Movie Directors - Direct the Money Prior to the Money Guides You

Most Film Directors have chosen to stay away from film budgets and production costs. The heavy grinding Must be left to accountants - but, let's lay it available:

The Film Movie director is at the helm of a huge money-burning machine. This is the Film Director's job to create his/her vision of the script - on time and on budget. With his service is a team of film production experts (the Line Maker, Unit Production Supervisor, the AD team, Production Accountant, etc. ) all there to assist the Film Director to do just that.



Film Directors make it their business to understand the basic functions of on-set filmmaking, without being able to fully light a set, or operate a crane, or focus a steadicam. In the same soul, the Film Movie director must understand the basics of Spending budget and basically important Weekly Cost Confirming process. Every creative decision involves money. It's only good sense to learn to translate creative ideas into costs.

Experienced Directors know of The Weekly Cost Report. If you're not yet acquainted with it, allow me to introduce it for you:

The Weekly Price Report informs all Producers, Studio Professionals and Financiers of the costs you're expending and how those costs compare to the Approved Budget. In case you are not able to challenge, or defend, the a conclusion made by those who read that financial 'Report Card' (that is, those who hold the purse strings) your ability to control your career is significantly weakened.

Find a level of comfort where you can, at least, know what to ask during the Budgeting stage, and have a good understanding of how you can trade-off one cost overrun with a cost savings in another area. Know how to formulate general concepts of trading off costs to arrive at your vision and you'll impress the cash belts off the Studio Executives.

Picture the next scenario: You're the Film Director of an Independent Film Manufacturing. You've shot the exteriors called for in the software and you've seen the dailies; however, you KNOW that there's a much better shot of that exterior in Oklahoma that could give the perfect catch to the opening of your movie.

You know that you can convince the producers of this on the creative plane. But, you also know that most producers will shiver at the job of dropping that bombshell on the Financiers/Bonding Company that you need to dip into the closely guarded Backup funds. (Oh, did I tell you that we're going to Okl... )

1. How do you present solutions to those added costs?

2. What's the right way to technique the game of cost trade-offs?

3. How do you defend those cost trade-offs?

It's always going to be a problem to present this kind of choice - but, a very achievable challenge once you know how to translate your requirements to cost trade-off's by using my Walk The Speak ideas.

Usual Method: As the Movie Director you truly express your view that the Oklahoma shot would be a perfect starting for film production company. Exactly what kind of reaction do you consider you'll get? Here's the most likely, from my experience:

Film Producer/Bonding Company Rep - This will put us over-budget by $150, 000. I'll talk to the... 'whoever' - (it's a stall for sure).

Walk The Talk Way

Substitute: Film Director

- The cost of shooting one day of obtain it will not need a full crew in Oklahoma. I've the Film Commission there (see my website for internet hyperlinks to all Film Commissions and major Unions) and they have assured myself that there are plenty of local crew offered to work at a very decent rate.

- I estimate it should cost about 1/2 of your estimate, say about $75, 000 to give us a little more than we absolutely need. I can get that back within the next 5 days here in New York. (Note: you'll need to pick-up a copy of my eBook to see how I arrived at the $75, 000 figure - see Figure 17. 2, Table 3)

- You see, I've rehearsed the next five times with my very experienced cast and there's absolutely no way that we can't complete the scenes planned in 10 hrs a day rather than the budgeted thirteen hours a day. And, as you all know, that last 2 hrs in New You are able to costs about $10, 000 per day (see Figure 15. one in my book).

Alternative: Bonding Firm Representative - Oh. Have the accountant create a schedule of the costs and we can check them. (That's a Financier's last stand - it's up to the accountant to verify your estimates. )

A person get the move. You are simply applying a cost trade-off technique in the same specialized way as you would use points of interest, storyboards, crane shots, etc. You are 'Directing The Money'; the cash isn't Directing you.

Some Directors, through the school-of-hard-knocks, are suffering from a 'knack' for conceptually loading their creative ideas through a 'what's the cost? ' process. But that process is all too often reflectivity of the gold with blame on 'the blue suits' and 'the money guys' and 'all they're thinking about is the money', etc. It's also often based on false information, biased toward a predetermined decision. Take my word for it; unless you, as the Film Movie director, can be acquainted enough with the language pounds in film production, you're up the well known creek.

You, as the Film Director, are in the helm of the money burning machine. The best way to get the confidence of those who keep the handbag strings is to know how to participate in the budget approval process, and then to trade off costs to get YOUR OWN vision during the shoot. You may realise of it as Directing, only you're Directing The Money.

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