Budget allocation for show

[dbuckley]

When you do a show, what sort of percentage of the gate take do you get as budget for lighting? How does this vary according to what kit you already have? I'm particularly interested in amateur and for-profit views on this, rather than those situations where there are donations of dosh received, in the form of a grant or whatever.

 

Mods: hard call as to whether this is a lighting or management question, but I determined I'd like to see the receiver of the money's opinions, rather than the givers, of course, the company line may be different.

[tanko]

Well, in my experience of this sort of thing, the director, or producer will give you a budget according to what they feel is necessary to light the production. Upon receiving the budget, if you feel for what ever reason, that you need more cash, you have to put your case to the producer, with reasons why, what you can achieve etc.

 

However sometimes you can be in the nice position where the powers that be have asked you to give them a figure that you will require to complete the design. In this case I would always ask for a copy of the script/score/playlist/set design first, and then do the design and tender it out to hire companies, and from there quotes you will have your base price.

 

Now this is just a price for kit (remember to inc delivery and collection, and also add on the VAT) on top of this add your fee, projected expenses for yourself, gel, tape, and all the other stuff you would normally need to complete the job. Add this lot together and you will have your price, give it to the powers that be, and nine times out of then so long as you can back it all up, you get it (so long as its not stupid money, it should all be comparative to the scale of the job)

 

I have had amateur stuff where the budget is £500, and then I have had some that are £5000+, just depends what sort of company you are working for. Non-profit, or not for profit will more than likely not have any budget, and you'll have to use in house alone!

 

I am sure there are loads of views on this, but that might get your started!

[Sim]

Our musicals only go for a set amount of nights. Which we sell out every night. So we work out how much we are getting and then divide it up into necessity. Considering we have a decent light rig, they don't get much of a budget. But sound on the other hand has nothing. so they get a quite sizable part of it (yay, I'm the noise boy). It also of course depends on the script. This year we are doing Les mis. So quite a bit of budget has had to go into scenery and set. We last year the only set we had was a single chair

 

We don't plan to make money. We just plan to break even, but if we do make some. It just gets factored in for next year.

[si_cole]

As an earlier replier stated, the budget (at least from my amateur experience) is pre-determined and I am asked to supply figures (effectively going out to tender). I tend to add a percentage as contingency, therefore when all the figures shake out I am usually under budget which puts me in good stand for next time round.

 

HTH