actuals. The live production budget: online production budget software for film, commercial and photo.
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A production budget for commercials, film and photo shoots, in the AICP bid form you already use. Build the bid, share it with your team, lock the version the client approves, then record what is really spent against each line and see where you are over or under.
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Live budget grid
BShoot CrewDRSO65,46566,45366,828+988+1,363
#DescriptionBidRunningVariance
51Line Producer2,8002,8000
52Assistant Director2,9903,120+130
53Director of Photography10,00010,0000
541st Assistant Camera1,7251,950+225
552nd Assistant Camera1,6101,820+210
61Gaffer1,7251,5001,875−225+150
62Best Boy Electric1,6681,813+145
66Key Grip1,7251,875+150
74Make-Up/Hair2,0002,0000
76Wardrobe Stylist2,2002,050−150
Dana · editing Gaffer
Bid · Running · Actuals
BidRunningActuals
BidRunningActual
Camera package35,50037,20024,800
Grip truck3,8503,8503,850
Catering4,2004,4002,100
Bid: what you quoted. Running: your latest forecast. Actuals: what was really spent.
Hot Budget import
XLSRunning-30-job.xlsb1.2 MB
Drop your Hot Budget job24 sections · 312 lines
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Approved total$284,500.00
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Client PDF
actuals.
Running :30 · Northwind Athletic
Bid form · Oct 14
A Prep Crew23,571
B Shoot Crew65,465
D Location Expenses28,200
I Equipment Rental35,500
… Other sections and fees131,764
Grand total284,500
Production budgeting, from template to wrap.
Templates
- Film budget templateA free film budget template with every section laid out: crew, equipment, locations, talent, travel and post. Fill it in online, share it and track actuals.
- AICP budget templateThe AICP-format budget template with every section and line from prep crew to visual effects. Download the line list free or open it online and start bidding.
- Photo shoot budget templateA photo shoot budget template for stills and hybrid shoots: photographer, crew, studio, digital tech, styling, talent, usage and retouching. Free to start online.
- Music video budget templateA music video budget template: director, crew, camera, location, art, talent and post laid out in the AICP format. Start free online and track actuals as you shoot.
- Short film budget templateA short film budget template for a few shoot days: crew, equipment, locations, post and contingency. Start free online or download the line list.
- Documentary budget templateA documentary budget template for research, interviews, travel, archival footage and a long post schedule. Start free and track actuals over the months.
- Branded content budget templateA branded content budget template: film craft with commercial usage, cut-downs and talent licensing. Bid it in the AICP layout and track actuals.
Guides
- Commercial production budgetHow to build a commercial production budget: from the agency's specs to an AICP bid with crew, equipment, markups, notes and a locked, trackable approved number.
- How to make a film budgetFilm budgeting step by step: break down the script, schedule it, build each section, add fringes and contingency, then lock the budget and track what is spent.
- Budget vs actualsHow to track production budget vs actuals: lock the approved bid, post purchase orders, payroll and petty cash to budget lines, and see variance before wrap.
- Production fee and markupsHow production fee, insurance, fringes, handling and post markup are added on an AICP bid, which sections they cover, and the rates the template starts from.
- Film budget top sheetWhat a film or commercial top sheet shows: section totals, the subtotal, production fee, insurance, post markup and the grand total, and how to read it.
- Production budget fringesWhat fringes are on a production budget, why union and non-union labor differ, and how to set one rate or a different rate per section and line.
- Commercial production costWhat a commercial costs depends on shoot days, crew, talent, locations and post. Here is how each one moves an AICP bid, with no made-up total.
- Film budget contingencyHow contingency works in a film or commercial budget: a percentage held inside an independent film, or named items a commercial lists but does not bill.
- Production cost reportA production cost report compares the approved bid, the running budget, committed costs, actuals and variance for every section. Here is what to include.
- Line producer checklistA line producer's checklist from the agency specs to wrap: schedule, bid, markups, notes, a locked number, purchase orders, payroll and the cost report.
Software
- Production budget softwareOnline production budget software: build an AICP-format bid, share it with your team, lock it when it is awarded and track actuals against it. Three budgets free.
- Hot Budget alternativeLooking for a Hot Budget alternative? ACTUALS keeps the AICP layout and imports your Hot Budget jobs, then adds live sharing, a locked bid and actuals in your browser.
- Movie Magic Budgeting alternativeComparing Movie Magic Budgeting alternatives? ACTUALS is a browser-based AICP-format budget for commercials, music videos, photo and short form, with live actuals.