Film Production - The Bottom Line
Key Creative people in the Film Industry impress me with
their ability to critique films, make suggestions about actors
for particular roles, refer to a library of films without
flinching, suggest stunning camera viewpoints and create fantastic
imagery, etc.However, what about creative ways to meet The
Bottom Line? Hmmmmm.......
It's true that some of the very experienced filmmakers have
developed a 'knack' for streaming a creative decision through
a 'What's it going to cost?'' process - learned from the school
of very hard knocks. Some of the film and video production
support team, like the Unit Production Manager, the Art Director,
the Production Accountant and some Department Heads have had
on-the-job training for their areas of influence on the film
budget and production costs. What about the rest of the Key
Creative elements - Film Directors, Executive Producers, new
Independent Film writers and producers, Film Students, Film
Crew who want to upgrade, etc.? They're deer caught in the
headlights when it comes to the money.
I could tell you stories.... actually I do tell 12 stories
in my book, Walk The Talk. (There's one or two
examples of my stories in the pages within my web site). See
my web page Book Info - Walk The
Talk.
Money is the energy that drives the machine and if you want
to be viewed as competent, you must have some ability to Walk
The Talk about Film Budgets and Production Costs to some degree.
Don't get swamped in the details; keep the amount of detail
relevant to your interest. How do you do this painlessly?
Read the book and sign up for the 7 free articles!
This is my 20th year working in the film production as a
Production Accountant - that's a person who shares a big load
of the responsibility for the final approved film budget,
ALL expenditures and for all of the film production's cost
reporting during a film production (mostly for feature films,
but also for TV and video productions). It's been my job to
inform the Studio (or other Financiers) how much the film
production will actually cost - especially if I think the
film is in danger of going over budget (exceeding the now
famous term, The Bottom Line). I also report to the studio
any 'irregularities' with the handling of their money.
Will the final costs of the production be over the Final
Approved Budget? ...Will it be under budget? ...Exactly what
departments are over/under budget and what are the underlying
reasons? ...What can be done about it and what will it cost?
… Is the Director or Producer wasteful? All of the questions
you can think of which deal with 'The Bottom Line' of the
film budget - that is, will the film production finish On-Time
and On-Budget!
Answering such questions can be frightening - there are reputations
at stake and careers on the line.
A few years ago I worked on a film production in New York
with Ron Howard as the Film Director. Early in the 'prep'
period he called a meeting with the Production Accountant
(me), the Unit Production Manager and the Executive Producer
to ask, "Why is the budget so much higher than I expected?"
Ron Howard is very conscientious about film budgets and production
costs - he just wanted to know why. I didn't do a very good
job of answering his question; however, I did make a promise
to myself that I would learn how to present simple answers
to such questions.
My book, Walk The Talk, broadly answers that
question by showing you how to Walk The Talk in the area of
money. Read it at home. Email me if you get stuck.
Let's do a little Question and Answer period:
Q. Do Directors really get fired for going over the approved
budget?
A. Yup!
Q. Do department heads, like the Art Director, Costume Designer
and Property Masters get fired for going over budget?
A. Yup!
Q. Do the Production Studios really keep lists of preferential
employees?
A. Yup! I've actually seen the 'A', 'B' and 'C' listed crew
lists at one of the Major Studios. Get that job at the shoe
manufacturer when your 'C' listed, 'cause you ain't gonna
get much work in the film biz after that.
Q. Can all that messy firing stuff be avoided?
A. Yup! Learn how to do your job well, then also learn how
to Walk The Talk about film budgets and film production
costs.
When I started working in film production in 1985 I tried
to find something in writing about a film production's cost
reporting process which would give me an edge. I looked for
a book, an article, a thesis - anything.
Other than one or two books on the techniques of film budgeting,
there wasn't anything in print at that time. Since then there
have been more books published about film budgeting and a
couple of books about production managing. To my knowledge
there still isn't anything which gives a non-accountant a
basic familiarity with film budgeting and production costs
- enough to know the language used by those who hold their
future in their hands - the guys with the purse strings, without
getting bogged in the bean-counting techniques.
