So you have accepted a project and have a budget. Producing a high quality product, your client will be estatic with, while staying within budget is your goal. This is the challenge business professionals face every day. In fact, this is a huge part of what makes some people and companies sucessful and others average or failures.

I just had the pleaure of appearing in a film produced by Rachel Schaff, the writer, director and producer of "The Yellow House Mystery". Rachel had to secure financing, create a budget, direct and produce a film, with no margin for error for exceding the budget. Lets examine  "The Yellow House Mystery" production and budget process and see what lessons we can learn.

Let go right to budget of "The Yellow House Mystery" production.

Production Expenses:

Rentals                  $6,500
Art Department        1,000
Wardrobe                   500
Film Stock                3,500
Hair/Makeup                200
Transportation         2,800
Meals                      2,800
Expendables            2,000
Subtotal              $19,300

Post ProductionExpesnes:

Film Developing         700
Film Transfer             600
Publicity                    100
Subtotal                1,400

Grand Total        $20,700

Rachel and her team did their fundraising and secured the funds required in early 2008. Next, a timeline was put in place, which as of August, 2008 has been followed and on schedule.

Rachel and the  "The Yellow House Mystery" Team have stayed within budget with all production expenses and have a small surplus. Post production expenses quotes will have the overall project within budget, and perhaps a small surplus for a party for the  "The Yellow House Mystery" team and actors.

Lessons Learned

• Prepare, Prepare, Prepare. Rachel and her team prepared for every step of producing a film within budget. How many Hollywood Films stay within budget? Not many. One of the lessons I have learned in life is that everything else being equal, the person who prepares better will win.
• Surrond yourself with a talented team. There is quite a bit of down time on a film set, when the production crew is setting up for the next scene. I had the chance to observe Rachel's Crew, and WOW, were they talented. The talent of her crew will be a big factor in the success of "The Yellow House Mystery".
• Setting up a realistic budget is critical. Sometimes budgets are put together fast, using urealistic criteria. Often, these bugets will need to be adjusted as they are not prepared with realistic assumptions. Rachel and her team did some great research in putting together such a realistic budget. This makes your investors and clients happy, as no one likes the unexpected.

So what are Rachel's plan for distribution and success for "The Yellow House Mystery"?

When completed The Yellow House Mystery will be submitted to festivals across the world including:

NYU First Run Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
Tribecca Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
South By South West
Los Angeles International Short Film Festival
Los Angeles Film Festival
Chicago International Film Festival
Gen-Art Film Festival
Palm Springs Short Film Festival

Rachel and The Yellow House Mystery have already been the feature article in The Sentinel Newspaper.

I look forward to learning of the success of The Yellow House Mystery, and can say I knew Rachel Schaff prior to her becoming a huge success in the film industry. Yes, I do have her autograph.

Visit the The Yellow House Mystery Web site for more information.

Want information on the premier of The Yellow House Mystery? E-mail Rachel at yellowhousecasting@gmail.com.