Blog
Articles on filmmaking technique, production planning, and industry knowledge.
Showing 12 of 14 posts
How to Write a Film Budget Estimate Before the Script Is Done (ROM Budget)
A ROM (rough order of magnitude) budget lets you test whether a film is financeable before you write the script. Covers the top-down estimation method, daily rate multiplication, category percentages, and three real production scenarios with 2026 cost benchmarks.
How to Budget a Music Video: Four Tiers with Real 2026 Numbers
A working music video budget guide for 2026 with itemized costs at four budget tiers, real day rates for directors, DPs, and editors, and a framework for deciding which tier your project actually needs.
How to Estimate Crew Catering Costs Before You Lock a Budget
A producer's guide to estimating crew catering costs for film sets. Covers per-person rates, meal timing, GSA M&IE rates for 2026, union meal penalties, and how to avoid the budget-busting surprises that sink indie productions.
Why Your Storage Estimate Was Wrong: The Variables Most Calculators Ignore
Basic storage calculators return acquisition data only - camera originals at a given codec and bitrate. The real number a producer needs includes proxy files, dual-system audio, backup copies, overcranked takes, and edit media. Here is how to build the estimate that actually holds up.
How to Schedule an Indie Feature: A First AD's Breakdown of the Complete Process
The definitive indie scheduling guide: script breakdown, scene complexity scoring, page-per-day targets by genre, company moves, contingency days, and how to use the production schedule calculator to reality-check your plan.
How to Write a Shot List That Your Crew Will Actually Use
The difference between a shot list that looks good in pre-production and one that functions on set. Covers notation conventions, sequencing by setup efficiency, and how to adapt the list in real time.
Skeleton Crew Filmmaking: The Minimum Viable Crew for Each Type of Production
Every additional crew member costs money and adds coordination overhead. A practical breakdown of minimum viable crew sizes for short films, micro-budget features, documentaries, and web series - with the trade-offs for each reduction from the full crew model.
How to Build a One-Page Call Sheet That Works: Department by Department
A call sheet is not a formality - it is the document that allows 20 people to show up at the right place, at the right time, ready for the right work. A complete guide to every section, every field, and the mistakes that produce crew confusion on day one.
The Math Behind a Shooting Day: How Many Setups Can You Actually Fit in 12 Hours?
Most indie film schedules are built on optimistic setup counts that collapse on day one. A practical breakdown of the math behind a 12-hour shooting day: how many setups are achievable at each budget level, what variables compress that number, and how to build a schedule that holds.
How to Calculate How Many Cards You Need for a Shoot Day
The answer is not just codec bitrate divided by card size. It depends on whether you can offload and reuse cards, how many cameras are running, and what happens if offload takes longer than expected. Here is the calculation that covers all three scenarios.
How to Build a Realistic Indie Film Budget: A Line-by-Line Breakdown
The most practical indie budget guide in the niche - covers above-the-line vs. below-the-line, contingency calculation, fringes and payroll taxes, equipment rental formulas, and a complete sample budget for a 12-day micro-budget feature.
Shooting Ratio: What It Means, Why It Matters, and How to Stop Wasting Media
Explains shooting ratio, covers industry norms by genre, shows the downstream impact on storage costs and editing time, and shows how to set realistic ratio targets in pre-production.