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The thought
of planning a production budget may make you uneasy. Well, being a "word
person," I know how you feel. It may help if you
think of a budget as a way of explaining what you want to do using numbers
instead of words. The budget for an amateur musical does not have to be long or
complicated, just realistic.
What does realistic mean? Simple – do not underestimate your
expenses, or overestimate the amount of money you have in hand. If you run
out of money in mid-production, you will either have to scramble for additional
funds or shut down at a total loss – headache or heartache. The way to
avoid this is to plan a production budget and stick to it.
Here is a line-up of
items that appear in many school & amateur production budgets.
Expenses
|
| Publicity |
Posters, other advertising |
| Performance Rights |
The licensing co. agent
can give you this figure in advance of actual commitment |
| Equipment Rental |
Lighting, sound,
special effects |
| Facility Rental |
(If any) For rehearsal
& performance space |
| Facility Repair |
Be prepared for a few unexpected
mishaps |
| Costumes &
Accessories |
Construction, materials, and/or
rentals |
| Sets & Props |
Construction, materials (lumber,
paint, duct tape), any rented
items (tools, furniture) |
| Printing |
Programs and tickets |
| Salaries |
(if any) |
| Shipping Costs |
For costumes, equipment |
| Refreshments |
Sodas & candy to
sell at intermission |
| Makeup |
As needed |
| Music stand &
light rental |
For the orchestra |
| Postage |
(If any) |
| Insurance |
(If not already
covered) |
Not all that complicated, was it? Now comes the fun part –
listing every possible source of income.
Income
|
| Starting Funds |
What you have in hand |
| Gifts/Fundraising |
The realistic figure
you expect to raise |
| Probable Program Ad Sales |
Make sure your program turns a profit |
| Refreshment sales |
A small but
useful figure – especially if the sodas and snacks are donated! |
| Probable Ticket Sales |
Aim for selling
about 75% of your seats. If you manage to sell beyond that goal,
more power to you! |
Total Income minus Total Expenses = Projected Profit. If your financial
figure winds up a negative number, get ready to reassess your plans.
Example: Here is the budget for Higgins
High's musical. Notice that it only includes those items relevant to their production.
The school's print shop is doing the programs and posters in house, saving a bundle.
The salaries represent consultant fees of $1,000 each to the choreographer and
sound/lighting designer.
|
Higgins HS Expenses
|
|
Publicity
|
1,200.00 |
|
Performance Rights
|
2,800.00 |
|
Equipment Rental
|
1,000.00 |
|
Facility Rental/Repair
|
500.00 |
|
Costumes
|
2,000.00 |
|
Sets
|
2,000.00 |
|
Printing Programs
|
1,000.00 |
|
Salaries
|
2,000.00 |
|
Projected Total Expenses
|
$12,500.00 |
Any salaries or fees should be spelled out in formal letters of agreement.
Be sure these letters mention everything expected from both parties
(participation in tech & dress rehearsals, dates of payment, etc.).
You can find model letters in various books – an attorney or your
organization's business manager can help you with the wording.
Notice in the next section that Mr. Pickering and Ms. Doolittle have planned
enough pre-ticket sale income to cover all production expenses – these are two
smart cookies! If their fundraising falls a little short of the mark, they will
probably be able to make up the difference with ticket sales. In figuring out
probable ticket sales, they have projected 375 paid attendees (75% of 500 seats)
for each of six performances, at $10 per ticket.
|
Higgins HS Income - Pre-Production
|
|
Opening Funds (from school)
|
6,000.00 |
|
Fundraising
|
3,200.00 |
|
Projected Ad Sales
|
3,500.00 |
|
Subtotal
|
12,500.00 |
|
Production Income
|
|
Projected Ticket Sales
|
37,500.00 |
|
Projected Total Income
|
$49,000.00
|
Income minus Expenses = Projected Profit
| $49,000 - $12,500 = |
$37,300
Projected Profit |
If the show sells out profits could be higher, but this figure
will keep everyone's expectations gentler. With no previous productions to
judge by, there is no guarantee they can sell three thousand tickets.
On to The Production Team |