Hello From Richard, i am Based in the UK. I need help with the following, Please Answer if you can in quotes too as I am filling out a Funding Application for an Arts Funding application as this is Deemed an Audio Visual Project. I need to know the Timeline of Activity- the least amount of time a producer could work on this, It could be a 10 day 2 weeks of Filming. 1 i need to know as looking to make this Micro-Budget maybe not more than £20,000 how much to pay a Producer, also how long they would be working on this from being fully Funded, woul it be 1 week or 2 weeks to get cast-crew. How much Cheapest to pay per-day, week. 2 how much Cheapest pay rate per day- for a week for a camera-person, to film with own camera and Edit too. is it £300 or less to film, then £300 less or more to Edit, 3 How Much Industry Rates for an actor-singer in the Recording studio for 5 days, as this would have a soundtrack album. 4 Industry rates per hour cheapest for a Producer, 5 Would £1000 for a Location manager be enough, 6 would £2000 for a location for 2 weeks be enough, 7 As you can Tell, i am stuck, I am Looking for a Producer too, I can not ask for more than £30,000 in Funding, Actors for the 2 weeks acting not recording the album maybe be paid, a £1000 each for 10 days work, it would be a cast of 4, i am Trying to keep this Under £20,000 pleae Help with Reply, thanks.
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Hey Richard, this is Michael from the Stage 32 team. I just wanted to let you know I moved your post from Producing to Financing / Crowdfunding, as it fits much better there. Let me know if you have any questions, and all the best to you!
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Hello Michael- would it be possible for you, Yourself to answer some of my questions, with cheapest - quotes oo, please reply, thanks.
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A producer can take 10% of the total budget, a company with overhead and a producing executive aboout 30%. If you want prices you have to get on the phone and call people and ask them for their fee. Quite a job if you don't have a network already in place.
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Richard Kelly, while rates can vary depending on region, experience level, and union status, here’s a general ballpark breakdown for UK-based micro-budget projects (often following BFI/Equity/London Living Wage guidance or standard indie project minimums):
1. Producer Timeline & Pay
- Timeline: For a 10-day shoot, a Producer typically begins pre-production at least 4–6 weeks before filming.
- Cheapest Pay Estimate: For micro-budget, some Producers work for £150–£300/day, with total work spanning 4–6 weeks, including pre-, shoot, and wrap.
- Industry standard low-end: ~£700–£1,000/week minimum for an experienced indie Producer on a passion project.
2. Camera Operator/Editor with Own Gear
- Filming Day Rate (with gear): Expect to pay £250–£350/day.
- Editing: Editing can be budgeted as £150–£250/day, depending on project complexity and turnaround.
- For combined filming + editing across 2–3 weeks: Budget £2,000–£3,000 total conservatively.
3. Actor-Singer in Studio (5 days)
- Studio Recording Sessions: For singer/actors, expect £200–£300/day, especially if recording for a soundtrack album.
- For 5 days: budget £1,000–£1,500 per actor.
4. Producer Hourly Rate
- Cheapest indie rate: ~£20–£35/hour
- You may negotiate a flat rate or weekly fee based on the scope.
5. Location Manager – £1,000
- That’s on the very low end, but for 2 weeks and a micro-budget, it’s doable if they’re newer or working on a passion basis.
6. Location Rental – £2,000 for 2 Weeks
- That’s tight, but possible for small venues, community halls, schools, or off-season rentals. Be clear in your negotiations that it includes all shoot days, prep, and wrap days.
7. Actor Pay – £1,000 each for 10 days
- That’s £100/day, which is common for micro-budget, non-union indie features, especially if actors are passionate about the material.
With all that said, I also recommend reaching out to our Success Team at Success@Stage32.com, they can connect you with producers and professionals who may align with your goals and budget. And if you haven’t already, definitely pop into the Producing Lounge and Filmmaking Lounge as well for more advice. There are many folks there who’ve pulled off sub-£20K films and could offer far more experience-based insights than I can.
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Hello Ashley, thank you for the info, as you say a Producer starts 4-6 weeks before with pre-production, do they have to be paid from then, as it would be from the point of funded or could it be cut down to 2 weeks before filming to save on money, thanks for pointing out the Filmmaking lounge , is that the best place to ask about Micro-Budget in the UK too, please reply, thanks.
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Micro Budget Estimate (about the same as posted with a few tweaks)
Producer
£1,500
Pre-production: 2–3 weeks (includes casting, crew, schedule, locations, contracts); Shoot: 10 days; Wrap/Post Coordination: 1–2 weeks (wrap docs, deliverables, edit management)
Cast
(4 x £1,000) £4,000
Camera + Edit
combine the jobs
£2,000
Location Manager
£1,000
Locations (Flat)
£2,000
Soundtrack Record (Singer)
£1,250
Studio Time (Recording)
£1,000
Editor (separate, optional)
£1,000
Sound Designer/Post Sound
£1,000
Insurance
£1,000
Food, Transport, Misc
£1,250
Total Estimate £17,000–£19,000
Contingency.
£1,000 to £3,000
Total £20,000
Good luck.
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Richard Kelly, You’ll get the most insightful responses from the Filmmaking Lounge if you adjust your question slightly to invite filmmakers to share from experience. For example, you might ask: “For those who’ve worked on micro-budget films, when did you bring on your producer, and how did you handle compensation during pre-production?” That gives members a chance to offer practical, real-world advice based on how they’ve approached similar projects.
Looks like a lot of these details goes in the Title (?) document - a document for every short to Feature film. I liearned about it 2 months ago at the FilmDayton meeting. (smiles). There's more to movies than filming, I've learned. Granted, we enjoy the final product.
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Hello thank you for the Deatiled answer from E Langley.
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Hello Also from The answer from Ashley too.
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Thanks Richard Kelly.