Film glossary

Contingency

A contingency is a reserve built into a film budget to cover unexpected costs during production.

Contingency is typically a defined percentage of the budget set aside so that a weather delay, a reshoot, or an equipment failure does not immediately break the finance plan. Financiers and completion guarantors expect to see a sensible contingency line.

A production that spends its contingency early carries more risk for the rest of the shoot, which is one reason a completion bond company watches the contingency closely as production progresses.

Go deeper

Film Production Management guideFilm production management is the discipline of planning, budgeting, scheduling, and coordinating everything that turns a greenlit project into a finished film. It spans development, pre-production, production, and post, and it keeps cast, crew, vendors, budget, and deliverables aligned so a film is completed on schedule and ready to deliver.

Related terms

Keep reading the glossary

Completion BondA completion bond is a guarantee from a bond company that a film will be finished and delivered on schedule and on budget, or that the financier will be repaid.Bond CompanyA bond company, or completion guarantor, is the party that issues a completion bond guaranteeing a film will be finished and delivered.Above the LineAbove the line refers to the creative leadership costs of a film, usually negotiated before production begins.Below the LineBelow the line refers to the technical crew and operational costs of actually making a film.

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