How Much Should You Budget for Software and Applications in a Film or TV Budget?
When Producers build out a film or TV budget, they tend to focus on the obvious line items: cast, crew, equipment, locations, and post-production. But increasingly, software and applications are just as essential to running a smooth, cost-effective production. The question is-how much should you actually budget for them?
Why Software Belongs in Every Budget
Production software isn’t just a “nice to have.” It saves time, money, and headaches by centralizing communication, streamlining payroll, reducing errors, and tracking incentives. Without it, you risk relying on scattered spreadsheets, endless email chains, and costly mistakes.
In other words: budgeting for software isn’t an extra—it’s insurance for your production’s efficiency and accuracy.
What to Consider When Budgeting
The cost of software will depend on the size and complexity of your project. Here are the main categories to factor in:
Distro, Scheduling & Call Sheets
The backbone of daily production. Scheduling and call sheet software ensures every department knows where to be, when to be there, and what’s needed. With built-in distribution tools, updates go out instantly—eliminating late-night texts and version confusion. Many of these tools offer SMS notifications which is perfect for last minute changes.Budgeting & Cost Tracking
Accuracy starts here. Budgeting software gives producers and accountants real-time oversight of spending versus the original plan. From tracking actuals to on-demand cost reports, these tools help avoid overruns and provide stakeholders with up-to-the-minute financial clarity.Continuity
From wardrobe to props to shot sequences, continuity software keeps the production visually seamless. It helps script supervisors, directors, and editors stay aligned, ensuring small details remain consistent across shooting days and setups.Collaboration & File Sharing
Modern productions are collaborative by nature, often with teams spread across multiple locations and sometimes countries. File sharing and collaboration platforms make it easy to review dailies, exchange feedback, and store essential documents securely in the cloud—all while keeping communication streamlined.Incentives & Accounting
Film and TV incentives can make or break a budget. Specialized software can now track eligible spend, generate audit-ready reports, and ensures nothing slips through the cracks. When paired with accounting tools, p-card solutions, it provides producers with a clear financial roadmap while maximizing returns.
How Much to Budget
As a rule of thumb, set aside 0.5% to 1% of your total budget for software and applications.
On a $1M indie feature, that’s $5,000–$10,000 spread across scheduling, distro, accounting, continuity and more
On a $10M+ studio-backed series, that’s $50,000–$100,000, often negotiated into annual enterprise licenses across multiple departments.
For smaller projects, many software tools offer monthly subscriptions (anywhere from $30–$500 per department head). Larger productions often invest in enterprise-level plans to unlock advanced features, compliance, and reporting.
Where to list in the Budget?
Instead of putting a lump sum for software in the budget its a good idea to break it up where you can so its not scrutinized by studios or executive producers.
Example #1
Create a line item in the Costume Budget under Purchases or Rentals for continuity software. You could do the same with Props, Set Dec, Makeup, Hair etc
Example #2
In the post section you might create a line item for dailies or for remote work-flows.
Example #3
In the production section of the budget you could list distribution, accounting and even software for incentive management.
Why It Pays Off
While the upfront cost might seem steep, the savings in avoided errors, tax compliance, and time recaptured by the crew more than justify it. A single missed incentive filing or payroll miscalculation could cost more than your entire software budget. A missed continuity situation with the costume department could create a re-shoot day that could turn out to be extremely expensive in some cases.
The Bottom Line
When building your next film or TV budget, don’t treat software as an afterthought. Treat it as a vital line item—just like payroll, rentals, or insurance. By allocating 0.5%–1% of your budget toward the right tools, you’re not just buying software—you’re buying accuracy, accountability, and peace of mind.
Not sure where to get started?
Check out my updated and improved film software directory…. www.filmsoftware.org
