Producing for TV and New Media, 3rd Edition

Chapter 4

Connecting the Dots: Breakdowns, Budgets, and Finance

The TV business … is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs.

Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

This Chapter’s Talking Points

I.	Break Down the Idea
II.	Budget the Idea
III.	Find the Financing

I.  Break Down the Idea

Budgeting is almost every producer’s nightmare. Mistakes get made, blame gets tossed around. Making a budget for your project obligates you to predict the future. It requires you to examine each aspect of your project, give it a face, and assign it job descriptions and a set of parameters. Without a realistic budget, your project faces confusion and failure. Budgeting can be daunting, ...