the bottom, “FISCAL SPONSOR FEE.” Many documentaries can apply for grant funding, but may need to incorporate as a nonprofit company (501c3, IRS tax-exempt status). If you don’t have non-profit status (which takes time, incurs expense and may not be practical when making one production), you can “borrow” (AKA umbrella) 501c3 status from a fiscal sponsor. The production pays a percentage of funds raised through that entity to the sponsor.

While the majority of docs apply prior to preproduction, in some cases, films in process can apply for fiscal sponsorship. The process typically consists of submitting a proposal, purpose or story description, schedule and budget, bios of your team, the documentary’s target audience, marketing and distribution strategy, importance of the project, a funding strategy and supplemental materials (like a reel, news articles on the topic). The fiscal sponsor doesn’t fund your film; it allows the film production to “borrow” their non-profit status during financing. Donations to the film will be tax deductible: which can serve as an incentive to potential funders.

Checks for your film are addressed to the fiscal sponsor, they deduct a fee (10–15%) and then send the remaining amount to the production company. You must include this item in the budget as the film must pay that amount out. The Foundation Center (Foundation-center.org) is a database and library of information about grants of all kinds, a valuable first stop when working on a doc.

Many associations offer fiscal sponsorship to documentary makers:

This is a documentary budget for Not a Feather But a Dot, which includes a marketing budget and was created in iterations—rounds of creation over time. The format is slightly different from the typical topsheet and detail level.

Fig. 7.16 The Format of this Budget Combines Detail Info on the Top Sheet.

Fig. 7.16 The Format of this Budget Combines Detail Info on the Top Sheet.

Budgeting tips for documentarians:

  • Do include payment for your time and your team as is the norm for similar crew in your area.
  • Do include the cost to create a study guide to accompany the film if intended for educational use.
  • Don’t include cost for talent, not in your budget or schedule, these are personnel, interview subjects, or actors.
  • Don’t include a contingency line item, rather, reinforce all line items of the budget by adding an additional 5–10%, doc funders are usually not financiers who read many film budgets and they may not trust it.
  • Don’t include equipment purchases, only rentals.
  • Most filmmakers add their own money to the production, include this in individual donations—rather than listing yourself as a donor.

The Cost of Free: Free isn’t always free. If the film project will not be sold—and has no plans to be placed into the marketplace for sale or rent, is instructional, internal or educational there is leeway. You may fly under the radar, but the minute a film is shown online, it is broadcast to the world and if the project utilizes another’s copyrighted material, the owner may object and demand it be removed. Copyrighted material includes: logos, signs, art, magazine covers, music, images, video clips, TV excerpts.

Most elements in a film will have to be paid for, one way or another (time, money or both). The initial payment for footage, music and photos in the public domain (copyright has expired) is time. Financial costs may include research and a lawyer, possibly transfer to a certain format, or picture and audio cleanup.

In the U.S., the owner of a copyright has “the right to reproduce or to authorize others to reproduce the work”1 (I.E. make copies). Fair use, “reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research,”2 is outlined in Section 107 and has been the subject of countless lawsuits worldwide. There is no “seven second rule,” saying that it’s ok to use just part of a song; the 10% rule (you can use 10% of a work) fair use applies to specific situations.

For commercial use, obtain permission from the copyright owner (or heirs, or estate), or consult an entertainment lawyer who specializes in clearances. Intellectual Property lawyers ($300–900 an hour) may save you money later if an issue comes up when you are in the process of securing distribution and you really need that E and O policy. Even if a clip seems like fair use, there may be SAG or AFTRA performers in it who require residual payments.

The doctrine of fair use has developed through a substantial number of court decisions over the years and has been codified in section 107 of the copyright law. Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research.3

  • Whether commercial nature or for non-profit educational purposes
  • The nature of the copyrighted work (obscure, well known)
  • The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole (a 10 minute film includes 9 minutes from someone else’s film)
  • The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work (does your use of a clip from Casablanca reduce the studio’s ability to sell Casablanca)

The distinction between fair use and infringement may be unclear and not easily defined. There is no specific number of words, lines, or notes that may safely be taken without permission. Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining permission (www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html).

