Pre-production pricing question

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  Chris Ellerby Admin

  September 2016

  If you are calculating this out just for yourself as a single contractor I would calculate things as follows:
  
  

  1. Your day rate for the scheduled pre-production window.  This covers your total overhead for doing the job at hand.  (shop bills, your time, etc)
  2. The material cost of every item you are making for the production.  Normally you wold factor in labor cost as well, but if it's just you that would be covered by your day rate.

  These costs would be subject to change if the total number of pre-production days changes.  Your material and labor costs for each individual item should match your initial bid for those items unless production asks for changes and cost is negotiated.  And that all depends on how/if you bid for the project.
  
  I would avoid billing hourly as that can be a bit of a mess.  Going by day rate is pretty standard.
  
  *Disclaimer:  That's just how I might do it without knowing any of the specifics.
  
  Shannon Shea's lesson series on the Business of Making Monsters would be a big help to you  (it sure was for me):
  https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/tutorials/the-business-of-making-monsters-part-1
  https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/tutorials/the-business-of-making-monsters-part-2
  https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/tutorials/the-business-of-making-monsters-part-3
  
  He covers everything from portfolios and bidding for jobs to calculating your overhead. 
  
  /Chris

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