What the summary contains
- Sections A to K, each with its own total, then a subtotal of those production costs.
- Director, talent, talent expenses, travel and any extra production section under that subtotal. Additional production (P) is left out of the totals until you include it.
- Insurance and production fee, each with the rate and the sections it is charged on.
- Production total.
- Post sections Q to X, a post subtotal, then the Section X fee, post insurance, post markup and post tax.
- Post total and the grand total.
When you are tracking the job, the same sheet can show the bid, the running budget, what is committed, what is spent and the variance. That is the production cost report.
How to read it before you send the bid
- Check the days. If the schedule is two shoot days, crew and equipment should not look like a week.
- Look for a section that dwarfs the others. Talent usage, travel or visual effects often do, and that is fine when the job is that kind of job. It is a problem when it is an accident.
- Read the fee and insurance lines. The rate and the sections they sit on should match what you agreed to charge. See production fee and markups.
- Confirm post is in the total if you are delivering the finish, and out of it if editorial is bidding separately.
- Read the contingencies. On a commercial bid they are listed as not billed. They are not inside the grand total.
Building the lines under this page is how to make a film budget.