Free Film and Video Production Budget Template
Download a free production budget template for cast, crew, equipment, locations, art, travel, post-production, contingency, estimated costs, and actual spending.
No account required. Opens in Numbers, Excel, Google Sheets, and other spreadsheet apps.
A blank production document you can use immediately
Download the CSV for free, or move into CinePlan when you need connected schedules, records, collaboration, and automation.
Start with the fields crews actually need
A production budget is most useful when estimates and actual spending remain comparable throughout the project. This blank template separates common departments, quantities, rates, totals, and notes so a small production can see where money is committed and where a contingency is still available.
A clean structure ready for your production
The downloaded CSV includes blank rows and the complete field structure. This preview shows how the information fits together.
Production Budget Template
Production: ________________________________
Estimated total
$________
Actual total
$________
Contingency
____%
| Department | Line item | Qty / rate | Estimated | Actual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cast | ________________ | ___ × $____ | $________ | $________ |
| Crew | ________________ | ___ × $____ | $________ | $________ |
| Equipment | ________________ | ___ × $____ | $________ | $________ |
| Locations | ________________ | ___ × $____ | $________ | $________ |
| Post-production | ________________ | ___ × $____ | $________ | $________ |
Fields included
- Department, category, and individual line item
- Quantity, units, rate, estimated total, and actual total
- Vendor, payment status, and production notes
- Above-the-line, production, post-production, insurance, and delivery categories
- Contingency and variance tracking
How to use the template
- 1List every known cost by department instead of relying on one total estimate.
- 2Separate quantity and rate so changes to days, rentals, or crew are easy to recalculate.
- 3Add insurance, permits, travel, meals, storage, delivery, and contingency before approving the budget.
- 4Record actual spending against the matching estimate as invoices and receipts arrive.
- 5Review large variances before committing the remaining contingency.
Common questions
What categories should a production budget include?
Common categories include cast, crew, equipment, locations, art, wardrobe, hair and makeup, transport, meals, insurance, post-production, music, storage, delivery, and contingency.
How much contingency should a production carry?
The appropriate amount depends on risk and certainty. Keep contingency visible as its own line rather than hiding it inside department estimates.
What does CinePlan add beyond the blank template?
CinePlan connects budget lines to the production workspace and supports estimated-versus-actual tracking, department summaries, exports, schedules, contacts, and related production records.
Move beyond a disconnected spreadsheet
Start a CinePlan production when you are ready to connect this document to the rest of the schedule, crew, files, and production workflow.
Keep building this production
Use the next resource that matches where you are in the production workflow.
Production planning in CinePlan
See how CinePlan connects this document to the production workflow.
Film production checklist
Use practical production guidance while completing the template.
Production budget calculator
Use a free browser-based calculator to support the production plan.