One of the first questions I asked about film production is how much.
Well how long is a piece of string
and motion pictures not a stocker in than Torrie item
that can cost surprisingly little or involve a budget that would choke an elephant.
Now the cost of camera raw stock that's a thick Steinem maybe this is the place to
start. Now let me see my movie should run about twenty minutes
that take about seven
or so a film about a dollars a roll of being fifty six dollars
and magnetic striping only say twenty minutes is seven hundred twenty feet at two
and a half cents or for
that only eighteen dollars eighteen
fifty six seventy dollars.
So
when I'm in a film a cost about seventy seventy five pounds by movie sure
cost an awful lot.
Yes films can cost a lot
but there's more to producing a motion picture than buying raw stock.
Perhaps it would be better to go to someone with film experience.
Photo ID five hundred ten. This is still man sales promotion.
Oh yeah and your kind of royal we want to make a product picture on that train.
Sixteen millimeter color say about twenty minutes. How much cost.
Oh give me some more information go information a kind of information.
Well you'll know who the audience going to be how many locations how many actors
how much equipment you know we'll back all that stuff later on the back
and about five minutes. We want to get going
but you know.
Hello Joe twelve thousand dollars fine come up with a
figure that right at the time. Thanks to your.
OK.
Sometimes the bull's eye is way off base.
Certain basic information is required before a quotation can be made it might be
best to call in an outside expert a practicing producer for some realistic
and firm figures.
There's really no secret about prices you know there is no secret about our prices
Mr Johnson now indeed figure him out for you right now I'm listening Esther
be sure. I've got all the facts straight
and what you want is a twenty minute film right.
That's right and you want it in full sound and.
Full color cast right. Right. Now.
We want to show the the factory ice and any other scenes
that are necessary to tell a story right right.
OK let me figure this now for a few minutes
and I'll have it for you fine as what I've got to have because.
Well actually price is a big factor to fit into our budget on the other hand we
don't intend to be unreasonable.
We realize that pictures cost money.
And I've discussed that angle pretty thoroughly with our board
and I think they understand it. They get about what you pay for and anything about.
So we can understand a reasonable proposition.
But we don't expect to pay Hollywood prices we would know still for
that indeed now.
So if you can convince me that your price is fair and
that the picture will be good. I'll be able to get the money for my board. Fine.
That's the business like way to look at it. Much doesn't.
Oh yes the business like approach. It involves many things.
How much you have to spend is a rather critical item.
As it will determine how much a producer can work into a film.
When you're contemplating a show discuss it with the producer in its earliest
stages give him complete and detailed information
and allow him to submit a proposal.
This proposal will contain a total budget and cost breakdown
and a suggested story treatment.
This permits determination of cost in advance of expenditure
and gives a comprehensive idea of the end product.
But without sufficient information. The question how much can only be answered by.
How long is a piece of string.