Copyright laws vary around the world, however the Berne Convention is a treaty to which the international community fosters copyright protection between nations. Everything pertaining to copyright is a very hot topic right now and the issues are complex (www.WIPO.int for more info).

The Center for Social Media (www.centerforsocialmedia.org) is the first stop for questions regarding copyright, inclusion of other artistic works in a film and public domain resources.

The Creative Commons (http://creativecommons.org) is building and developing a community of artists and content with a more flexible copyright definition to facilitate sharing of artistic works. When in doubt call an entertainment attorney.

Transcription is often required for documentaries and reality-style programming and sometimes ad-lib, improvisatory-style shoots. Transcription creates a record of the film’s dialogue after the fact that can be used to analyze the material for story-telling purposes, used by the editor and also to create a script. Professional transcription ranges from $1+ per minute to $20 an hour of recorded audio. Rush service costs more, as do noisy tapes with low quality audio. You will want transcription with time code. The cost relates directly to the amount of footage to be transcribed, how quickly it needs to be turned around and the quality of the audio. This is a good place to save money with interns who are interested in the subject matter, or making documentaries. First-time directors and editors will benefit from doing it themselves, as they’ll be very familiar with all of the footage.

Shorts, Web Videos, and Webisodes

Short films (under 40 minutes, but more commonly under 10 minutes), web videos (films created specifically for Internet distribution), webisodes (series of short video films created to air initially on the Internet or on mobile devices, for download or stream, rather than first airing on broadcast or cable) are a great learning and growing tool for filmmakers. As much creativity can be found on Vimeo, YouTube, FunnyorDie.com as in movie theaters, but on a different scale. In fact, talent agents and managers commonly search these platforms seeking new talent.

Treat the short project as you would a feature with a delivery date, following the exact same breakdown, scheduling and budgeting steps. It’s a good “first date” experience to see if you have a compatible working style with other filmmakers, producer, writer, actor, DP. It’s a great way to hone scheduling and budgeting skills or learn new software. Shorts win Academy Awards and there are many prestigious film festivals featuring shorts all over the world. Short film distribution online can be profitable if done strategically. Platforms and services to distribute short films include Vimeo, YouTube, Amazon via CreateSpace, Distribber, Simple Machine, VHX, Topspin, WatchBox, IndieBoogie, Distrify, Indie Rights, Fetchapp, FLM.TV, Gathr, IndieReign, Seed and Spark, IntelVideo, Kino Nation, Mobcaster, NoBudget, Open Indie, Pivotshare and Reelhouse. Popular short films can earn money via advertising revenues, website traffic, or getting discovered as a result of their work online.

Many filmmakers working on shorts aren’t paid; decide what you want to get out of the experience and how long you will spend working.

What’s the goal for the project? What’s your goal with the project?

  • Learn
  • Grow technical skills: lighting, camera, interview, sound
  • You love the story
  • Have fun
  • Meet new people
  • Tell important story
  • Learn new skill
  • Challenge
  • Slow season
  • Never before worked with…Greenscreen, 3D technology, etc.
  • Create a marketable representation of idea for feature film
  • Create a fundraising tool
  • Try something new—transmedia project, 360 video, 3D, etc.
  • Do the scheduling budgeting work in return for…a credit, see your screenplay made, produce, direct, etc.
  • Build your reel
  • Get in a festival
  • Win awards
  • Seen by audience
  • Develop video for your Vimeo channel
  • Show idea for a mobile app
  • Put off working
  • Collaborate with other filmmakers you like
  • Create speck video to sell

Setting up a camera and pointing it at a “talking head” (like at a makeup artist demonstrating various styles of makeup application) is different from creating original scripted material and related scheduling, budgeting and designing a shoot. Which is not to say that makeup videos won’t make you famous—Michelle Phan created an international career from her YouTube instructionals.