Anything that's bought (I mean ANYTHING) is tracked and compared
to the film budget. That includes toilet paper, prop holding
rooms, every conceivable type of film equipment, etc. In every
case that expenditure is compared to the original budget.
Like it or not, your performance is measured to SOME degree
by how well you control the money. That's why it's not an
overstatement to say - to control the money is to control
your career. You decide.
So, my book, Walk The Talk, is written for
the film producers, film directors, film crew, studio staff
and film students to get better control over the fundamental
common denominator of all filmmaking - the money. Once you've
read through my book, you'll be familiar enough with Film
Budgets and Film Production costs to have impressive meetings
with the people who hold your future in their hands. You'll
also spend the money available for your film project more
wisely and get recommended more quickly than you would have
otherwise.
Well, I'm about to tease you with some relevant articles
that will open the door enough to let you walk through. They're
written for the complete novice, so be patient if you've already
been exposed to film budgets and film production cost reports.
The articles are NOT techniques on film budgeting. They are
techniques on being FAMILIAR enough with film budgets and
the film production's cost reports to be able to show that
one person interviewing you that you can talk the same language
as they do. It'll raise your credibility with experienced
Film Producers, Studio Execs and Financiers alike. They'll
know that you're concerned with your own area of influence
over the bottom line.
The reading is seven articles - all only about 3 to 5 pages
each. The practice comes from drilling the content of the
articles, asking pertinent questions at work and bugging me
whenever you get stalled. There is a eighth article that could
have been added for those who haven't been exposed to the
simple administrative procedures like petty cash, purchase
orders, check requisitions, etc. But in these articles I'm
going to assume you as working film crew are already familiar
with those procedures. If not, Buy the book! (See how to below).
Here are the article titles:
1. MAKING IT! In Film Production
2. Introduction to 'Directing the Money'
3. Translating Ideas Into 'Money Talk'
4. Your Participation In Above-the-Line Budgeting
5. Your Participation In Below-the-Line Budgeting
6. Your Report Card - The Internationally Recognized Cost
Report
7. Presentation of the Weekly Cost Report – It’s
As Important As the Dailies
When you read my articles, print them out. Make your own examples.
Reread them. Send me your questions if you get stuck. You'll
find that you'll be upgrading in no time!
For those of you who are interested in more than just a a
readers-digest form of familiarity with Film Budgeting and
cost reporting, get an instant download of my Ebook (see below).:
Film Budgets:
Filmmakers who read my book "Walk The Talk"
will be able to make comments about film budgets with the
confidence that financiers and producers, not just in Hollywood,
but also throughout the world, will have confidence that you're
'on their team' - because you'll be using the same words and
concepts that they use everyday! You will also be able to
read and follow the style and format of the industry leader
of budgeting software, Movie Magic Budgeting©. It won't
make you into a master, but it will certainly give you the
confidence to sell yourself as the ... ____, or to have your
independent film produced, or to convince a Studio Exec that
you're the first-time Film Director they've been looking for,
etc. If at any time you need help, you can always email me
by visiting my web site johngaskin@talkfilm.biz
and I'd be happy to point you in the right direction.
Film Production's Weekly Cost Reports (the Report Card
sent to all those who hold the purse strings, and the strings
to your future):
There are many within the Film & Video Industry who are
interested in becoming a respected producer or production
manager. Those who read my book, "Walk The Talk"
will get o read and do many examples of real-life Cost Reporting.
This
is an opportunity not available anywhere else.
The Cost Report at first glance looks incredibly
detailed, and to some, even complex. As a direct result of
these articles, regular film crew will be able to understand
the layout of Cost Reports (remember they're the same the
world over), and be able to make comments about them intelligently.
You'll have the confidence that you'll be using the same terms,
and are looking at the same topics, as the pros. You won't
become a production accountant, but you'll get the drift,
and with experience it will become second nature. There are
several more examples and charts in my book, Walk The Talk,
which will expand on your familiarity with Cost Reports.
Instant
Download of the EBook for only $22.50 -
immediate access to a practical guide with173 pages of experience
to help you make it in film.
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the book for only $26.95!
-shipment will be made with 48 hours.
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