r/Filmmakers • u/ChiefChunkEm_ • 15h ago

Question Difference Between A Budget Proposal And A Budget? How Detailed Should A Budget Proposal Be?

Government film grant requires a budget proposal to be submitted. “Detailed estimation of production expenses”. How detailed and how accurate does this estimation need to be? Are exact dollar amounts required or can the budget be roughly estimated for each department and major above and below the line roles?

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u/Random_Reddit99 14h ago

They're probably asking for the topsheet and not the individual line items, which will still need to be submitted for final audit, but no one expects exact dollar amounts on a bid. Cost consultants can tell if a budget is realistic from a synopsis and a topsheet.

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u/ChiefChunkEm_ 14h ago

They label the detailed expenses as “(equipment, cast/crew, travel/transportation, etc)”. How accurate/specific do you think a top sheet would need to be?

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u/defensivenacho1 14h ago

What is the total budget of your movie and How much are you asking for from the grant? What country are you applying in?

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u/ChiefChunkEm_ 14h ago

Grant is giving out a flat $80,000. So my budget will be $80,000. But my question is about the level of detail required

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u/defensivenacho1 14h ago

I see - you should 100% budget out the movie in detail for the 80k application. They won’t hold you to the exact dollar amounts you put into the line by line now, but if you submit a preliminary fully thought out budget with a top sheet that looks like it is based on your creative and is realistically achievable, I’m sure that will give you the edge vs other applications who are just estimating chunks costs. There is no reason not to - 80k is a good chunk of cash.

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u/jstarlee 11h ago

Having spoken to people that are involved in the grant writing/reviewing world...do not recommend. Often times they want to know that the grant they offer is not a make-or-break number to your production. They want to know that they are helping bridging the gap on something that other entities with money believe in, instead of the sole entity carrying the financial risk/commitment.

Your mileage may vary obviously.

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u/ChiefChunkEm_ 11h ago

No they want applicants to spend all the money, it’s use it or lose it. The purpose is specifically to create a very high production value short.