Web budgets are as varied as the videos themselves. The Internet sitcom Break a Leg by Yuri Baranovsky cost $500 an episode (with friends and favors). 100 episodes of the web horror series Buried Alive (each episode 1–5 minutes long), (2 ½ hours total), creator John Norris spent approximately $500,000, averaging about $3,333 per minute. (Variety.com). High Maintenance, the web series about a weed dealer in New York City, created by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair, started out as a no-budget project, was highlighted by Vimeo and given a small budget as a Vimeo Original, then picked up with a bigger budget on HBO.

On the high end of Internet films is the award-winning Sanctuary, an effects laden sci-fi web series, costing $4.3 million to produce, for a total of 135 minutes (averaging $32,000 per minute). You can get good production value for $1,000 dollar per finished minute and with web pieces, shorter is usually better.

Mobisodes: If your team is producing a video for mobile devices—make sure all the technical specs are clearly understood prior to shooting. Mobile video needs to be compressed appropriately for the available wireless network channel, so find out the proper CODEC the video must be delivered on, the length (average watching on web and mobile video is less than 5 minutes at a time), appropriate frame rates and picture dimensions (3 inches on the diagonal is commonly used). The explosion of formats does not make this any easier. iPads have one screen size, cell phones another, Xbox and PS3 gaming devices have another. The popularity of smart phones, tablets and faster connectivity are contributing to the explosion of mobisodes.

The budget and schedule for a mobile film should not result in overproducing—watch excellent mobile video and note stylistic differences: the editing pace is slower, the props, setting and camera moves are simpler than traditional films. Extremes do not translate to mobile video, due to the reduced size of the screen, so make sure to discuss equipment needs with your team (cranes, jibs, dollies, camera and lighting gear, any buzzers and whistles may be unnecessary). Dialogue has to be ultra clear and sound design sparing compared to a typical film. Check in with your entertainment lawyer regarding distribution agreements for any mobile or Telco carrier—and ask about any unfamiliar terms. Digital Rights Management is a new area of the law and can be confusing.

Here is a brief list of companies funding and/or distributing shorts:

Television

Television is growing with the convergence of the Internet and the TV, illustrated by a fast growing rate of new productions from new players like Amazon, Netflix and You-Tube. As a result of this growth, there are increasing opportunities in this arena. The type of TV show your team is making will affect your scheduling and budgeting approach. The process to schedule and budget a program that is a 1-time, stand-alone show (not part of a series), such as a narrative movie for television, is similar to scheduling and budgeting any a film.

Like film, TV scenes are scheduled in the most convenient and cost effective order (as opposed to the order of the script). The budgeting process is the same as a feature, tailored to the material and resources available, constrained by time. Typical budget construction and organization apply. Union versus non-union issues must be considered.

When creating a program for a specific broadcaster, the submission of deliverables may include a back and forth period (you submit a rough cut of episode one, they give notes and comments about how to improve it) and then additional editing (or shooting and editing) is to be done. Then resubmission. Because of this review, allocate additional time and funding for re-shoots, editing, shipping and making dupes.

A documentary made for television is similar to budgeting a feature documentary, with exceptions made for length, delivery format and any technical guidelines.

Who’s Driving the Bus

Producer credits in the television world have clearly defined duties compared to film. In filmmaking, the Executive Producer credit is given to the person who is instrumental in funding and that person may, or may not, be involved in the hands-on making of the film. In TV, the Executive Producer (AKA Show Runner) credit is often the person who created the concept, runs the production and has the final say on everything—from hiring, creative and to schedule and budgeting issues. The EP also supervises the show or series “bible”—a detailed universe of the show—characters, story, geography, back-story, art direction, stylistic notes, information about the characters and settings that will inform the show; and may hire multiple writers or directors for different episodes. The production bible keeps everyone on the same artistic page.

