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Budget of documentary. How to make a good budget for your documentary film project.
Tipo: Guías, Proyectos, Investigaciones
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This section covers in detail the standard industry production budget for a documentary and breaks down the budget into phases of production. A glossary of terms is included for easy reference.
There are many elements and phases to consider when reading a production budget.
Because budgets are layered and complex, Australian funding agencies, as well as independent producers, may consult a budget reader to assess feasibility. The documentation required by a third party to properly assess the budget, such as a budget consultant, should include: summary and detailed budget, script/treatment, director’s vision, production schedule (a broad overview of the production timeline from signing investment agreements to marketing and distribution of the film), and other statements on how the film will be made as well as key principals involved in making the film.
Most Australian independent filmmakers and production companies use the standard A-Z budget. In general terms, the production company is a company that is associated with the making of a film/documentary. In many cases the production company is the rightful holder of the copyright in the film.
The A-Z budgets are considered the industry standard in Australia, and local funding agencies expect documentary filmmakers to use the Documentary Budget template when submitting for development or production funding.
The A-Z ‘Documentary Budget’ is broken into several key areas:
An A-Z budget will contain: a cover page (an overview of production and financing details, schedules and locations as well as archival material); a summary page (an overview of budget categories); a detailed budget (the line by line detailed budget); and budget worksheets (expense calculation sheets revealing breakdown of formula in precise detail).
The above-the-line costs are the major expenses, which have either been spent or committed to before production begins. Above-the-line includes development costs for story rights, research, travel, relevant salaries for producer/s, director, writer, and perhaps even cast (if drama elements are to form part of the narrative).
Note that budgets to do not contain GST amounts.
The following letters and numbers refer to line items and categories in the AFC A-Z budget. Fees and rates included in this document are indicative only.
A
Story rights acquisition fees: the percentage should be low. For example no more than 3% of the budget, and where the budget is $1.5 million, less than .5%. Due to the nature of low budgets in documentaries, it’s common to have a nominal and exchange fee of $1. Story rights acquisition fees vary depending on with whom the story originated ie is it based on an underlying work such as a non-fiction bestseller?
A
Refers to development costs and buyout fees. There are two main sections: (a) These costs refer to government agencies who have loaned development monies to the production/producers; these are paid back, and usually include a 10% interest (or the percentage agreed to in the development investment agreement between agency and producer). And (b) Consultancy fees and expenses such as research, budgets, schedules, location surveys, legal, travel and accommodation etc.
B
Producer/s lines which includes all producer categories from Executive Producer to Line Producer. Perhaps consider the total percentage of budget that these lines represent?
B
This line refers to the Directors fees – what is the total percentage of the budget here?
Below-the-line costs are all the physical costs not included in the above-the-line expenses. These include the salaries of the non-starring cast members and the technical crew as well as rental of facilities, sound and camera gear, transfer of rushes, location, gratuities, travel, accommodation, insurance, catering, music rights, marketing, publicity costs etc.
In the film industry, the term Production refers to the phase of film-making during which principal photography occurs. Commonly, however, production also means the entire film/documentary project.
Pre-Production follows Development. During this phase of production, all the necessary arrangements are made which are required to start principal photography (the shooting of the film). This can include setting up the production office, opening up a bank account and establishing banking arrangements, installing and creating communication systems, scheduling the shoot, hiring of camera and sound gear, obtaining releases from documentary subjects, locking in all locations and obtaining the relevant permission from councils, arrange catering, travel and any accommodation, arrangement of post production facilities, processes and technical pathways etc
Category C covers crew fees.
Wages and salaries must meet the Award minimums under the Motion Picture Production Agreement. Wages and salaries should be commensurate with the crew member’s experience. Technical or location difficulties may also impact on crew fees.
A PDF copy of the Motion Picture Production Agreement Summary can be obtained at:
http://www.alliance.org.au/component/option,com_docman/Itemid,51/task,cat_view/gid,10/o rderby,dmdate_published/ascdesc,DESC/. The summary provides Award rates/conditions of work, and it should be noted that these rates protect the less-experienced film/TV professionals.
