Budget and timeline for an AI short
AI can shorten some production steps, but it rarely shortens the work of finishing, clearing and delivering a film. Budget the last mile first.
Separate generation from finishing
Track compute and subscription costs separately from editing, sound, colour, subtitles, poster and delivery. Generation is usually the most visible cost; finishing is where schedules slip.
Plan for more iterations than the first test suggests. A shot that works in a still may fail in motion, continuity or aspect ratio.
Work backwards from the deadline
Reserve at least two weeks for sound, subtitles and a clean export. Reserve another week for the festival form, file upload and payment. A deadline is not the moment you finish the edit.
Check the festival timezone. A 23:59 deadline in Los Angeles is already the next day in Asia.
Keep a contingency
Add 15–25% for re-renders, music licensing, translation and a second export. If the budget cannot absorb a re-render, the plan is too tight.
Do not pay every entry fee at once. Submit to the best-fit calls first and keep a reserve for calls that open later.
Delivery is part of the budget
Festivals may require a specific codec, resolution, subtitle format, intro card, poster and viewing link. Make a delivery checklist and test the file on a clean device before uploading.
Checklist
- Compute and subscription costs tracked
- Finishing budget separate
- Two-week finishing buffer
- Timezone and upload time checked
- 15–25% contingency
- Delivery checklist tested