Possible TV Budgeting Scenarios

Table 7.4

The EP plansto pitch a show. The EP wants to shoot a sizzle reel as a sales pitch of the show idea: The EP pitched a show, describing the idea.
The EP wants a budget created for the presentation. To present to a network to get them interested. The network is interested.
You create a pattern budget (a “typical episode”) and an amortization budget: You create a budget for the highlight reel, to shoot enough exciting material: They give EP some money to shoot a pilot, or test tape, to see the idea in action.
To prove that the show can be made for a certain amount of money. To prove the concept visually. You create a budget for pilot episode, or to shoot some test tape for that amount: To prove the concept visually.

Hopefully, any combination of the above, budgeting a sizzle reel, test tape, a pilot, or an entire series, will result in the network, media company, financiers or production company buying or licensing the show from your team. TV executives receive so many ideas (and the public is so fickle) that they must test them out before committing to the expense of making several episodes.

Series programming includes:

  • Dramatic
  • Situation comedy
  • Reality program
  • Documentary
  • Game Show
  • News Show
  • Talk show
  • Magazine format
  • Educational
  • Religious
  • Sports
  • How-to
  • Variety
  • Infomercial
  • Music or Arts Programs

Budgeting for a series of episodes recurring periodically requires the same steps as a feature, with a few additional line items.

Creating a budget for a series requires creating 2 budgets, a pattern budget (the hypothetical “average budget per episode”) and an amortization budget (expensive line items you want to divided over multiple episodes).

Pattern budget × Number of Episodes = total budget for the series.

The pattern budget is similar to a feature budget; locations, crew, cast, catering, writers, equipment, film stock, typical production and post expenses—direct costs of that episode to be shot on that date at that time. It is organized into Above- and Below-the Line sections, just like any other film budget. Since it will be used as the average budget per episode, actual costs will vary.

The amortization budget contains only the costs that will be spread over (amortized or reduced over) all of the episodes in your series. If your multi-episode series show is set inside a castle, you will need to budget for construction of the castle as the set, or rent a castle-looking space for the time to shoot the entire series. You would budget to spread that cost EVENLY over all 13 episodes. It wouldn’t be accurate to assign that large cost to one episode, or the pilot—as it is intended for use over the entire series of episodes. Any one-time, extraordinarily high cost that is utilized throughout the entire show—like sets, construction, puppets, devices, distinct props or even wardrobe, rights to the underlying literary property upon which the material is based—could all be considered items to amortize over all episodes in the series.

Looking ahead: if you plan to shoot a second season of shows, based on this show, only spread the cost as far as your financing will carry it. Do not count on amortizing a cost over a second season if the team has not completed the first. Amortize costs only over the planned budget at a given time. If you are budgeting right now for 6 shows, amortize over that amount. Following is a list of accounts that could be used for amortization.

Table 7.5

62031 Amortization-Prep
63032 Amortization-Production
62033 Amortization-Post Production
62034 Amortization-Hiatus
62035 Amortization-Back 9
62036 Amortization-Start up
62037 Amortization Wrap

They might include preproduction costs, wrap costs, hiatus costs (break during shooting), audit, set and construction costs for items to be used throughout the entire series, auditing, scenery, storage, legal expenses and other costs which apply to the whole show as opposed to 1 episode.

Take, for example, the creation of a large mechanical wheel for a game show based on a roulette game. The wheel lights up, spins, is designed and created solely for this show. The wheel will cost $30,000 and it can be amortized over several shows. If your initial series is 6 shows, spread the cost of the wheel over all 6 shows and allocate $5,000 on the Amortization line for the wheel

Table 7.6 6203-SERIES AMORTIZATION

table7_6

Budgeting for a series of episodes recurring periodically requires the same steps as a feature, with a few additional line items. Like a film, every project is different; add or delete budgetary line items as necessary. If you are planning a show with a live studio audience, in your extras category, include line items for casting, coordinating, feeding and warming up that audience.

