The guiding principles of departmental budgeting in high-end TV and film

• Do you work in a craft or tech department in HETV of film?
• Do you want to improve your knowledge about budgeting and/or spreadsheets?
• Do you find budgeting and tracking costs a challenge?
• Are you about to take on a role where you need to develop budgeting skills?

The guiding principles of departmental budgeting course is designed as an on-demand eLearning module for you to complete in your own time, followed by a live online session for some selected applicants to further enhance their knowledge. The entire course is designed to enable HETV and film professionals the skills and confidence to prepare departmental budgets.

This training is supported by the ScreenSkills High-end TV Skills Fund with contributions from UK high-end TV productions and by the ScreenSkills Film Skills Fund with contributions from UK film productions.

Who it's for

This course is open to HETV and film professionals who:

• have three years’+ experience in HETV or film
• work in art, costume, hair & make-up, locations or AD departments
• are a craft/technical co-ordinator or a head of department
• lack experience and/or confidence in budgeting
• would like to develop their skills and learn how to put together a departmental budget; that can be backed up with credible and consistent assumptions

We also welcome applications from those looking to return to work following a career break who have equivalent experience.

We always welcome applications from under-represented groups, including, but not limited to: those from minority ethnic backgrounds; people with a disability; people from the LGBTQ+ community and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

We offer inclusive training. If you have any needs which we can accommodate during the recruitment process and beyond, or would like support completing the booking form and/or would like us to send it to you in an alternative format, please email training@mission.guru.

This is a nationwide scheme so we welcome applications from across the UK. 

What it covers

The training course will be delivered as a mixture of on-demand and department specific live content sessions. The on-demand modules will be made available to participants within 48 hours of receiving confirmation that they have been accepted onto the course. Please note - some applicants may only qualify for the on-demand eLearning module. 

On demand module:

• Module 1: The basics of department budgeting
  • • Lesson 1 – introduction to the production budget
    • Lesson 2 – how do you create a departmental budget
    • Lesson 3 – tracking and forecasting budgets and actual costs
    • Lesson 4 – estimating labour and material costs
    • Lesson 5 - contingencies, cost managing and relationships
    • Lesson 6 - AD department specific budgeting content
    • Lesson 7 - conclusions on the production budget

Departmental specific live sessions follow the completion of the on-demand eLearning module (module 1) for applicants that qualify.

Live online module:

• Module 2: Everything you ever wanted to know about budgeting for your department. Participants will be given the opportunity to learn first-hand from an experienced head of department, relevant to their department, about the specifics of budgeting for their department. As well as an additional live session with a production accountant for every department. Module 2 will be hosted by the trainer, Addie Orfila, and includes a structured conversation with a HOD, using real life examples from productions.

By the end of the course, participants will have the knowledge and confidence to prepare and present their own departmental budgets and will have learned how to:

• have confidence using spreadsheet
• troubleshoot spreadsheet problems
• be confident in estimating labour
• prepare consistent budgets based on information and tangible assumptions
• communicate their budget to a line producer, head of department and/or production accountant
• understand the impact of production changes on their budget
• revise and communicate budget impacts following changes in production

How to apply

To complete the application form, select the date relevant to your department from the list below and  click 'apply now'.

Your application will then be reviewed. If your application is successful, you will receive confirmation. 

Within 48 hours of confirmation, you will have access to on-demand eLearning platform (module 1) and can get started. 

Upon completion of the on-demand eLearning module (module 1), if your application qualifies you will then receive an invitation to a departmental specific live online session (module 2) which is dated below. 

Module 2 dates are as follows:

 Art Department

Wednesday 27 November 2024 19.30 – 21.00

Hair and Make Up

Saturday 30 November 2024 09.30 – 11.00

Assistant Directors

Saturday 30 November 2024 11.30 – 13.00

Costume

Saturday 7 December 2024 09.30 – 11.00

Locations

Saturday 7 December 2024 11.30 – 13.00

To apply select the date relevant to your department and click 'Apply now' 

Contact information

Name: Viktorija Safonova
Email: viktorija@mission.guru