About DavideAndrew Papa Expertise DavideAndrew Papa is able to answer specific questions relating to Acting, Script wiriting,production,directing and Producing 35 mm motion Pictures for International distribution,based on AMPAS protocols,and personal opionions based on experience.
Experience
Past/Present clients Have dealt with Los angeles biggest talent agencies,and hollywoods biggest distribution companies...too numerous to mention here(due to confidentiality clauses)
Expert: DavideAndrew Papa Date: 9/7/2003 Subject: budgets for shorts, features
Question I have become friends with a couple that are very
enthusiastic about producing films, and have hired me to
direct them.
They first want to make a 15 minute short, and then within
the year make a feature length film.
Having worked in digital video for the last several years, I
wish to provide them with an estimate of budget costs.
Unfortunetly I have never budgeted a 16mm or 35mm film.
Assuming the following, what range should I expect?
For the 15min. short, we will shoot on super 16, transfer to
digital and edit using Final Cut Pro 4, make a print to super
16, and then transfer to 35mm. All actors except for the
lead will work for free. I would like to pay the director of
photography and sound operator as well. I will edit. There
are no unusual set pieces or locations.
For the feature, essentially the same deal, only at a 90 min.
running time.
I have guess-timated that the short could be done for ten
thousand dollars, and the feature could be done for half a
million. Am I totally off base?
These are going to be real "mom and pop" productions,
using friends for many of the postions.
In addition, what do you think would be fair to ask for my
services as director and editor?
Thank you,
Robert Goodrich
Answer Dear Robert..
WOW...what a question..I''ll try my best to put it in some sort of perspective...?
You are looking for a hint...or an idea for budget estimate...?So let me give you some general advice which may help..as I don't really know the in's and out's of the whole deal..
(1)Yes the short film could cost 10,000 dollar or even double (USA DOLLARS) or it could cost you a whole lot less..I wouldn't go super 16/to Video/to super 16 if you are entering a film festival comp...(unless they demand it..)Go digital direct /edit/ to VHS..you'll save heaps..(or digital/edit/digital disc..)Film processing is what 's going to eat you money up...Remeber you are entering a Film comp...Those people have seen it all before...Your job is to convince them that they haven't..!!! Hence it's you ability as a Director that will take precedence over the quality of the Short film production...work with what you have to create your short film..In otherwords maximize your skill to the max. You don't have to make a great production...just a good one, thus your skill to capture the required scenes is what is going to make you stand out...If you must use super 16 then the same rules apply anyway...that and your skill as an editor:
Anyone can make a Movie using the best equipment..but many of the best directors in world,wouldn't know how to make a film on a shoe string budget,using the most basic equiment....hence it's your skill that will move an audience,even more so when potential investors realise that your "good "film was made so cheaply...Investors would immediately ask themselves this question..."if this movie has been done by a director with very little funding or equipment...Just image what he can do if he's fully funded..."??? Get my point...!!-That's your objective:
(2)Never Guess...Always overestimate than underestimate a budget...The best way to wreck your Film project is too run out of money near the end..and where you have to beg for more money...and to only be given enough. where you have to give up your DIRECTOR'S ARTIST values,in an effort to end a film,differently than you have envisaged it from the start...If the film fails in front an audience,you'll bang your head forever,for taking short cuts...and such short cuts could ruin any chances for future work.
Its far better to overestimate a Film projects value,negotiate downwards to a sum that is still more than what you have budgeted for...Thus MAKE SURE A FEE IS ALSO INCLUDED FOR ALL YOUR SERVICES,in that way if you do fall short,money allocated for your services could ending up saving your film project...Thus giving up some or all of your SERVICE fee to save a project... and finish it the way you envisage it....,is a good back up plan.You'll get your rewards at a later time...for if the film is a success and is picked up for distribution...lots of work for your services will be readily available..as either a editor or director.
(3)Make sure your Script is tight...and I mean really tight
no matter if you are making a cheap film of a 35mm blockbuster...THIS IS WHERE MOST BUDGETS FAIL.....DO NOT START YOUR PROJECT UNTIL EVERY part of the master script is fully visualised and made 100 percent workable...A GOOD SCRIPT IS YOUR BIBLE....break down each scene to its smallest element...make it work on paper...and you'll have the best document in your possession for making a budget...Ask for the the final draft copy and spend days breaking it down.