Table 7.7

5700–001 EXTRAS/CROWD
5700–002 EXTRAS CASTING
5700–003 EXTRAS CASTING EXPENSES
5700–004 AUDIENCE COORDINATOR
5700–005 ASST. AUDIENCE COORDINATOR
5700–006 AUDIENCE WARM UP
5700–007 AUDIENCE EXPENSES
5700–008 SEAT FILL COORDINATOR
5700–009 SEAT FILLERS
5700–010 CONTESTANT COORDINATOR
5700–011 ASST. CONTESTANT COORDINATOR
5700–012 CONTESTANT EXPENSES

Other unique budget line items: If you work with a talent agency to package a series (put together appropriate actors, director, or other significant attachments), insert an “Agency Fee” or “Packaging Fee” line in the Above the Line portion of the budget (occasionally it appears in the Below The Line: Other). This is typically a contractual payment, budgeted as 3–5% of the license fee a network will pay for the show (FYI, this might appear in a feature budget too if you are working with an agency).

The Pilot

One development scenario in television: a producer develops an idea into a script, attaches actors, a director, key crew, creates a schedule and budget. (Just like development for a film). If the producer pitches this idea (to a television network, premium or basic cable channel) and they like it, the network may commission a pilot— a first, sample episode that conveys the basic situation, concept and characters.

The budget of the pilot is usually 1–3 times higher than the cost of an average show. It must be completed as professionally as possible, including effects, music, great sound and visuals, but doesn’t require vivid show opening graphics or complete end credits.

The pilot episode is a first impression and must grab the audience with something—a great stunt, amazing set, special effects. A pilot is your first (and only) shot at pulling in viewers and getting them hooked. A network will test the pilot with viewers over several months. If picked up by a network, a run of episodes may be ordered—anywhere from 5–13, to try it out on audiences and get a reaction, they order more—the “back nine” (golf term) later, after a hiatus.

A TV show “season” was once considered to be 13 episodes. But to be on the safe side (cheaper and less risky), broadcasters may start by licensing only 6 episodes to see how audiences react. If everything goes well, they can always license more. If audiences don’t respond, broadcasters look for something else. Beginning television budgeters, unless asked otherwise, should start by budgeting 5–13 episodes.

Creating a pilot on spec (speculation) means that you don’t have a client yet, you are creating the pilot to pitch to a client in the hopes that they will fund ongoing production of that show, or in case of the web, the producer is planning to distribute it and build an audience—monetizing the venture by selling ads, or other sponsorship financing, or selling copies of the shows, or raising money some other way, such as donations—in order to keep making the show. Pilot episodes created on speculation, if picked up, will likely get remade prior to airing. Nonetheless, the pilot (or test tape) has to be as high quality as possible.

65+ episodes equals syndication (can predictably license the shows again, on a different network and/or overseas), filling a substantial hole in any television schedule—4 seasons in a year of 52 weeks, each season being 13 weeks long, 65 episodes means you can play a show every weeknight.

Table 7.8

Week Monday—Friday nightly episode
1 5
2 5
3 5
4 5
5 5
7 5
8 5
9 5
10 5
11 5
12 5
13 5
5 × 13 = 65 episodes

TV is big and growing, albeit in niche ways, so it’s simultaneously getting bigger and smaller—there are a greater number of channels all the time, directed at increasingly focused, niche markets—Food Network, Game Show Channel, History Channel, Home and Garden TV, Logo, VH1, Oprah Winfrey Network. IPTV, Internet integration with television, creates an opportunity for a limitless amount of channels. Even if you don’t have a broadcasting partner, your content can play online and anyone with a television that accesses the Internet can watch . (Of course you have to let viewers know about it, that’s the hard part).

An important component to budgeting television programming effectively is to know the audience demographic—and cater production values to their tastes. Prime time network television shows must cater to a varied and wide audience—and will be generally more expensive. This is one reason reality programming is so popular, it’s cheap compared to scripted dramas and even successful sitcoms (Everyone Loves Raymond, Friends, Two and a Half Men) where actor salaries may run into the millions per episode.

