ABSTRACT
The reason to include everything, even filmmakers' own estimated costs, is to make sure that filmmakers have one budget that is realistic that encompasses all of the real costs it would take to make the film, their best-case scenario. Make sure they budget for production insurance. On one shoot in Alaska, the Cameraman's bag was left behind when we left a location. As well as the Musicwood feature documentary budget Maxine Trump have included an example budget for a branded content documentary short. We were turned down by one grant because our budget was too low for music, so include everything, even if filmmakers know many of the costs will be deferred or donated. Then make filmmakers' "low-ball" budget, which will end up being their more realistic budget. Our budget doesn't reflect at all what we actually paid per line item but we were weren't far off with what we spent overall, at US$151K.
