Lesson One – Six Steps For Funding & Budgeting

For many people, dealing with the funding and budgeting of a film commission office is one of their least favorite parts of the job. As film commissioners, we want to be able to focus on our work with production companies, not worry about how we are going to pay the staff or find the funds for our programs. Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life. A strong film commissioner is not only versed in the world of film production, but also has a keen business sense and understands the ins and outs of funding and budgeting. How funding comes in, how it is tracked and how it is reported will vary greatly depending upon whether the film commission is government based or an independent not for profit, and in which part of the world. Regardless, it is essential to understand the basics. Let’s look at the six basic steps of getting, managing and reporting your funding.

  1. Develop and Commit to your Mission and Vision
  2. Form a Plan to Accomplish the Mission
  3. Determining Costs and Funding Sources for the Plan
  4. Budget Priorates
  5. Creating the Budget
  6. Telling your Financial Story