Filmmaking / Directing : How to get production team estimate for getting your vision to screen by Richard Gallacher

Richard, this is Beth from the Stage 32 team, I just wanted to let you know I moved your post from Screenwriting to Development. But, this would be better placed in the Jobs section, found in the upper menu bar. That's where members post various "want ads" or searches for creative partners, paid or not paid. The forums are for topic discussion. Thanks and best to you!

Many Thanks Beth :)

Hi Richard, people post on S32 asking questions about budget estimates ranging from "guestimates" to fully vetted budgets and boards. Since you've included a "CGI studio" in your post (in the US, we call them VFX studios), I assume you are looking for quite a detailed budget for what I assume is a bigger budget FX-driven film. In order to properly budget a movie, the UPM/line producer/AD would have to read the script, create a schedule (because budget and schedule are completely tied), come up with a production plan (including shooting locations because different locations have different production incentives), etc. If you are concerned about a VFX estimate, you'd have to ask the person to create a rough list of VFX shots and shot complexity. This is not what I do, and I'm not asking for your money. But a proper budget of this nature will almost certainly run over $5000 in the US, and likely closer to $10k given the complexity you've described (which I assume is high, since you need a VFX studio). I have obtained that cost info from a friend who is a DGA AD. (My friend has not worked on big "effects-driven" movies, so even he would likely not be qualified for your particular type of movie.) You might find value in being clearer about what you're looking for and what you're willing to pay for budgeting services. Good luck!

One more thing to add - a VFX house, for example, would give you a free "bid" if they know you've already raised the money, and they're competing for the job against other vendors.

I can not thank you enough Regina ,, you have given me great advice many thanks <3

Richard, this blog is not completely applicable to you in this early stage, but just so you can see how the bidding process works in a general sense: http://effectscorner.blogspot.com/2005/11/bidding-and-preproduction.html

Bit of an eye opener , just have to have my screenplay and pre-production vision spot on to save money <3

Thanks again <3

Richard, FYI, a recent post in which the person wants the opposite of what you need - she needs only a "guesstimate," while you seem to need a detailed budget. https://www.stage32.com/lounge/producing/Guestimating-a-Budget

And yet another example of a different situation: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/development/Need-help-to-prepare-budget-a...

Thank you Victor <3

Making that point Victor

You need a business plan to give to possible investors, that would include also your budget. Knowing how much the project would cost is not a problem, knowing how to show it to possible investors might be.

fair comment Victor , i get where your coming from ,, thanks

Mmmmm, not really sure I agree with that Victor, you can estimate a real budget from the script, but you have to consider contingencies for everything that you just mentioned... Yes you may go over budget, but in order to get there first you have to get the financing and for that you need a business plan.

i am divided guys , business plan is the way of the investors but can also keep you right dare you do it yourself , brilliant input both of you ,, thank you

Hi Victor, you do need a business plan to show to whom ever you are asking money from, this is before preproduction... Possible investors don't know the business and some of them do, they want to see how they could be able to recoup their investment, they want to at least know what you are going to do, they want to know how similar films have done in box office, etc... So yes, I keep bringing it up, If the question here is how to prepare a budget to show investors, then you do make a budget and you include it in a business plan so you can show it to investors, if the issue here is how complicated it is to shoot a film, then ignore my comments.

Even if you want to get money from family or friends, you show them a business plan.

That's great Victor, where do you get your financing from?

For my spec script that I sold, as long as you have a very specific idea of the film cost, the financiers shouldn't care for more detail. The story should be the selling point. Everything else is just a hurdle.

With so many saturated log lines, it's becoming even more difficult to create originality and separate from hybrid story lines. If you're stuck with questions from financiers instead of editors, it's probably time to hit the drawing board again and come up with a story producers want financed at any cost.