PFC
By: Vivek Kumar

As a first time producer (and a writer) I am guestimating what my typical budget will look like. Of course, all you wise folks know much better, so would expect this to be challenged. This is the HIGH end of the budget…that is correct…in the next few articles I am going to go to a LOW end of the budget, without resorting to  Sanjay Guptish means of not paying people, etc. (For some side entertainment read here: http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/september/164061.htm)

Premise is to shoot in US and India. Shoot on film. 4 week (6 day week) shoot; Shooting ratio of 5:1. Shooting on Kodak EXH 500 or FUJI F-500T with Arriflex BLIV ( I really don’t give a frog’s fart on any of these acronyms and names, am merely wrting what is available for indies in the market)

Cause contrary to popular belief, Anurag Basu’s Gangster did not work because of the look, it worked because of solid acting by Shiney and Kangana and some fine characterizations and songs, Emraan nothwithstanding..

Here we go. The next few posts from me are going to challenge my own numbers and work downwards:

a) Story         -   $ 1000 (self development)
b) Producers Fee -   $1000  (self produced)
c) Cast -            $50000 (assumed for partial upfront and partial back end)
d) Direction -       $10000 (as important a guy as the cast, actually more)
Total Above the Line $62000    (A)
Director Staff/DP    $3000
Camera/Grip/Electric $3500
Set Operations Crew  $5000
Set Const Cost       $1000
Set Design & Dress   $1000
Special Effects      $1500
Meals                $3000
Insurance Permits    $4000
Props                $2000
Locations            $ 500
Transportation       $1500
Lighting             $2000
Wardrobe             $1000
Make Up/Hair         $2000
Film & Lab           $45000
Sound Shoot          $3000
Sound Transfers      $2000
Dubbing & Scoring    $3000
Editing              $10000  (Using the Editing Bay at IFP)
Titles & Inserts     $2000
Music                $3000
Studio Rentals       $2000
Tests & Pre          $4000
Studio General       $3000
Total Below The Line $108000   (B)
Total Direct Cost    $170000   (A) + (B)
Contingency          $3000     (C)
Overhead/Publicity   $3000     (D)
Total Cost           $176000

Yes, yes  I can almost see a lot of you getting out your daggers. Go for it, but remember I am writing a series here and will give justification of how to get around SAG, WGA, etc, too and yet pay the Mumbai spot boys daily CASH otherwise they will not work …am aware of that.

AND DON”T FORGET NAGESH MADE HIS HB FOR $35000 and THAT WAS BEFORE DIGITAL!!!!

Sincerely,

Vivek “FILM, never makes a film, story almost always does” Kumar