Your show must insert appropriate commercial break points as are typical for programming on the network. Find out what the “clock” of the destination channel is, how many breaks and the length, as well as the length of each Act in the show. For example, one cable channel stipulates that their 40 minute programs = 22:20 minutes of actual program, in 4 acts, (3 breaks)

  • Act 1:5–7 minutes
  • Act 4: 4–5 minutes

Each commercial break: in black—10 seconds long

Educational and Corporate Film

An expense that can be significant in educational and corporate films relates to research and licensing stock footage, stills, historical images or video and music.

Variations on a theme for corporate and educational use include some mix of:

  • Demonstration or Training
  • Talking heads or interviews
  • Incorporating graphics into above (motion graphics, animation, stills, composites, or something computer generated like pdfs or PowerPoint presentations)
  • Scripted (generally with actors, or not complicated if using non-actors)
  • Unscripted
  • You will need to find out when and how you will have access to: buildings, people, or insider situations.

When working with real people, not actors, you will need more time. You may have to shoot extra shots because they are nervous, or cannot memorize lines and often appear stiff and unnatural. As these types of projects tend to be cheaper than a feature film, (although not always), a single unit—Director, DP, Sound Person, Grip, Gaffer—and a few additional support staff are required.

When shooting in a corporate or school environment, plan on noise, disturbance, interruptions and multiple light sources. Check in advance for freight elevators, where to enter and limitations on size of gear. Depending on the end use of the project, these shoots span 1–5 days and require back and forth with the client, so get to know what their expectations are in terms of what will be spent and how.

A typical budgeting approach is to establish the actual costs of the production, then build a profit margin above that—from 50% to 200% and it isn’t usually added as a single line item, it is built into each line item of the project (also known as cost plus). You could forgo that and just add a “profit line” to the bottom of the budget, but that is vulnerable to client negotiating. If you are working with an educational partner, you may be expected to create study guides to accompany the film: find out what is expected and budget accordingly.

Important questions to ask about corporate and educational projects: who is going to watch the film, what is the purpose of it—is it internal? External? PR reels, sales meetings, company training videos to relay company policies are often needed and a good crew can bring some creativity and fun to these projects. Simple story boards go a long way in communicating the creative aspect of these types of videos and can save time in the long run.

Educational video: should match the instructor’s intent—and relate to the materials it will accompany, whether lesson plans, online text and images and include the appropriate learning points. Logistical challenges of shooting at schools includes:

  • Scheduling facilities around existing class schedules
  • Setting up equipment and light that doesn’t disrupt the lesson
  • Finding students, teaching assistants and faculty willing and available to participate on camera
  • Editing out any faculty or students who wouldn’t sign releases

Work with the educator to deliver any supplemental materials that can be used in their teaching and you may want make sure the editor compresses the final video into different formats for a variety of uses.

Working Without a Script

Conventional wisdom says there is no budgeting a project without a script, but it happens all the time. The more scripts you breakdown, schedule and budget, the more your mind will seek out costly items. Schedule and budget for what is on the page—and as you read a treatment, synopsis, or story outline, seek expensive ingredients:

  • Children and animal actors
  • Complex scenes with crowds, huge cast
  • Multitudes of locations
  • Long, elaborate story that will require a long script
  • Legal rights and permissions of famous songs, pre-existing movie footage, famous artwork or buildings
  • Nighttime shooting outside
  • Epic stories, Elaborate sets, Period piece, Sci-fi
  • Car chases, Plane fights, Marine scenes, helicopter footage
  • War scenes, Race cars, pyrotechnics, explosions, destruction
  • New, untested machinery

While the devil is in the details, the genre and scope of the story can give you a feel for the budget range—compare the treatment or synopsis to: a dogme type project—a drama about relationships using only natural light (The Celebration), or a coming-of-age comedy (Napoleon Dynamite) with a lot of hanging out, or a horror flick in one location, like Paranormal Activity. Drawing parallels of the basic story to existing films will establish guidelines.

