BUDGET APPROACH

Generally we have three approaches:

• Extreme Low Budget- Most of the work is done by one crew member at their home studio. Labor and facility rates are negotiated.

• Low Budget- One crew member may hire other crew members for help. Some the work is done at the facility. Labor rates are negotiated. Facility amount is half the total labor.

• High Budget- Labor rates follow either union rules or the Soundcrafter rate card. Facility rates follow the Soundcrafter rate card.

As a filmmaker, if you are financing your project yourself, it is pretty obvious which budget approach you probably want to take. If there is more sound work needed, if you have a tight schedule or you want to mix on a large stage, than the approach might be Low Budget. If it is a project signed with the Editor’s Guild it would be High Budget.

FIGURING OUT YOUR BUDGET AT SOUNDCRAFTER

Contact us when you are getting close to locking your picture. We can provide estimates from a rough cut or trailer, but until you are close to a locked cut we can’t provide an accurate budget.

If you already know the crew member you want to work with, contact them directly. Email info@soundcrafter and we’ll provide their contact info if you need. Provide a link so the crew member can watch your project. This is the best way for a crew member to figure out your budget. Discuss things that aren’t so obvious like additional dialogue needed or your sound design ideas so they can be included in the budget.

If you don’t know who to work with, or you just need an estimate before proceeding, we can provide example estimates from a rough cut or trailer. If you are doing the Low Budget approach we can figure out your budget from a locked cut, then connect you to the crew member who will supervise. There are various scenarios.

Crew members will try to stick to the agreed budget. If you make additions, like picture changes, or recording new lines, or adding additional sound design, there may be additional costs.