A film budget template gives you the structure; you fill in the numbers from your script breakdown. This guide covers every standard category, common line items, and how to estimate costs for indie productions.
Standard Budget Structure
Film budgets follow an industry-standard hierarchy established by the Producers Guild of America and production accounting practice:
Top Sheet
A one-page summary showing category totals:
| Category | Estimated | Actual | |----------|----------|--------| | Above the Line | $XX,XXX | $XX,XXX | | Below the Line — Production | $XX,XXX | $XX,XXX | | Below the Line — Post | $XX,XXX | $XX,XXX | | Other | $XX,XXX | $XX,XXX | | Contingency (10%) | $XX,XXX | — | | Total | $XX,XXX | $XX,XXX |
Above the Line Detail
| Line Item | Notes | |-----------|-------| | Story rights / option | If based on existing IP | | Screenplay | Writer fee, rewrites | | Producer | Producer fee (often deferred on indie) | | Director | Prep + shoot + post fee | | Lead cast | Per actor, per day or flat |
Below the Line — Production Detail
| Department | Common Line Items | |-----------|------------------| | Camera | DP rate, camera rental, lenses, media cards, accessories | | Grip & Electric | Gaffer, grip, lighting rental, expendables | | Art | Production designer, set dressing, prop purchases/rentals | | Wardrobe | Costume designer, purchases, rentals, cleaning | | Makeup/Hair | Artist rate, supplies, prosthetics | | Sound | Mixer rate, boom operator, equipment rental | | Locations | Permits, fees, insurance riders, cleaning | | Transportation | Vehicle rental, gas, parking, crew travel | | Catering | Meals ($15-25/person/meal), craft services, water | | Production staff | PM, coordinator, PAs |
Below the Line — Post-Production
| Line Item | Notes | |-----------|-------| | Editing | Editor rate + software/hardware | | Color grading | Colorist + DI suite | | Sound design | Sound editor, Foley, ADR | | Sound mix | Mix stage or remote mix | | Music | Composer fee + licensing + recording | | VFX | Per-shot or hourly rates | | Deliverables | DCP, streaming masters, festival files |
Other
| Line Item | Notes | |-----------|-------| | Insurance | Production package ($1-3K for indie features) | | Legal | Contracts, releases, LLC ($500-2K) | | Accounting | Payroll service if applicable | | Office/admin | Communication, supplies | | Contingency | 10% of total — mandatory |
Estimating Tips
- Get 3 quotes for every major expense (equipment, locations, vendors)
- Ask crew about kit fees — many own equipment and include it in their rate
- Budget food generously — underfed crew is unhappy crew
- Include travel days — crew traveling to distant locations need per diem
- Do not forget post — editing always takes longer than expected
Micro-Budget Adjustments
Under $50K, simplify:
- Combine Above the Line into one line (most fees are deferred)
- Collapse departments that share personnel
- Focus on the top 10 expenses that represent 80% of your spend
- Track in a simple budget tool rather than a complex spreadsheet
Build your film budget in Seikan — customizable categories, line items, and automatic totals connected to your script breakdown. Free to start.