I have a six (6) page short film I plan to have produced in the very near future.  It's a romantic drama with 1-2 lines of dialogue (depends on a scene adjustment), and the rest is non-speaking.

I'm on a poor mans budget, but willing to pay someone if the price isn't above my means.

I know my script needs tightening, and it will eventually need another breakdown and budget, but I need a general idea of how much money I need to raise.  

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Dawn

Where will it be seen when it's finished?
Festival submission?
Youtube?

Where you intend to display it largely determines the equipment, thus cost, thus cast & crew that would be required for production.

How many actors does the script require?
How many locations?
Are costumes and props required or regular street clothes?
Do you have camera and audio equipment?
Do you have an editing computer with software for both video and audio?
Do you know how to edit both video and audio?
Are you a one man band learning on the run or will you be farming out nearly every aspect of this beyond writing and funding?

What I do in this situation is not think about it. Just jump.

It's like asking how long is a piece of string.


You can get Jennifer Lawrence and Brad Pitt doing it, if you've got enough money.


What you do is make the film for exactly how much money you're willing to spend...whether that's absolutely nothing at all and you are relying 100% on favours, or you have £100K.


Put all the money that you do have on the screen...actors, cinematography, lights, props, locations etc...and cut back everything off screen. Run a small crew etc.


The truth is: You won't be able to spend the money you're supposed to spend. In the UK, for instance, a cinematographer alone has to be paid a minimum of £1700 per 10 hour day.

If you make a film to an actual legal budget it costs a fortune.

So you have to make it non-Sag, non-Bectu, non-Equity or whatever else.

I see union members as a warning sign to stay away. Had a couple as extras on our shoot and man did they moan... expecting to be fed and all sorts, lol. It's also where I learned that extras are actually better known as 'background artists' today.

Just found a great cinematographer to work with. It can be hard finding these people but for the right projects it's possible to get people involved that you never believed you could.

Once two or three people believe in it, more will follow. Even big names will work for deferred fees on the right projects.

I love it. All the different artists working together to realise one dream. Wow. I don't even think about money. We expect people to be on board because they believe in the success of the project. If your project is so-so, then so will be the end result.

You don't have to take just anybody either when working to low budget. You especially don't want to do that. Hand pick when you can, only settle for less when you really, really have to.

I've just had a short script filmed in LA. Simple idea, three guys one car.

Ok, the production looks good but when I enquired how many we're on site, since there seemed a fair few, the answer was....35. Probably all being paid. Actors definitely paid. Food on site etc

I dread to imagine what that cost.

Without any real experience, what it appears to me is that either you are doing a mates style film/collaboration in which you can do a fair amount for not much, or you turn up with a decent cheque book.

Quoted from RayW Where will it be seen when it's finished? Festival submission? Youtube? Where you intend to display it largely determines the equipment, thus cost, thus cast & crew that would be required for production. How many actors does the script require? How many locations? Are costumes and props required or regular street clothes? Do you have camera and audio equipment? Do you have an editing computer with software for both video and audio? Do you know how to edit both video and audio? Are you a one man band learning on the run or will you be farming out nearly every aspect of this beyond writing and funding?

I have absolutely none of the above. I'm entering into film festivals and other competitions.  Possibly an outfit or two, film or digital card for filming, but most part the majority of the cast and crew will be NO PAY/ NO BUDGET.  I have a Director lined up, but I need to get a lot of pre-production out the way.  Filming will possibly take place on Panama City Beach, Fl (bay county).  I was told by the film commission that most of my locations (2-3), I should be able to get free, however I sill would like it figured into the budget, just in case.  Another possible filming location is Atlanta, GA.  

I want to make sure I have enough money, but I guess if I have more than enough, I can split the rest amongst the crew.    Anywho, I'll figure something out.  

Quoted from Reef Dreamer I've just had a short script filmed in LA. Simple idea, three guys one car. Ok, the production looks good but when I enquired how many we're on site, since there seemed a fair few, the answer was....35. Probably all being paid. Actors definitely paid. Food on site etc I dread to imagine what that cost. Without any real experience, what it appears to me is that either you are doing a mates style film/collaboration in which you can do a fair amount for not much, or you turn up with a decent cheque book.

