What a short film budget has to cover
- Above the line. Writer, director, producer and principal cast. On a short these are often deferred, a small fee, or both. Write down which, so the cash budget and the full budget are not confused.
- A small crew. Director of photography, camera assistant, gaffer, key grip, sound, hair and make-up, and one or two production assistants. Days and rates, plus fringes on anyone you are paying through payroll.
- Equipment and locations. A camera package sized to the look, lighting, a few locations or one stage, permits and parking.
- Art, wardrobe and props. Only what the script shows. A short cannot hide an overbuilt set.
- Catering and transport for the shoot days.
- Post. Editorial, sound design and mix, color, music and festival deliverables such as a DCP and captions. This is where under-budgeted shorts run out of money.
- Insurance and contingency. A short has no client to approve a weather day after the fact. Hold something back before you lock the number.
How to build it
- Break the script into shoot days, locations and cast. Most shorts are one to five days.
- Start from the film budget template and hide the commercial lines you do not need: extra spots, talent agency fees, a full art department.
- Put deferred fees on their own lines and say so in the notes, so a financier can see cash versus total.
- Give post its own pass: editor weeks, sound, color, music and deliverables.
- Add fringes on paid labor, insurance, and a contingency.
- Read the top sheet. If one section is out of proportion, cut a day or a package before you shoot.
The longer walk-through is how to make a film budget.