The Budget Book for Film and Television, Second Edition [Paperback]

Robert Koster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 12, 2004

This guidebook is intended to help both the novice and the experienced producer to create and fine-tune their budgets. Based on the top budgeting software packages, Movie Magic and EP Budgeting, this book takes the reader through each line item in the budgeting software and describes the background for that item, how it fits into the overall production, and any issues or pitfalls that may arise from it. This book is a useful reference for independent filmmakers who depend on accurate, easy-to-understand budgeting methods to seek funding for their projects.

Learn how to create a film or TV budget, line by line
Includes a tutorial on Movie Magic and EP Budgeting

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A superb guide to figuring out costs for a large-scale production in a methodical, accurate manner." - Library Bookwatch

Book Description

This complete resource details both the process and software skills necessary to create a professional budget!

Product Details

• Paperback: 340 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 2 edition (March 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240806204
• ISBN-13: 978-0240806204
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #469,059 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb guide to figuring out costs, September 9, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Budget Book for Film and Television, Second Edition (Paperback)

Written by film, video, and television production manager and producer Robert J. Koster, The Budget Book For Film And Television is a step-by-step walkthrough of how to create and fine-tune film and television budgets. Based upon the widely popular budgeting software packages "Movie Magic" and "EP Budgeting", The Budget Book For Film And Television uses screenshots and explicit instructions, as well as general warnings and discussions of sudden expenses, pitfalls, easy-to-miss items that can make or break a budget, and much more. A superb guide to figuring out costs for a large-scale production in a methodical, accurate manner.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A filmmaker's essential, April 2, 2004

By 

WAM Kafka - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Budget Book for Film and Television, Second Edition (Paperback)

This is a great book written by a UPM with decades of experience. It goes line by line through film/video budgets and teaches you how to accurately budget your own film. It also includes a useful Movie Magic budgeting tutorial. This book is definitely worth it and will spare you a lot of grief!

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Garbage, May 17, 2008

By 

D. Raymond Harlan "The Connoisseur of Literat... (Lemont, IL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Budget Book for Film and Television, Second Edition (Paperback)

I bought this book to help me with a school project but all I have to say is: If you want a book that pertains to a specific piece of software which was not represented in the description, then go for it!

Seriously, this does not help you plan a film budget, all this book covers is the list of accounts (it describes the items that would be expensed under these accounts) that a certain piece of software used to help budget a production has, I can't remember the name of the product, but trust me, this book isn't worth it!