Moreover, a shot list will provide your team with clear expectations about the results. A shot list helps you to keep track of all actions and the needed equipment for each of your scenes and shots. One of the tasks: Organize your script into a clear “checklist” filled with detailed information for every shot. Storyboard, Horizontal – FreeFilmSchoolīefore starting the filming process, you need to structure your processes.Storyboards are sometimes part of the shot list, but you can also separate them. Storyboards are graphic organizers in form of illustrations or images. Breakdown Sheet – New Brunswick Filmmakers’ Co-Operative.Maybe they are exactly what you’ve been looking for. Writing Credit Contract for TV – New Brunswick Filmmakers’ Co-OperativeĪ script breakdown template is necessary for every kind of film.Writing Credit Contract for Film – New Brunswick Filmmakers’ Co-Operative.
Here are some nice screenwriting examples to fuel your creative fire. And trust me when I say, we believe that you should make the most out of the present and really focus on what’s essential: Making great films.Īnd a big thanks to all these great websites for their permission to mention their extremely helpful templates! Screenwriting/Scriptwriting I promise it will save you a lot of time and effort dealing with unnecessary paperwork. Our first article in this series is about the best free pre-production templates for filmmakers. To provide you with a better overview, we grouped these free templates into Pre-Production, Production, and Post-Production. Therefore, we decided to support you during your production process by listing the most helpful templates, such as storyboard templates, budget sheets, and license agreements. But: Assets like a film budget template, a shooting schedule template, or a shot list template can save you tons of time and money.Īs a startup that creates review and approval software for filmmakers, we work closely with film productions such as yours. What most people from outside the business don’t see: Making films involves a lot of planning and paperwork. With careful planning and a well-structured and organized budget, you'll be well on your way to producing a successful film that doesn’t burn an unexpected hole in your pocket.Let’s be honest, producing films is fun, but it’s a time-consuming process as well. Be prepared to adapt and refine your budget, particularly as your project progresses. While this serves as a solid example, remember that your project may have unique requirements. Top tip: If you’re working on a multi-year film project, make sure you budget for inflation! Final thoughtsĬreating a film budget requires careful planning, a thorough understanding of your project's needs, and a keen eye for detail. For example, if the total for my research and pre-production stage is $1,500, I’ll budget $150 for miscellaneous items. If you can, budget 10% of the total for that stage. I like to budget in miscellaneous items wherever possible because you just never know. It’s also somewhere your viewers can access non-video content and learn more about your project. Whether it’s a vlog series or a standalone film, having your own website gives you ownership of your brand from the moment your film launches. This stage doesn’t have to be costly-YouTube has worked wonders for many-but I do think it’s worth considering hosting your film on your own site. Like hey, I’ve made my film! Ta-da! The reality is, now you’ve got to hustle to get folks’ attention. Like the research and pre-production stage, this stage is often forgotten. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash Outreach and distribution In my experience, it’s especially important to flesh out this stage because it tends to be the one with lots of hidden costs, such as purchasing equipment or organizing and attending meetings, which costs time.
You could be researching your subject area, finding sources, location scouting, sourcing equipment. What you do during this stage will be varied. Setting time aside for research and pre-production offers you the opportunity to lay the groundwork for the entire production. This is an essential but surprisingly overlooked budget stage in the filmmaking process. The taxi ride you didn’t think you’d need, or the equipment rental because your gear got corrupted.
Another thing to remember: there will always be costs you didn’t plan for. It’s a way of making sure you have enough film financing to create the project you envisioned. It’s more of a guide (ideally, backed up by real numbers). Team member 2 compensation: Pre-production logisticsīefore we dive into the full film budget breakdown, it’s important to remember that a budget doesn’t need to be exact numbers.