12 MOVIE BUDGETS: ($1,000-$10,000,000. Which One is Your First? Mine was #6)
by Dov S-S Simens on June 28, 2016
Independent Filmmaking:
$1,000-$10,000,000
Want to Produce? Want to Write? Want to Direct? Want to star in a Feature Film?
(Best way to Direct is to Write & Best way to get your Script made is to Direct it)
Of course you do… Plus, are you tired of waiting to be discovered and is it frustrating seeing each of your ideas being made, being made by others… and being made poorly.
Now with the state-of-art micro-dollar cameras and on-demand revenues, plus increased foreign sales and product placement revenues there is no excuse for not making independent feature films that profit if you get realistic and start-at-the-bottom and make your first feature film, with minimal dollars, and stop thinking about “doing it the perfect way”.
The phrase is “Are you sick-and-tired of being sick-and-tired”. If so then my next 12 Blogs will be perfect for you.
Why?
Because in the 12 Blogs (2 per week) I detail 12 Feature Film Budgets, that are realistic to make for your 1st feature film, while outlining (checque-by-checque) exactly what to pay Crew, Cameras, Vendors, Writers, Actors, Suppliers, Attorneys, Agents, Props, Wardrobe, Music, Lab, DCP, Publicity, etc. when making your first feature film… assuming of course that you have the some cash available.
The 12 Budgets range from as little as $1,000 (3-day, 2 iPhone shoot), and please do not tell me that that is not obtainable, to as high as $10,000,000 (7-week, Visual Effects, Road Flick, with 2 Movie Names) which is definitely a stretch for first-timers but not if your daddy is a Billionaire
Bottom-Line, is for you to select the proper budget for your first feature film I advise to look below and select the budget that you believe is perfect for your project…. PAUSE… PAUSE AGAIN… Now cut that budget in half and move the decimal point one place to the left and you have just arrived at the perfect budget for your first feature film… But remember, “you gotta supply the talent & work ethic”
The Top 10 Movie Budgets (okay 12) for Filmmakers are…
(Our next “2-Day Film School” in Hollywood is September 17-18 & December 10-11… www.WebFilmSchool.com)
ONE ($1,000 – $10,000):
NO-BUDGET Weekend BUDGET
TWO ($10,000-$20,000):
CREDIT CARD 3-Month BUDGET
THREE ($20,000-$30,000):
SHOT-FOR 1-week BUDGET
FOUR ($30,000-$50,000):
MICRO-BUDGET Real-Time BUDGET
FIVE ($50,000-$70,000):
MINI-BUDGET 1-Week BUDGET
SIX ($100,000-$200,000):
LOW-BUDGET 1-2 Week BUDGET
SEVEN ($300,000-$500,000):
MILLION DOLLAR 3-Week BUDGET
EIGHT ($1,000,000-$2,000,000):
CROWD-FUND 1-Month BUDGET
NINE ($2,000,000-$3,000,000):
TV MOW 5-Week BUDGET
TEN ($3,000,000-$5,000,000):
PRODUCT PLACEMENT 5-7 Week BUDGET
ELEVEN ($5,000,000-$7,000,000):
INTERNATIONAL CO-PRODUCTION 5-7 Week BUDGET
TWELVE ($10,000,000+):
WEINSTEIN/MIRAMAX BUDGET
(What budget do you think Harvey let Quentin start at?)
BOTTOM-LINE: What is your 1st Feature Budget?
12 Budgets. 12 Movies. 12 opportunities to launch your Feature Film career.
Now, please be “ruthlessly honest” and for your very first feature film, assuming you have no proven track record and are not a marketable name and do not have a billionaire parent…Of the 12 Budgets outlined which is going to be Your 1st Feature Film Budget?
Is a Million Dollar budget realistic? I think not.
Is a $1-2 Million budget realistic? I think not.
Is a $2-3 Million budget realistic? I think not.
Is a $3-5 Million budget realistic. I think not.
Is a $7-10 Million budget realistic. I think not.
My very strong opinion, even though the above-mentioned budgets are called “Low-Budget” they are still massive amounts of money to secure for your first project and I truly believe that your first feature film is going to either be…(1) “No-Budget” 3-day shoot… (2) “Micro-Budget” 1-week Shoot… (3) “Mini-Budget” 1-2 week Shoot… (4) “Low-Budget” 2-week Shoot… or … (5) “Under $1 Million” (this is a push) 3-week Shoot.
These are movies made for $1,000 – $300,000 and this is realisti… for your very first feature film.
“News-at-11:00″… My upcoming No-Bull Blogs will be the…
$1,000-$10,000 Feature Film
$10,000-$20,000 Feature Film.
$20,000-30,000 Feature Film.
$30,000-50,000 Feature Film.
$50,000-$70,000 Feature Film
$100,000-$200,000 Feature Film
And….
…. Happy Filmmaking
Dov Simens / Dean / Hollywood Film Institute
LEARN FILMMAKING (Quick, Intensive & Easy)… Why Wait?
Want to Produce, Write, Direct? Want only facts… not theory.
Then either of my film programs are perfect for you…
Plus, they are only $89-$289.
Real Knowledge. No-Theory. No-Bull.
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I found this website about two months ago I´ve learned a lot from these blogposts and viewing your website Dov. I´m going to take one of your film schools during this year. Then I´m going to make my own feature film. The first one will be number one in your list, a no budgetfilm. Since I´m swedish and living in Sweden I will have to adapt a little bit to how things work here but your information will be my guideline. My goal is to make international films one day that will be sold i many countries. The best part for me about you Dov and the things you say one this website is that it´s true fact and not a lot of fancy words that are useless in reality. Keep up the good work Dov.
Wish I had seen this before making a movie last year. Spent about $55,000 including post, shot for 14 days and… well, turns out we needed at least $250k to get it right.
what is your budget
what is your budget
Love the emphasis on starting small and practical. It is refreshing to see a realistic approach to filmmaking budgets especially for newcomers. Looking forward to diving into those upcoming blogs for more insights.
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