Think of movies like Clerks—if you had access to one super-cheap, or nearly-free, location (a convenience store), with a strong script and talented, hungry actors, you could probably film it for $27,000, especially in a digital format and editing with a non-linear program like Final Cut, Adobe Premiere or Avid. (Note, there was a significant budget bump up spent on the film in post, >$200,000, most likely by Miramax who distributed it, but at that point the film was made.)

If the schedule and budget depends in large part on your guess-timations of scene ingredients and you have a director to work with, talk it through with her so you are making educated conclusions. It depends on the scope of the project and your team’s tenacity.

Filming a play on a stage from several angles could be edited into a complete film and it would be relatively inexpensive.

For unscripted material, more cameras (that don’t see each other in the frame) are good so you don’t miss the unexpected.

Reality television or unscripted shows often work in a non-scripted environment—working toward a certain premise and related goals (conflict, drama, love, hate, back-stabbing, frenemies, sorrow, apology). Ingredients may include a central location (and related expenses), crew, small cast and the show is based on filming the relationships and conflict that takes place in that environment. The creator’s plot points, or an end-goal (who will win the race, be the last to survive), some climax to work toward and the constantly running cameras look for and encourage those moments.

You can construct a film in the same way with actors who are comfortable improvising—using a basic template, or premise—and then really develop and sculpt the story through the editing process. With improv-style projects, allot time for rehearsal and shooting multiple takes, to capture the magic when it appears.

As you might imagine, a loose shooting plan requires a lot of work on the post side, really diligent assistant editors to track and log footage and editors with patience and an eye for story, so it is necessary to build extra time and money into the post process for the editor to work their magic.

End of Chapter Seven Review

To Improve Budget
  • Use groups to compare costs of specific groups of items for deep analysis
  • Create different versions
  • Compare different versions
Narrative Feature Film
  • Work the script
  • Tell everyone you know
  • Marathon Mentality
  • Networking for your film
  • Don’t wait to plan and budget for marketing and distribution
Documentary
  • Schedule may go in fits and starts
  • Unique budget line items include research, clip licensing, grant and foundation funding, fiscal sponsorship, donations
  • Similar to a Triathlon—a long race in disparate pieces
Shorts, Web Video, Webisodes, Mobisodes
  • Establish a goal for the project
  • Decide what you want to get out of it
  • Decide how long you will spend working on the project
Television
  • The type of show affects the schedule and budget process. Treat stand alone, 1-off shows like a film
  • In television, the Executive Producer runs the show, much like the primary producer in a film
  • You may be called upon to schedule and budget a sale or sizzle tape, to highlight noteworthy moments or characters in the show
  • Schedule and Budget a pilot (just like a feature)
  • A budget for a series of episodes consists of a pattern budget (“average budget per typical episode”) and a separate amortization budget—for high costs to be amortized or spread over, all of the episodes
  • Keep in mind at all times the target audience
Educational and Corporate
  • Like documentary forms, you will need line items for licensing and clearances
  • Direction for these usually comes from a specific client, educational board and subject matter
  • Keep in mind at all times the target audience, what they should take away from the film
  • These are usually scheduled for short shoots and often have to accommodate noisy environments with people who aren’t used to being on camera (takes a bit longer, patience)
  • These clients may be unfamiliar with the technology and require guidance regarding deliverables
Working Without a Script
  • Schedule and budget what you read from the synopsis or treatment
  • Keep your eye out for expensive elements
  • Compare the material to pre-existing films and research their budgets
  • Work with the director to form proper assumptions about locations, cast and time factors
  • Reality TV and Improvisatory style: need some clear goals, multiple cameras, lots of time in post and a great editor

Notes

1. “How to Obtain Permission,” Copyright.gov. https://www.copyright.gov/circs/m10.pdf.

2. “More Information on Fair Use,” Copyright.gov. https://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/more-info.html.

3. “Fair Use Information From Copyright.gov,” OKMEA.org. Accessed April 10, 2017. http://okmea.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/FAIR-USE-information-from-copyright.pdf

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