Pre-Production List

[Banned: Andrew McCarrick]

Originally Posted by directorik

First thing you need to do is put together a complete line item
budget. You do that before you ask for headshots, before you
ask for financing. Right now you are asking people to donate
to your Indiegogo campaign (at $15,000) but you don't even
know exactly how much you need.

Put that at the top of your preproduction check list and get it
finished BEFORE you do anything else.

When you are making an under $10,000 feature you can ask
cast to provide their own wardrobe - when you get into the
$80,000 to $150,000 range YOU hire a costumer and buy
the wardrobe.

I've already done a line item budget:
http://www.area51entertainment.co/xmas/xmas.xlsx

But that is based on getting hotel rooms for everybody. I maybe able to pull rental houses in the area, which reduce the lodging budget down to $30k as opposed to the current $60k.

I'm trying to do everything possible to reduce costs.

And as far as casting goes, I've already gotten over 600 submissions.

[mlesemann]

Your 100/ day rate for actors suggests SAG ULB, yes?
If so, don't forget to include 17.9% for those actor for p&h contribution.
Also, overtime rules are tight re paying overtime, second meal break, etc.

[Morris]

If you have worker's compensation, you would probably also have unemployment insurance.

[jax_rox]

No post costs..? No legal costs..? No marketing costs..?

Also, every single producer I have ever worked with adds an extra 10% of the total budget as a contingency.

I'm not really sure what's going on here though - you've drawn up a budget for 150k but expect that you won't get it? If you expect that you're only going to raise 50k, then you need to do a line item budget for 50k, or keep raising funds until you hit 150k.

[Alcove Audio]

Are you paying crew?

[Banned: Andrew McCarrick]

Originally Posted by jax_rox

No post costs..? No legal costs..? No marketing costs..?

Also, every single producer I have ever worked with adds an extra 10% of the total budget as a contingency.

I'm not really sure what's going on here though - you've drawn up a budget for 150k but expect that you won't get it? If you expect that you're only going to raise 50k, then you need to do a line item budget for 50k, or keep raising funds until you hit 150k.

Covering posts costs myself. Don't need legal, got that covered myself.

Well the issue is, I absolutely need $150k minimum to shoot, or the whole thing will fall apart in my opinion. I don't see anything I can cut, that wouldn't out right sacrifice the entire integrity of the film.

Crew is working deferred.

And the cast is non-union. I'm just paying minimum wage (which is technically legally required) for a 12 hour day.

[Banned: Andrew McCarrick]

Here's a copy of the script. If anybody has any free time, break it down and tell me what you would estimate the budget at.

http://www.area51entertainment.co/xmas/xmas.pdf



I'd like to get product placement, as there are numerous opportunities to do so in the script; but I don't even know where to start with such as thing.

[EuropeanDistributor]

Originally Posted by Andrew McCarrick

Here's a copy of the script. If anybody has any free time, break it down and tell me what you would estimate the budget at.

http://www.area51entertainment.co/xmas/xmas.pdf



I'd like to get product placement, as there are numerous opportunities to do so in the script; but I don't even know where to start with such as thing.

You can't just casually ask anyone to do a breakdown for you for free.

You need to do it yourself or hire a line producer.

Also a product placement deal for a no name indie movie is extremely unlikely.

You might be able to get some local businesses to give you some services for a discount if you show their products/store etc. on screen, but you probably won't be able to raise any money with that.

[Banned: Andrew McCarrick]

Originally Posted by EuropeanDistributor

You can't just casually ask anyone to do a breakdown for you for free.

I already did one. That's what the budget I posted shows. I'm asking other people to do it and tell me if I'm doing anything wrong; which I don't think I am.

[moonshieldmedia]

I'm sensing a lot of negativity here. I'm sure Andrew is well aware that making a feature film is not going to be easy, but he came to us for help and support.

Maybe I'm being oversensitive because of recent personal experience, but I told my filmmaker friend that I was going to shoot my own feature for $10,000 and he completely shot me down. He said I was making a mistake, but I'm a firm believer that it can be done, and done well.

[Morris]

While most of this is on film http://motion.kodak.com/motion/Educa...referenceguide, if you download the PDF version and go to Page 83 and beyond, you will see more of what needs to be considered.