Detailed Film Budget Service & Movie Magic Budgeting
Get a screenplay-based motion picture budget with a detailed top sheet, account-level cost detail, rates, fringes, assumptions, and production reports. We deliver in Movie Magic Budgeting or formula-driven Excel for US and international producers, investors, studios, and production-finance teams.
A Detailed Film Budget Built for Production, Financing & Review
This film budget service is for independent producers, production companies, directors, studios, and film funds that need a defensible cost plan before financing, greenlighting, tax-incentive review, or active pre-production.
Broad estimates can hide the true cost of cast days, crew weeks, equipment, locations, travel, overtime, post-production, insurance, payroll, fringes, and contingency. Our movie budgeting workflow starts with the screenplay, breakdown, and shooting schedule so each major assumption can be reviewed, revised, and explained. Where relevant, the budget can reflect US union or non-union labor, regional rate assumptions, currency, and eligible production incentives.
FilmDrafts has handled more than $300 million in budgets across 200+ client projects. Because most client work is confidential, public examples are limited to approved film budget samples and permission-based case studies.
What Your Film Budget Includes
- ✓ Detailed Film Budget Top Sheet and Account Detail: Above-the-line, production, post-production, insurance, travel, delivery, contingency, and project-specific accounts, supported by the underlying line-item detail.
- ✓ Rates, Fringes, and Payroll Assumptions: Crew and cast rates, overtime, employer taxes, pension, health, payroll fees, and union or non-union assumptions where applicable.
- ✓ Location, Currency, and Incentive Modeling: Regional cost assumptions, exchange rates, and eligible incentive estimates can be integrated when the project and jurisdiction require them.
- ✓ Editable and Presentation-Ready Files: Movie Magic Budgeting or Excel source files, Movie Magic Scheduling when included, and clean PDF top-sheet and detail reports for review.
How the Film Budget Is Built
Film Budgeting Service FAQs
What is a film budget?
A film budget is an itemized financial plan for a film production, covering above-the-line, below-the-line, post-production, delivery, contingency, and other production costs.
What is included in a professional film budget?
A professional film budget includes a top sheet plus detailed account pages for above-the-line, production, post-production, insurance, travel, delivery, contingency, and other project-specific costs. It can also include rates, fringes, payroll assumptions, currency, and eligible incentives.
What is a pilot budget?
A pilot budget is an early estimate prepared before a full script breakdown or final shooting schedule exists. It is useful for early development, investor conversations, feasibility checks, and planning, but it is not as accurate as a full itemized production budget.
What is the difference between a rough estimate and a professional itemized film budget?
A rough estimate is typically a pilot budget used for early development. A professional itemized film budget is a production-ready document built from a precise schedule and breakdown, detailing exact union rates, gear rentals, and shooting logistics.
Why does a script breakdown come before a film budget?
A breakdown is required first because locations, cast days, shoot days, stunts, extras, vehicles, props, equipment, night shoots, company moves, and post-production needs all affect cost. Without knowing these elements, an accurate budget cannot be built.
Why are script breakdown and scheduling necessary for a proper itemized film budget?
Without breakdown and scheduling, a budget can only be a broad estimate, not a production-ready budget. Scheduling dictates the number of shoot days, which directly drives payroll and equipment rental costs.
Why use Movie Magic Budgeting?
Movie Magic Budgeting provides an editable native .mbd file with linked globals, fringes, groups, and account detail. Many producers and production-finance teams use it because assumptions can be reviewed and revised without rebuilding the budget from scratch.
Is this service for a single feature film?
Yes. Our starting price of $395 is designed for a single feature film screenplay of up to 120 pages. If you have a TV series, commercial, documentary, or a multi-project slate, please apply for a custom quote.
How long does a professional film budget take?
Standard delivery is 7 to 14 business days depending on project complexity. Rush delivery is available upon request.
What files are delivered?
You will receive Movie Magic Budgeting (.mbd) files, Movie Magic Scheduling (.mms) files, Excel formats, and PDF reports.
Do you calculate local state and federal film tax credits?
Yes. Where a project qualifies, we can model relevant state, national, or regional film incentives and show their estimated effect on the production cost plan. Final eligibility and monetization should still be confirmed with the relevant film office, legal adviser, or tax-credit specialist.
How much does it cost to make a movie?
Movie production cost varies widely because the screenplay, cast, union framework, shooting days, locations, travel, equipment, effects, post-production, insurance, payroll burdens, and delivery requirements are different for every project. A script breakdown and schedule are the most reliable starting points for a detailed film budget.
Is FilmDrafts a film financing company?
No. FilmDrafts provides budgeting, scheduling, business-plan, investor-document, and financial-modeling services. We do not lend, invest, broker securities, or guarantee financing. Our deliverables can help producers present a clearer project to investors, lenders, sales agents, production partners, and film financing companies.