Film Budget Calculator

Above-the-line (ATL) refers to the creative leadership whose costs are negotiated individually and often involve backend participation (profit points): the screenplay and story rights, executive producers, the director, and principal cast. These are considered 'above' a literal line on the budget because they define the creative project. Below-the-line (BTL) covers the technical and physical production infrastructure: all department heads and crew, equipment rental, locations, set construction, wardrobe, props, catering, travel, and accommodation. BTL costs scale more directly with the number of shoot days.

SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) has several agreement tiers: Ultra Low Budget ($203/day min, total budget under $300K), Modified Low Budget ($335/day, under $625K), Low Budget ($630/day, under $2M), and Basic Agreement ($1,100+/day for large productions). Any production hiring SAG members must become a SAG signatory, which also restricts hiring non-SAG principal actors. Non-union productions avoid these minimums but cannot use established union actors. For student films and microbudgets, the SAG Student Film Agreement ($100/day) applies.

Post-production typically represents 15–30% of total film budget. Breakdown: Editorial (editor + assistant editor salary for 6–16 weeks): $15,000–$60,000. Color grading: $2,000–$30,000 depending on complexity and colorist's rate. Visual effects: $500–$500,000+ depending on shot count and complexity. Sound design and mix: $3,000–$20,000. Music licensing or original score: $1,000–$100,000+. Deliverables (DCP creation, M&E tracks, subtitles): $1,000–$10,000. For digital-only distribution, post costs are lower; for theatrical or broadcast delivery, higher.

Shooting ratio is the total footage recorded divided by the final edited length. A 1:10 ratio means 10 minutes recorded for every 1 minute of final film. Higher ratios require more storage media (cards, drives), more camera time, more DIT work, more editorial time, and sometimes more locations and props. Narrative features typically run 1:5–1:15; documentary productions often run 1:20–1:50 or higher. Every 10:1 ratio increase adds approximately $500–$2,000 in media costs and 20–40% more editorial time.

Camera package rental: from $500/day (DSLR/mirrorless) to $5,000+/day (ARRI ALEXA, RED). Lighting package: $500–$3,000/day for standard narrative. Grip package: $300–$1,500/day. Sound package: $200–$800/day. Specialty equipment (crane, Steadicam, underwater housing): additional per-use or weekly rates. Rental houses typically offer weekly rates at 3× the daily rate (Monday–Friday). Always add 20% to quoted rental rates for insurance, damage waiver, and delivery fees.

Contingency is a reserve built into the budget for unforeseen expenses: weather delays, equipment failures, location access issues, additional shoot days, cast illness, and scope changes. Industry standard: 10–12% for well-developed projects with experienced producers; 15% for complex or overseas productions; 20% for experimental or technically ambitious projects. Contingency should not be spent casually — it should require producer approval for any draw. An unused contingency at wrap is a sign of excellent budgeting discipline, not a mistake.

Union productions (SAG-AFTRA actors, IATSE crew, DGA director, WGA writer) must: pay union minimum rates set by collective bargaining agreements, provide benefits contributions (health, pension) averaging 18–22% above base rate, comply with working hour limitations (10-hour days + golden time overtime), provide turnaround time (10–12 hours between calls), and follow set safety protocols. Non-union productions avoid these requirements but are limited in the talent pool available and may face reputational risks. Many low-budget independent productions operate under modified union agreements that provide flexibility while maintaining basic protections.