Production Value

PRODUCTION VALUE

The European Scheduling & Budgeting Workshop

Why Production Value?

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At the heart of Production Value is the firm conviction that it is to the European film industry’s advantage to combine the respective experiences of “creative partners” (Producers and Directors) and “operational partners” (Line Producers and First Assistant-Directors) in the interest of the film project itself, be it a low-budget auteur film or a high-budget pan-European co-production. And this in an often under-estimated aspect of filmmaking, namely scheduling & budgeting.

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In European filmmaking, the financing often falls short of the budget needed to fully realize the creative vision of the Director and the Producer. Frequently, it is often too late when Director and Producer find out that there is a serious gap between the estimated cost of their film and the funds they were able to raise.

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Production Value is a training initiative that aims at challenging such a situation. It postulates that Line Producers/Production Managers and Assistant-Directors can provide creative solutions when given the bare facts of any production early enough and clearly enough. That’s why they are to be considered as creative partners by Producers and Directors, and not only as operational staff.

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Experienced Line Producers/Production Managers and Assistant-Directors have vast experience in evaluating and handling difficult shooting situations, in securing the shoot even under extreme circumstances. They are the key people to bridge the gap between creative vision and feasibility. It is in this spirit that the Directors Guild of America has opened its membership to Assistant-Directors and Unit Production Managers.

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The benefits of early budgeting & scheduling for medium and high budgets can be tremendous, particularly in case of coproductions and films with special effects. Setting a reliable plan should be a priority for Producers & Directors as mistakes can be easily made when one wanders outside the territory of one’s national film production. Moreover, with the recent development of regional funds and tax funds — despite the jungle of criterias and rules — tentative plans can actually bring money in.

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As a European initiative, Production Value intends to pass on knowledge and know-how in scheduling & budgeting and beyond, from Seniors to Directors, Producers, Junior Line Producers and Junior Assistant-Directors, in a multicultural environment, thus contributing with an innovative approach to the improvement of the European film industry.