Film calculation
A film calculation lists all the costs that arise in the production of a film. All phases of film production ( pre-production , shooting and post-production ) are taken into account , but not the costs of film exploitation or release of the film .
After clarifying the film budget , the producer can start financing the film and look for suitable investors for the project.
requirement
In order to be able to calculate the costs for the production of a film, you must first u. a. the following points must be clarified:
- How long is the film likely to be?
- On which image material is the film shot (e.g. 35 mm film )?
- Which actors should the most important roles or characters be cast?
- Which cost-relevant positions are there in the individual script scenes?
- How many days does the film take to make it?
- Are complex visual effects to be implemented in post-production ?
An initial estimate is usually made by the producer of the film . This enables them to determine the financing requirements of the film project and start looking for suitable investors. In the course of the production of a film, a so-called actual calculation is created in which all costs arising in the production process are entered. This is usually done by the production manager .
Schemes
Film calculations are listed and displayed in fixed schemes. In Germany, the de facto standard for all cinema film productions is the FFA calculation scheme, the Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA). The ZDF calculation scheme is occasionally used for television productions . The structure of the two schemes differs only slightly from one another.
In the Anglo-American region, the standard is the above-below-the-line scheme . There is no uniform scheme here, but numerous minor deviations at every major studio and television station .
The significant difference between the German and the Anglo-American schemes is the grouping of costs. The above-below-the-line scheme assigns all costs incurred to the individual departments (e.g. camera department , costume department, etc.) In contrast, the German schemes group according to cost types (e.g. travel expenses, fees, etc.)
Another special feature of the above-below-the-line scheme results from the pronounced star cinema in the USA. As the name of the scheme suggests, some costs are listed above and others below (below) an imaginary dividing line. The above costs are costs that arise in the area of the producer, writer, director and actor and usually make up the largest share of the film budget.
software
Nowadays, software is used to generate complex film calculations. In Germany there are the sesame lime and PreProducer programs for this . These programs have the advantage that they have already integrated the FFA scheme required by all film funding agencies for the submission of films as a template and take into account the regulations of the German wage and social security calculation.
The Movie Magic Budgeting program is most commonly used internationally for above-below-the-line calculations .