Industry Rates for creating a budget (Where are they?)

Saejma

Saejma

New member
Hey everyone,

I'm brand new to this forum but I think you all might be able to point me in the right direction.

I am a senior in college for video production and we're having to create a mock budget for a low budget short film. My script is around 15 pages.

The problem I'm running into is actually pretty crazy. WHERE on earth is a place I can find going industry rates?! How am I supposed to make an accurate budget when the information is not listed anywhere? Is there a reason it's so tucked away?

I've contacted local companies and no one has replied. I have seen maybe two places online with lists but have no idea if they are reliable and up-to-date sources.

There has got to be some type of list with rates all in one place. I refuse to believe it doesn't exist. - Can anyone point me in the right direction?

From Pre-Production, to Production to Post.. I need rates for everyone.
 
Usually this are not publicly available since each job can be different and a service provider may have a tiered offering or the ability to negotiate a deal (your role as a producer). There is also some competitive reservation at play here to not lose a job by listing a price that will most likely be negotiated anyway.

Depending on where you are based, you will have more or less to choose from competitively - putting it all together for final budget will be based on your calling and negotiating the services required for your project.

Michael
 
You might approach this in a different way. If you have a estimated schedule for your film, including all tasks. you might know that you will need a audio guy and boom op for say, three days. Call a audio guy and ask him what his day rate is with assistant. Does he have all the equipment or will you need to do some renting? The same process can be used for each portion of production. Add the cost of permits, catering, etc, etc, etc.. Sum up, add a contingency that makes you comfortable.

Although disguised as a budget project for a film, this is really a project management assignment. Take a look at the critical path method and project management software like MS Project.

Grant
 
15 pages = ~ 15 minutes

$4,000.00 per finished minute = $60k Total Operating Budget

+ 10% Contingency ($6,000)


Rock bottom quote to client $66k.

Terms 50% down at contract signing and 50% due on delivery.

Now ask me something hard.
 
^^ lol..unfortunately I need a very detailed budget or else I'd say thanks.
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Okay, so what about pre-prod people like location managers and scouts? Are they paid per location?

Casting Directors..etc.

Unfortunately I don't have time to call all of these people one by one so I'm making estimates- just trying to get as close as possible.
 
A more to the point question might be why the heck are they asking you to do a "detailed" budget with out telling you how it's done?

One way you might do it is to take a look at JUNGLE SOFTWARE's, GORILLA. It's a scheduling and budgeting package and you can get current rate books to go along with it, might even be able to get it all as a demo? I know you can get the app as a demo.

Have they taught you how to schedule yet? If you haven't got a schedule the budget is just a guess. There is also an outfit that will spit out a budget based on answering a few questions. But that is a bit of a wank since it is all based on genre length and some other factors.

A real budget needs a real schedule and breakdown. Or you can go the mini-indi route and come up with a final number (say your credit limit) and go backwards ;~)
 
These are my thoughts exactly. I think she may have not been super specific on how we were supposed to go about doing the research. She wants sources but told us we shouldn't actually have to call anyone to ask them personally- that the information would be available.

We have done our breakdowns and scheduling, but I'm about to start breaking things starting with Mr. Laptop.

:badputer:
 
haha, that doesn't make much sense because there is no standard rate for anyone, really. There may be union minimums, sure, but not everyone shoots with every union, even if they shoot with a few unions.

On our film, we paid just about minimum to everyone because that's all we had in the budget, and on a short that would also be common -- favored nations status.
 
The idea is to create a budget so if we wanted to find funding it would be possible.

But this is seriously ridiculous. I was able to contact some local Film houses and was able to get a couple of ideas but it only scratched the surface for the template I have to fill out.

For example of the things I have to find is: How much should I budget in for myself as producer?

I keep hitting walls. If any of you ever decide to teach a production management class...please give them a list of imaginary rates! Just because I'm a student doesn't mean I have 20 hours to spare for banging my head on things around the house.

Anyway- back to the never ending scavenger hunt for things that don't exist.

-Rachael-
 
It might be best to view the cast and crew as widgets.

For the cast, contact your local aftra/sag to get a copy of their daily rates. Is the job Cat 1 or 2, commercial, industrial, on/off camera and so on. They may have the the rates posted on their website.

For the crew, contact your film commission or a crew rental agencies for the various crew position daily rates.

This should give you the fastest response and save time and headache contacting production companies. No one is going to share their rates if they know there is no job in the end. They just don't have that kind of time. The unions and crew agencies will be glad to give you a list of their prices because it supports their idea of industry standard rates.

If asked by your instructor, you will be able to support these rates with an industry standard point of reference.

Does the script have multiple set-ups and multiple locations? These factors will adjust the price as well.

As mentioned, actual rates are all over the map. Rates are based on skill set, experience ,location, schedule, reputation, budget, friendship, your power of negotiation, duration of the job and the economy just to name a few.
 
craigbowman said:
$4,000.00 per finished minute
Click to expand...

Based on what?

Costumes, sets, props, cars, the number of takes and the type and amount of coverage can all push this up considerably. If you use a dolly or crane, that will push up your production budget. Gunfight? Car chase? Fire or explosions? Dance number? All will push up your production budget.

Shooting greenscreen or bluescreen and then compositing will push up your post budget. Lack of coverage can push this up, as well. Shooting with multiple cameras will increase your budget. Will you need to replace skys? retouch the skin of your female lead? Turn someones eyes from blue to brown? Replace all of your location sound (this happens more than you'd think!)? All will push up your post budget.

And where will you be doing all of this? Bulgaria, for example, is much cheaper than New York City.
 
Out of curiosity does this template have post in it? I could give you estimates on sound post. The thing is if your doing a short and your a student AND you know how to promote you can get away very cheap. Once you cross over into "professional" it gets more expensive, but even then most things are done based on a bid and the bid is based on the film. Sight unseen and no idea what kind of film it is I would bid a daily rate. But in reality that would be way over (probably) what I would bid if I knew the project and director. And when your in the micro range the content plays a part. If you have a great looking film then you can probably cut a better deal, but it really has to be good.
 
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