Learn how to
Schedule and Budget
your film.
We were deeply saddened by the recent wildfires that devastated parts of Los Angeles. Without LA, Film Parliament wouldn’t exist.
In honor of this incredible city, we’re pledging 10% of all purchases to the Habitat for Humanity LA Relief Fund, helping rebuild lives and homes in the community we hold so dear.
A self-paced online course for:
Anyone (in the film industry or not) interested in scheduling & budgeting a low budget (under $15mil), feature film.
Anyone looking to become a producer, line producer, UPM, or production supervisor.
Creative producers looking to learn the production side of things.
What does this course cover?
Everything that goes into a film budget and a film schedule, including how to prep your script for scheduling. I get into union agreements, union rules, working with non-union crew, working with minors, etc.
I will take you through the entire scheduling and budgeting process from start to finish. You can view the course outline here.
In the course I budget for a Los Angeles shoot, but I also touch on shooting in other states in the US and things to look out for.
I should note that this course does not cover short films or animated or documentary films.
What is considered a “low budget” film?
A low budget film is anything under $15 million.
I use this as a frame of reference because that is the highest budget threshold that IATSE uses to consider for their low budget theatrical agreement.
What exactly do you mean by scheduling a film?
I will show you, step by step, how to create a one-line schedule for your film. A one-liner breaks down each shoot day, scene by scene, so that you can figure out how many days you will need to shoot your film.
This schedule gives you the essential information you’ll need to budget your film.
Do I need a script to take this course?
Nope! If you don’t have a script that you want to take through the course, I provide you with a copyrighted script to work along side me.
Do I have to buy programs for this course?
I will be using Final Draft, Movie Magic Scheduling and Movie Magic Budgeting.
You can use these or you can use the alternative options I give you or what you already have.
Right now Final Draft and Movie Magic Scheduling offer 30 day free trials. Movie Magic Budgeting you are able to subscribe on a monthly basis for $39.99.
I am also able to offer** Movie Magic Scheduling 6 at the Academic price if you are interested in purchasing.
Please note that I will be giving you templates for Movie Magic Scheduling and Budgeting.
*If you won’t be using Movie Magic Scheduling just make sure your script program can export a .sex file (aka schedule export file). I cover all of the above in the course.
**I can offer MMS6 while I still have a few licenses remaining.
Do I need a Mac or a PC?
You need one or the other. I use a Mac so you’ll be watching me work through the programs that way, but you can definitely use a PC.
What’s your style?
My approach is pretty informal. I don’t talk like a professor because I’m not one.
I once told my boss, a line producer, that I wished I could download everything from his brain into mine so that I could know everything he knew about production.
And that’s what I feel like I’ve done with this course. All my production knowledge and experience over the years is now downloaded here for you to soak up.
Is your process the way everyone does it?
Glad you asked. One of my favorite things about filmmaking is that you could give five different producers the same script and they’d all come up with a different schedule/budget based on their experience and relationships.
I’ll show you my process, but that doesn’t mean it’s the process. Everyone schedules and budgets differently, so I’ll show you how I do it.
Is this a live course or self-paced?
Totally self-paced. No live zooms so you don’t have to try to re-work your schedule to meet live. You have access the course lessons whenever you want!
What’s included?
18+ Hours of Lessons
See how the 50+ video lessons are broken down here.
Templates
You will get my Movie Magic Scheduling template and my Movie Magic budgeting template.
The budget template is loaded with all current fringe rates & union rates* for 2025.
It’s also loaded with estimates on possible rates for everything that goes into a budget like: gear, site fees, post production costs… everything.
*DGA/WGA/SAG/IATSE
30 Min On Boarding Session
A 30-minute 1:1 onboarding session with Blair to help you get the most out of the course. We can talk shop or just talk about life, I’m here for all of it.
Guides
You’ll get 13 handouts with links to everything I reference in each video (like where I find rates for things like union agreements, minor labor laws, etc.), as well as, step by step screen shots on how to work with the programs.
Also included are recommendations on companies to work with.
Movie Magic Scheduling
Entertainment Partners has allowed me to supply course members with the Academic price for Movie Magic Scheduling. The normal price is $489 but for students I’m able to offer license fees for $165.
Script
If you don’t have your own script I will give you a copyrighted script, Masters of the Roman Noir, in FDX (Final Draft) format to take through the course.
Details
I love details. Maybe a little too much. In the budgeting section I will walk you through the budget, account by account, and show you how I estimate rates. I also give you lots of practical insights on things to look out for and rules you may not know so you can avoid costly mistakes.
Private Facebook Group
Part of the reason I created this course was to bring together those of us who want to make films, but don’t have access to mentors, don’t know who to ask for help — or just hate asking in the first place.
With this group I hope to build a community where we can share our experiences, ask questions, and encourage one another on our journeys.
What people are saying.
Lifetime Access
$647
Access to course content
& private Facebook group.
Choose between two payment options :
One payment in full.
Three payments (one payment per month x3 months).
FAQs
-
Not totally sure if the course is right for you? No problem. You’ve got a 14-day money-back guarantee — that’s two full weeks to dive in, check out the lessons, and see if it actually helps you budget and schedule your indie film like a pro. (Spoiler Alert: it does)
But if you’re not feeling it, just let us know — no plot twists, no dramatic monologues. We’ll refund you faster than a studio exec drops a passion project without an A-lister.
-
Totally self-paced. No live zooms so you don’t have to try to re-work your schedule to meet live. You get to access the course lessons whenever you want!
-
I will be using Final Draft, Movie Magic Scheduling and Movie Magic Budgeting.
You can use these or you can use the alternative options I give you or what you already have.
Right now Final Draft and Movie Magic Scheduling offer 30 day free trials. Movie Magic Budgeting you are able to subscribe on a monthly basis for $39.99.
I am also able to offer** Movie Magic Scheduling 6 at the Academic price if you are interested in purchasing.
Please note that I will be giving you templates for Movie Magic Scheduling and Budgeting.
*If you won’t be using Movie Magic Scheduling just make sure your script program can export a .sex file. I cover all of the above in the course.
**I can offer MMS6 while I still have a few licenses remaining.
I’ll show you my process, but that doesn’t mean it’s the process. Everyone schedules and budgets differently, so I’ll show you how I do it.
-
You need one or the other. I use a Mac so you’ll be watching me work through the programs that way, but you can definitely use a PC.
-
Nope! If you don’t have a script that you want to take through the course, I provide you with a copyrighted script to work along side me.
-
Everything that goes into a film budget and a film schedule, including how to prep your script for scheduling. I get into union agreements, union rules, working with non-union crew, working with minors, etc.
I will take you through the entire scheduling and budgeting process from start to finish. You can view the course outline here.
In the course I budget for a Los Angeles shoot, but I also touch on shooting in other states in the US and things to look out for.
I should note that this course does not cover short films or animated or documentary films.
-
You’ll see as you go through the course that you’ll have almost all the answers you need built right in. That said, once you sign up, you’ll get access to my email — so if something comes up, feel free to reach out. And if your question needs a bit more hands-on time, you’re welcome to book a 1:1 session (30 or 60 minutes).