Thank you, I'll figure something out.

If it's an honest to goodness no-budget six page/minute romcom for festivals and other competitions then you shouldn't bust the bank with it.
Keep the production low key and you won't have to fool around with the film commission, union actors, and all sorts of ridiculous stuff for a six minute short romcom.

Just keep it all on the down low, sistah!

Hopefully the director is also the cameraman, and hopefully he/she will be using something normal like a DSLR and not a RED package.
Hopefully a sound engineer will be able to collect audio for the project, maybe even do the audio editing.
Figure out free locations that don't really require a permit or fee.
Looks like costumes and props are in hand.
Six minutes will surprisingly take about six hours to shoot, so plan on a craft table budget (AKA food & drinks to keep unpaid cast & crew from wandering off set).
Then all you gotta do is pay someone to do all your post.

Figure $100 a day for each cast & crew member that hasn't agreed to volunteer.
Figure $100 for food & drink.
Figure $100 for odds & ends production "stuff", AKA mystery money.
Figure $50 - 100/hr for video editing.
Figure $50 - 100/hr for audio editing.

$100 here. $100 there. My guesstimate is probably anywhere from $500 to $1500, not counting festival submission fees.
FWIW, most regional festivals have time for about fifty to a hundred shorts for which they will receive a thousand to two-thousand submissions - MOST OF WHICH WILL BE FAILED FOR POOR AUDIO, so please please please respect the audio collection.
Crappy story and crappy video will surprisingly be tolerated INFINITELY more than crappy audio.

You start making casting call a giant production itself or insist on RED camera quality and light packages or you just gotta have this fancy schmancy restaurant to "sell" the story and you can easily see that number triple or quintuple.

Spending money on filmmaking is reeeeeeel easy to do.

Consider it a recreation, like ATVing or horseback riding.
That money will be spent and gone, like... took the family on a vacation GONE.

Good luck & best wishes.

Collect good audio.

Quoted from RayW If it's an honest to goodness no-budget six page/minute romcom for festivals and other competitions then you shouldn't bust the bank with it. Keep the production low key and you won't have to fool around with the film commission, union actors, and all sorts of ridiculous stuff for a six minute short romcom. Just keep it all on the down low, sistah! Hopefully the director is also the cameraman, and hopefully he/she will be using something normal like a DSLR and not a RED package. Hopefully a sound engineer will be able to collect audio for the project, maybe even do the audio editing. Figure out free locations that don't really require a permit or fee. Looks like costumes and props are in hand. Six minutes will surprisingly take about six hours to shoot, so plan on a craft table budget (AKA food & drinks to keep unpaid cast & crew from wandering off set). Then all you gotta do is pay someone to do all your post. Figure $100 a day for each cast & crew member that hasn't agreed to volunteer. Figure $100 for food & drink. Figure $100 for odds & ends production "stuff", AKA mystery money. Figure $50 - 100/hr for video editing. Figure $50 - 100/hr for audio editing. $100 here. $100 there. My guesstimate is probably anywhere from $500 to $1500, not counting festival submission fees. FWIW, most regional festivals have time for about fifty to a hundred shorts for which they will receive a thousand to two-thousand submissions - MOST OF WHICH WILL BE FAILED FOR POOR AUDIO, so please please please respect the audio collection. Crappy story and crappy video will surprisingly be tolerated INFINITELY more than crappy audio. You start making casting call a giant production itself or insist on RED camera quality and light packages or you just gotta have this fancy schmancy restaurant to "sell" the story and you can easily see that number triple or quintuple. Spending money on filmmaking is reeeeeeel easy to do. Consider it a recreation, like ATVing or horseback riding. That money will be spent and gone, like... took the family on a vacation GONE. Good luck & best wishes. Collect good audio.

Thank you, RayW.  I appreciate the feedback.  Hopefully, I can get everything worked out before the end of the year.

I'm shooting a short film next month where the video, audio and lighting are all being done by students and the actors are students as well. It's all being done basically on a volunteer basis because they want the experience and because I'll provide each of them with on-screen credits. They get to build a demo reel and I get the experience of directing and getting a say over the final cut.

So if there is a film school near you, that might be an option.  But at least feed them.  College kids love to eat.

Gary