C1 – PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT
You should juxtapose production crew size with the scope of documentary. Some questions to ask: Is the crew sufficient or too large? Does the production have an accountant on board? (The production accountant is an important member of the team.)
C4 – CAMERA
Besides the director of photography (DOP) what other specialist camera crew is required, if any, and why? DOP fees can vary between $1,600 per week to $2,500 per week (refer to Award under the Motion Pictures Production Agreement).
E9b) – CAST & CASTING
This category covers provision for casting fees and expenses, if and when the production needs to employ actors for drama elements of the documentary. In this instance, has a cast worksheet been supplied? If not, please ask the project officer to request one from the producer.
Are there a drama scenes which require extras? If so, have these been included, and are the fees in accordance with the Award? (note there are different rates for city and country extras).
F1, 2 – COSTUMES, MAKEUP & HAIRDRESSING
This category is primarily required where the documentary contains a drama element.
G – LOCATIONS and STAGE RENTALS
How many locations – and will travel be involved for the crew? This category includes council fees, gratuities, permits, security, studio rental and related utility fees.
H1-7 – ART DEPARTMENT, CONSTRUCTION & SPECIAL EFFECTS
This Category is mainly used for drama elements of a documentary.
Expenses cover Sets and Properties, such as set construction, props and set dressing, action vehicles, livestock, special effects including armoury.
I – STOCK AND LABORATORY – SHOOTING
This category deals with documentaries that intend to shoot on film stock rather than video stock; the process for each is different, film stock being more expensive. The latter pathway includes the film stock, developing the negative and telecine transfer to a video format. Telecine is a process where the film is transferred to video; the editor will cut the film in a video format. Sound has to be synced with picture.
Has the production managed to obtain any discounts?
J – TAPE SHOOTING AND RUSHES
What tape stock is the production shooting on? OR what is the “format’ as commonly referred to, for example, Mini DV & DVCAM, Digital Betacam, HDV, HD, DVC PRO etc. In some instances a production may use various formats during principal photography (for stylistic, practical and or technical reasons). To a degree, the style of the documentary will determine format.
The format/s will reflect the specific production processes and methodology pathway to shoot and complete the film. The shooting format may not always be the same as the delivery format given to the broadcaster or distributor.
How much stock is required? Has the production indicated what the shooting ratio will be, (how many minutes of shooting time per screen minute)?
Is the aspect ratio defined? This is the ratio between the width of the picture and the height of the picture. Aspect ratio can be 4:3 (1.33:1) – used for television, HDTV's aspect ratio is 16:9 (1.85:1) – also used for television (a variation is 14:9, which is an in between 4:3 and 16:9), and CinemaScope movies' aspect ratio is 2.35:1.
The J budget category also deals with transferring the daily camera originals. Dailies or Rushes are the recorded images shot during the course of production, which may be viewed at the end of each day by key creatives and crew. This is more likely to take place for a feature documentary/drama.
Sound stock and transfer is included in this category.
K1-6 – EQUIPMENT & STORES
This category covers camera, lighting, grip, sound and unit equipment required to support and or realise the shooting of the film. Note the type of camera, what additional rentals are necessary and what expendables. Are there any discounts?
L - RENTALS & STORAGE
Office rent, storage and miscellaneous expenses.
M & N – TRAVEL & TRANSPORT; ACCOMMODATION, LIVING & CATERING
M and N lines cover all expenses relating to travel and accommodation for all the production phases (domestic and international), per diems, as well as couriers, freight, parking/tolls, petrol, location catering etc.
Is there intrastate, interstate or international travel and accommodation? Are there worksheets for travel, accommodation, catering, and per diems?
What elements and or scenes of the documentary are being shot and in which locations? (domestic and international).
Have airport transfers, excess baggage fees and or carnet for international shoots been costed?