(4)Work out what shooting cutting ratio is going to be..but lets assume from the start that its going to be at least 7 to one...That means for every second of the SCENE,you are going to film no less than 7 takes...
EG:A 30 second scene will require no less than 7 takes (210 seconds...)Thus you can now TIME how long a 15 minute project will take to film(105 minutes)
without accounting for travelling or setting up time...(which you can work out easily because you know the location distances...and set up time of your equipment..)The same rules apply for a 35 mm project except allow at least a 10 to one cutting ratio for editing;
this allows you to also work out how much stock will be needed to be purchased.. EG 35mm Fuji 500 at lets say costs ONE dollar per foot to buy..ONE second of film uses 24 frames which is converted to about ONE and A HALF FEET...your take ratio is 10 to ONE which equals 15 feet per second 900 feet per minute...81000 feet for a NINETY minute film project (and that's low)..
Now you already know that just the film stock along is going to cost you EIGHTY ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS...Get the idea..??? whether your film is short or long,ONCE you have a really tight well produced script,and break the scenes down...you can work out exactly what YOUR budget is going to be...(keep this figure in your head,,,don't tell anyone and add 10 percent,then negotiate down if need be,BUT DON"T GO UNDER this figure if the script breakdown costs shows it can't be done...)So 900 feet of film will cover about a minute of on screen filming after finding the best scenes for editing...This also gives you all the intercuts you need:-thats 10 minutes of actually shooting time..allow 20 minutes for in between takes (double)then allow set up time,lights,etc...allow two hours per scene minimum..You can see that a minute on screen time equates to a shoot on 35 mm easily taking 2 and a half hours minimum to make-a 90 minute film ..if everything is close by...and if every one works 12 hours without a break per day could be finished in under 19 days..(keep this minimum number in your head..add lunch breaks,rest time,bad weather days off...that's worth another 30 percent ...your final shooting days will number about 25 days if all goes well..You add another 20 percent to YOUR DAYS,and tell everyone involved that the film and subsequent funding must cover for 30 days of filming)
If you are ahead...everyone is going to love you,if you are behind then the overestimates should buffer you,so that you won't be asking for much more funding...or you could fund it by not collecting payments for further directing services until the film is completed...and you'll still be a hero...)
Production values and times are so important...spend time on the script,even for the short film and break all values and times down...This is how you are going to do your budget...
Once everything is accounted for on the script...then start phoning Film services for QUOTES...eg;How much is 50,000 feet of stock going to cost...How much will street permits to film going to cost...How much is Film liability insurance going to cost...How much will it cost to hire the Ferrari for a day in scene five going to cost...etc...etc...add it all up,over estimate everything,and present your budget..It takes weeks...and it takes a lot of work,but your producers will be impressed....and this is for and INDEPENDENT production...if the unions are involved,then expect production values to triple;
Recap;
(1)GET you script in order
(2)BREAK IT DOWN
(3)PRESENT BUDGET:
AS FOR YOUR FEES...ASK FOR 10 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL BUDGET AMOUT FOR A SMALL QUICK PROJECT USING HAND HELD EQUIPMENT PAID TO YOU DAILY, WEEKLY...EG: 20,000 DOLLAR FILM ASK FOR A TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS PAYABLE 700 DOLLARS EVERY 3 DAYS...ETC....AND YOU'LL THROW IN THE EDITING FOR FREE (THAT'S CHEAP)
ENSURE ON FRONT LARGE CREDITS:
FOR A MAJOR PROJECT OF LETS SAY ONE MILLION BUCKS PLUS .ASK FOR 7 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL BUDGET...AND WEEKLY PAYMENT TERMS...BUT DON'T GO LOWER THAN 4 PERCENT... ALSO ASK FOR 3 PERCENT OF THE PRODUCERS NET FROM SALES...(KEEP YOUR TOTAL PACKAGE AROUND THE 10 PERCENT MARK,BUT DON'T GO BELOW 5 PERCENT IN TOTAL...)You are being paid for your creativity...so don't feel humble...if your directing is good,people will talk about it...and the film will earn a lot more money,than it would if it were bad.
I hope the above I clear enough and helpful....I have some good free advice midway on a free community website...check it out on www.sicaplanet.freeservers.com
If you need further clarification on any points don't hesitate to ask another question...
