Template
Film Budget Template
The standard budget structure — above-the-line, below-the-line, post and other — with what belongs in each account and how the top sheet rolls up. Built for indie features, shorts and commercials.
What is a film budget?
A film budget estimates the total cost of a production, organised into accounts and grouped into above-the-line, below-the-line, post-production and other categories. Account totals roll up into a top sheet summarising the whole production, which is then tracked against actual spend as the film is made.
The template, field by field
Above-the-line
| Field | What it's for | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Story and rights | Script purchase, option payments, writer fees, and any underlying rights. | Required |
| Producers | Producer, executive producer and co-producer fees. | Required |
| Director | Director's fee, plus any development or prep period compensation. | Required |
| Principal cast | Lead performer fees, agreed as a fee rather than a day rate at this level. | Required |
| ATL travel and living | Travel and accommodation for above-the-line personnel. | Optional |
Below-the-line — production
| Field | What it's for | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Production staff | Line producer, production manager, coordinators, ADs, PAs. | Required |
| Camera | DP, operators, ACs, DIT, plus camera package rental. | Required |
| Lighting and grip | Gaffer, best boy, electricians, key grip, plus lighting and grip packages. | Required |
| Sound | Production sound mixer, boom operator, sound package. | Required |
| Art department | Production designer, art director, set dec, props, construction, set dressing. | Required |
| Wardrobe, hair and makeup | Designers, supervisors, assistants, plus purchases and rentals. | Required |
| Supporting cast and background | Day players, extras, and any casting fees. | Required |
| Locations | Location fees, permits, security, parking and site costs. | Required |
| Transport | Vehicles, drivers, fuel and unit moves. | Optional |
| Catering | Meals and craft services across the shoot. | Required |
Post-production and other
| Field | What it's for | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | Editor, assistant editor, cutting room and equipment. | Required |
| Picture finishing | Colour grade, online conform, titles and deliverables. | Required |
| Sound post | Sound design, ADR, foley, mix and stems. | Required |
| Music | Composer, recording, and any licensed tracks with clearance. | Optional |
| Visual effects | VFX shots, by vendor or in-house, budgeted per shot where possible. | Optional |
| Insurance and legal | Production insurance, E&O, and legal fees. | Required |
| Contingency | Typically 10 percent. Not optional, and not a slush fund. | Required |
How to build a film budget
- 1
Start from the schedule, not a spreadsheet
Shoot days, cast hold days and company moves drive most costs. Budgeting before you have a schedule is guessing with decimal places.
- 2
Build the account structure
Set up above-the-line, below-the-line, post and other, with accounts under each. Follow convention — accountants and financiers expect a recognisable shape.
- 3
Cost the crew from real day rates
Use actual local rates for the roles and region, not national averages. Rates vary enormously by city and by whether the show is union.
- 4
Price equipment as packages
Camera, lighting and grip are rented as packages with weekly rates and negotiated discounts, not per item per day.
- 5
Add fringes and overheads
Payroll taxes, pension, holiday pay and agency fees are substantial and routinely forgotten by first-time producers.
- 6
Add contingency
Ten percent is standard. Anyone telling you a production will not need it has not finished one.
- 7
Roll up and sanity-check the top sheet
Compare account totals as a percentage of the whole against comparable productions. Outliers are usually mistakes rather than insight.
Hard-won tips
- Contingency is not optional. A budget without it is a plan to run out of money at roughly 80 percent of principal photography.
- Fringes on crew wages are the single most commonly forgotten cost — often 20 percent or more on top of the headline rate.
- Budget hold days explicitly. Cast held between work days are paid, and the number is invisible until you look at the DOOD.
- Cost VFX per shot, not as a lump sum. A lump sum is a wish.
- Track estimated against actual weekly during the shoot. Overspend found at wrap cannot be fixed; overspend found in week two can.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is above-the-line vs below-the-line?
- Above-the-line covers the creative principals whose deals are negotiated before production — story rights, producers, director and principal cast. Below-the-line covers the technical crew, equipment and physical production costs.
- What is a top sheet?
- A one-page summary of the budget showing account totals rolled up by category, with the grand total. It is what financiers and executives read; the detail sits underneath.
- How much contingency should a film budget have?
- Ten percent is the standard convention. Higher for productions with significant location, weather, stunt or VFX exposure.
- What are fringes?
- Employment costs on top of the headline wage — payroll taxes, pension contributions, holiday pay and agency fees. They can add 20 percent or more and are routinely underestimated.
- Do I need Movie Magic Budgeting?
- If you are delivering to a studio, a completion bond company or a union production accountant, very likely yes — they expect that file format. For indie, commercial and content work, no.
- How detailed should an indie budget be?
- Detailed enough that every line is a number you can defend. Vague lump sums are where indie budgets fail, because they hide the costs you have not thought about yet.
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