O – INSURANCES
Check what is being covered, for example generally public liability; workers' compensation; negative film risk; faulty stock/ camera and processing; multi-risk. Is Film Producer’s Indemnity required? For some documentaries where principal photography can’t go ahead without the director or one of its principals this insurance is necessary.
Is there travel insurance for overseas shoots?
Does this category apply and are there quotes?
V – POST-PRODUCTION SOUND Has the production supplied quotes?
What allowances have been made for sound stock, track lay, narration recording, foley, FX and final sound mix? Has an Audio deliverables worksheet been supplied? If the documentary is to have a theatrical release, a Dolby licence may be required if a 5. Dolby Stereo or Surround mix is involved. The standard Dolby Stereo licence fee is around $10,000 ex GST.
W – MUSIC
Is the music commissioned? Or is there a split between commissioned and pre-existing music? What allowances are there for clearances? The terms and conditions in the clearances/licences will determine the rights, territories and duration for each licence. Has a Music breakdown work sheet been supplied?
X1 – PUBLICITY & STILLS Is there allowance for a Stills Photographer? If funding agencies are involved they may specify and require certain Publicity deliverables. Publicity stills are crucial in the marketing and distribution of the film. A good publicity still can feature in key international film festivals as well as other mainstream and non-mainstream print media, providing significant exposure (especially if you are part of the publicity).
X2 – DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS Deliverables can vary significantly from film to film, and will largely depend on the funding agency/ies, broadcasters and distributors on board.
Deliverables can include: PAL/NTSC Digital Beta/SP Beta, DVD and VHS copies of the film; soundtrack files; M&E mix; music master, music cue sheet/s; Theatrical posters; Press kit; Photographic stills; post production scripts; all releases/agreements in relation to people and or actors who appear in the film, as well as clearances and licences for archival and audio material.
Be aware that this category can be grossly under-budgeted. The production should have a worksheet which breaks down all deliverables according to stock rates, conversion, transfer and duplication costs, and the quantity required for each organisation the Production Company has an agreement to supply deliverables to.
Note that Production Companies of feature documentaries may need to deliver other film materials such as: release print; interpositive; internegative: optical sound neg and textless version of the film. You may choose to visit Atlab Australia’s website for more information about the film pathway and what each film delivery item entails: www.atlab.com.au/
And if you would like details on what deliverables each funding agency requires, you should visit their respective website (links to follow).
These are costs not directly related to Above or Below the Line.
Y – FINANCE, LEGAL & BUSINESS
Is there allowance for an audit? Are bank and legal fees included? Legal fees will depend on the scope of the production and the amount of legal complexity and work involved. Does the production need to consider currency fluctuation? Is there a foreign co-production company involved and/or consideration of foreign pre-sales, money advanced from broadcasters to the production during pre-production, production and post-production and/or foreign distribution guarantee, an advance from a distributor?
The FFC in particular may require that the Production Company allows contingency for currency fluctuation.
Z – COMPANY OVERHEADS
Overheads include expenses during the marketing/distribution of the film to the marketplace and local/international film festivals. This will involve a minimum of five years and successful film producers may be working on it for over 10 years or more. Costs include format transfers, duplication, postage, international couriers, travel/accommodation, electronic press kits etc. Note the funding agencies require the Production Company to make allowance in this category.
COMPLETION GUARANTEE
Documentaries which are funded by a government agency will require a completion guarantor to ensure the production stays on budget and on schedule. The completion guarantor protects the investor’s interests as well as helping the producer to resolve issues/concerns in relation to the production and post-production phases in particular.
CONTINGENCY
The standard for documentaries is 10% of Below the Line; and less is unlikely to be approved by most funding agencies.
FINANCE COSTS
These costs will vary according to the funding agency. Where applicable, the state agency legal/administration fees need to be included, and each state will be different.
PRODUCTION LEVIES
Do SPAA/IPI/ADG levies apply?
