How To Budget a $2 Million Indie Film

What does it actually cost to make a $2 million independent feature?

Ken and Anthony break down a hypothetical $2M movie using the Telefilm Canada budget structure and real lessons learned producing Remnant. They go line by line through above-the-line costs, cast, crew, equipment, locations, transportation, post-production, music, financing, tax credits and contingency.

They also get into the costs filmmakers often overlook: actor buyouts, crew fringes, overtime, hard drives, trailers, permits, music licensing, legal fees, interim financing and the deals and relationships required to make a professional film at this budget level.

If you're trying to figure out how much your indie film should actually cost — and where that money should go — this episode is a practical starting point.