Making the Movie Filmmaking tips, resources, reviews, news and links.

Free Paperwork

The folks at Dependent Films have done all of us a huge favor by making available for free a lot of the legal and organizational documents needed to make a film. A real treasure trove. Check it out.

Sonnyboo's got more free forms, plus handy images like:

The New Brunswick Film Cooperative's resource page also has a bunch of great free documents for filmmakers.

All this free documentation has inspired me to post some documents of my own. Now enjoy free film budget templates, complements of Making the Movie.

To help you find what you're looking for, here are some direct links, but be sure to visit the sites above, which have a ton more stuff.

BUDGET TEMPLATES

Film Budget Top Sheet Template - Google Doc (Making the Movie)
Film Budget Top Sheet Template - Microsoft Excel .xls (Making the Movie)
Film Budget Top Sheet Template - Open Office .ods (Making the Movie)
Film Budget Template - Microsoft Excel (Dependent Films)
Production Budget Template - .pdf (Dependent Films)
Sample Budget - Microsoft Excel .xls (Sonnyboo)

PRE-PRODUCTION FORMS

Basic Actor Info Sheet for Auditions - .rtf (Sonnyboo)
2 column corporate screenplay - .rtf (Sonnyboo)
Continuity Synopsis Sheet - Microsoft Excel .xls (Dependent Films)
Daily Progress Report - Microsoft Excel .xls (Dependent Films)
Location Scouting Sheet - .pdf (Dependent Films)
Sample Director's Statement - .pdf (NBFC)
Script Breakdown - Microsoft Excel .xls (Dependent Films)
Screenplay Templates .zip - Microsoft Word .dot (Sonnyboo)
Script Template .zip - Microsoft Word (Dependent Films)
Script Maker Template .zip - Microsoft Word (Dependent Films)
Storyboard 15 x 16x9 frames - .gif (Dependent Films)

PRODUCTION FORMS

Call Sheet - .rtf (Sonnyboo)
Call Sheet - Microsoft Excel .xls (Dependent Films)
Cast Contact Sheet - Microsoft Excel .xls (Dependent Films)
Crew Contact Sheet - Microsoft Excel .xls (Dependent Films)
Daily Continuity Log - Microsoft Excel .xls (Dependent Films)
Daily Production Report - Microsoft Excel .xls (Dependent Films)
Field Tape Log - .pdf (Dependent Films)
Script Supervisor Notes - Microsoft Excel .xls (Dependent Films)
Shot List - .pdf (Dependent Films)

POST-PRODUCTION FORMS

Daily Editors Log - Microsoft Excel .xls (Dependent Films)
Editing Log - .pdf (Dependent Films)
Final Cast List - Microsoft Word .dot (NBFC)
Music Cue Sheet - .rtf (Sonnyboo)

DEPICTION AND COPYRIGHT RELEASES

Use of Still Photograph(s) - Microsoft Word .dot (NBFC)
Use of Trademark or Logo - Microsoft Word .dot (NBFC)

LITERARY SUBMISSION AND SALE

Literary Option and Sale - PDF (Sonnyboo)

ARTIST EMPLOYMENT

Actor Contract - Microsoft Word .doc (Sonnyboo)
Producer Agreement - .rtf (Sonnyboo)
Talent Release Form - .pdf (Dependent Films)
Sample Performer Release - .txt (Dependent Films)

COLLABORATION

Nondisclosure Agreement aka NDA - PDF (Sonnyboo)
General Partnership Agreement - Microsoft Word .doc (NBFC)
Limited Partnership Agreement- Microsoft Word .doc (NBFC)

MUSIC CONTRACTS

Nothing I can find for free. I may post a contract I've worked up soon.

FINANCING CONTRACTS

These are probably too complex and important for someone to post free ones online. See below for a cheap way to get some.

PRODUCTION CONTRACTS

Location Agreement - .rtf (Sonnyboo)
Location Contract - .pdf (Dependent Films)

DISTRIBUTION CONTRACTS

These are probably too complex and important for someone to post free ones online. See below for a cheap way to get some.

(If you can't find the contract you're looking for free, I recommend buying Contracts for the Film and Television Industry by Mark Litwak and typing up and modifying the generic contracts in there as a cheap alternative. DISCLAIMER: Even when using a contract published by a lawyer like Litwak, it's best to have an actual live attorney look over it and approve it based on your specific project.)

About J. Ott

John Ott is a writer, filmmaker and futurist. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.