The On Production Budget Book

By Robert J. Koster

With accompanying CD ROM. This book offers both the novice and the experienced producer the best possible guidebook to creating and fine-tuning their budgets. Based on the leading film budgeting software, Movie Magic, 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, most importantly, any issues or pitfalls that may arise from this item. As Movie Magic is used by over 90% of the US film industry, this book will give vital budgeting experience to students and professionals alike. It also will be a vital reference for the large market of independent filmmakers who depend on accurate, easy-to-understand budgeting methods to seek funding for their projects. The On Production Budget Book is designed to be an easy-to-use reference with each page of text facing the relevant screen from the budget. The accompanying dual platform CD-ROM contains an annotated version of Movie Magic customized by the author to tie in with the book. The whole package will demonstrate how to use the specific features of the software to create accurate budgets. Robert Koster has over 35 years experience as a production manager and producer. He possesses an expert knowledge of Movie Magic, as he is currently a consultant and distributor for the software. He teaches film and TV production and budgeting as an adjunct professor at both UCLA and USC.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0240802985
• ISBN13: 9780240802985
• Release Date: June 1997
• Publisher: Focal Press
• Length: 207 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.0" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

Budget Book is on the money!

Bob Koster's "On Production Budget Book" is a wonderful addition to any producer's or production manager's reference library. As an instructor of film producers, I use this book as my primary text. As a working producer, I refer to this book frequently. Bob has carefully taken all of the line items in a typical movie budget form and provided a concise (and often humorous) description of what each line item is and how it should be dealt with in a film's budget. He also highlights many of these descriptions with short personal anecdotes from his many years of experience as a production manager. As an added bonus, the book comes a CD-ROM containing a demonstration version (PC and Mac) of the best movie budgeting software available, Movie Magic Budgeting. This is not a book about how to budget a film (who to call, how to make deals, etc.). It is about defining the anatomy of a film's budget and how to use the Movie Magic software to pull it all together.