Understanding Documentary Budgets

Documentary budgets differ from feature films in scale and scope. They're often funded through grants, crowdfunding, donations, and pre-sales, making accurate budgeting crucial for securing and allocating limited resources effectively.

Budgets are divided into categories: pre-production, production, post-production, and distribution. Allocate funds wisely. Historically, documentaries allocate more to development and less to CGI compared to feature films.

Pre-production involves research, scriptwriting, and planning. It's often overlooked but is vital for documentaries. Unexpectedly, it can consume up to 25% of the total budget due to extensive research needs.

While shooting, consider equipment, crew, and location costs. Documentaries may require travel to remote areas or extended filming periods to capture events as they unfold, impacting the budget significantly.

Editing, sound design, and color grading are key in post-production. Documentaries may face higher editing costs due to vast amounts of footage compared to scripted films.

Allocating budget for marketing and distribution is crucial. Surprisingly, self-distribution via online platforms can reduce costs and increase viewership, changing traditional budgeting strategies for documentaries.

Securing funds is challenging. Surprisingly, many documentaries now utilize blockchain and NFTs for funding and profit sharing, offering a novel approach to budget planning and investment.