Let's talk commercials.

[Phil Connolly]

Frank Budgen's Snail Race for Guinness -

 

[Jan Tore Soerensen]

A lot of people with experience here, so maybe someone can elaborate a little bit on the process on budgeting.

 

Would you say the budget is usually decided by the client, and then the production company works around that, or does the production company give the client a price based on execution of a concept or idea?

[Adam Frisch FSF]

The agency has a budget. They will ask directors to pitch on the idea (normally at least 3 directors pitch, but many times more) and the production company that represents director submit a budget to go with it. Then if it's down to a few treatments they like, they chose based on quality of of submission and budget. Sometimes the best idea happens to be the the most expensive one, or even over their budget. Sometimes it's the opposite. And sometimes the best idea is actually the cheapest. It depends. But in short - they have a budget, but there's some slight movement up or down if client and agency likes something that happens to cost more.