Screenwriting : Does the cost to produce your Screenplay make it untenable? by Robert Franklin Godwin III

I've never had a line producer or experienced production accountant make a budget for my first draft, Robert Franklin Godwin III, but I figure out what the budget range is (micro, low, mid, or big). If I'm writing a big-budget script or a big-budget stunt script, I don't worry too much about how many characters, locations, etc. are in the script, but if the script is micro-budget, low-budget, or mid-budget, I'm really careful about character count, etc.

Maurice Vaughan I aim for the micro-to-low budget genre films. More churn there for an opportunity to sell a spec script. As such, budgetmindedness will (hopefully) payoff.

Just my take—chances are super low that anything you write will actually get made, so make it easy on yourself. A lot of writers come up with stories that would cost millions to shoot. Try writing something that could be made for under $200k. Use basic common sense—no need for explosions or helicopter chases. Wishing you the best, and whatever happens, keep writing and pitching!

Stephen Folker Precisely my take on the topic. Although $200K is a one room, one actor on screen and another 'voice behind the door' thriller (yawn). I have to admit Texas Chainsaw Massacre did well.

On another note Robert Franklin Godwin III - 200k doesn't have to be a one room one actor film. That's where good producers that can get stuff done comes in handy! I'm a full time producer / filmmaker and my clients don't have those types of budgets...but we still get unique spots (hospitals, schools, jails, working farms, etc). Just a matter of where the budget is allocated. But we still avoid big visual effects and large crews which cost lots of $$$$$.

I have produced 22 hours with no-budget films, including 3 TV-movies. I don't count what ingredients will cost, but I leave out anything expensive. So in my new script which I want to sell, there is one car, a few guns, 4 offices, and so on. Just things which are trivial. I have never seen this as a limitation. And when it comes to special effects, I only include what I can create myself in my editing computer.

Göran Johansson You are very brave. Is anyone paid on a 'no-budget' film? Where does the money come from? Are you always able to cover payroll? Suppliers fees? Curious how no-budget works.

No-budget means that there is no money to pay people. My 3 TV-movies cost me 1,000 dollars each. Some people are able to sell distribution rights for their no-budget films, but the market situation is not funny so I have given away the distribution rights to public access television stations.

Göran Johansson And so your goal is to create. Good for you. A true artist. Vincent Van Gough simply created, much as you have. Just don't cut off your ear.

I'm very new to screenwriting but so far I'm just writing with my heart rather than with a budget in mind. Basically just telling a story and seeing where it goes.

Robert Franklin Godwin III I usually don't think a lot about it, but I do try for more modest stories with limited characters and locations anyway. I generally don't have much interest in big-budget fair (writing for or watching). But I also have no idea what the true cost would be for my feature screenplays to make it to screen. I did just write a short that involves four characters in a single location purposefully to be low-budget. On the other hand, I'm working on a feature screenplay that, so far, mostly takes place in 1953 on the Isle of Crete. This morning I was wondering if I'm being silly. And yet, I'm still going to give it a go. Your idea to have a line producer or experienced production accountant create a budget for your first draft is a great idea. I need to look into that. What should I expect to pay someone to do that for me?

Tucker Teague I have hired a line producer and an production accountant for exactly two screenplays I wrote and three that other's wrote. I will only cite the costs for my screenplays.

Line Producer: A period piece taking place in 1972, and excluding talent, and cinematographer. 108 pages and lots of locations so a lot of things to estimate. $500 was what he charged, and that was a big, big favor as he is realistic in regard to actual costs.

Production Accountant: The other was a 110 page horror script. A lot of set building and location shooting. Supporting cast (not the leads), Hotel and food plus location support staff requirements. That was $1200. Both yielded what I think are realistic budgets.

These were for shooting. Post production was not included. I have keep track of the costs and budgeted a short film using an Excel template. Since I did it there are likely things missed or incorrectly calcuated, but the number seemed realistic. That cost only my time. Best to have a pro do the estimate.

Thanks Robert Franklin Godwin III , that really helps. And the costs are kinda what I thought they would be.

I worked with a producer who created films for 10k and he has over 100 under his belt Robert Franklin Godwin III and he did the specila effects himself and they were not bad.

Thanks for sharing that Robert Franklin Godwin III it was very insightful.