ABSTRACT
Creating a budget can be a daunting task. Like any large project, it needs to be broken down into small sections, which in this case are called line items. There are some items that are included in the production budget that are estimated and managed by the postproduction supervisor. They may include data capture cards or SSD media, data transfer speeds and other technical information that is passed along to editorial. Production managers and auditors are experts in production; however, postproduction is a specialty that needs your input. Included in this chapter are a sample budget top sheet, a sample cost-of-accounting form, and guidance on how to read and fill them in. The etiquette of budget meetings and the ethics of keeping budget costs and privileged information confidential are important. There are several areas you need to budget for, and we have provided a list of easy steps to get you started. When getting bids from facilities it’s best to know what you need and the timetable for delivery. Make sure your producer and your team are all in communication on how the workflow is going to be handled. This will keep the surprises to a minimum.
