Budget

Budget Policy

Each Senior production course crew will receive a budget for their project for the semester. These budgets are decided by and subject to change at the discretion of the Film Faculty and the Film Department Chair.

These monies are to be used for craft services, batteries, props, travel, sets, and other necessaries pertaining to your film project.

Please note that production courses (Film 326/327) will require application for a Vassar Procurement Card (referred to colloquially as a P-Card) and statements will be delivered directly to the Film Administrative Assistant. As a production student you will be responsible for adhering to a budget agreement and you will be responsible for submitting legible, itemized receipts to the Film Administrative Assistant within 1 week of the transaction date for verification of your purchases.

Please keep a spreadsheet of all your purchases.  Click here for a sample budget sheet to copy and use for this purpose. Sample Budget Sheet

Applying for a Procurement Card

Production leads, wether an individual or the leader of a production crew, will apply for a procurement card through the purchasing office.  This card will have a fixed amount of funds corresponding with the budget set by the Film Faculty and the Film Department Chair.

See the Film Administrative Assistant in VCDF 108 for:

  • A procurement card application.
  • A production budget agreement form.
  • A tax exempt form.

It can take up to TWO WEEKS for a procurement card to arrive, so applications should be submitted as early as possible in the semester.

Tax Exempt Forms

Each crew will receive a tax exempt form for their purchases.  This form is to only be used for purchases pertaining to your class project. Vassar College is tax exempt in New York, New Jersey, Florida and Texas.

  • Before you order items online contact customer service for the company or website to request tax exemption. This can be a lengthy process so don’t try it at the last minute.
  • When shopping in person you will ALWAYS need to present your form to the vendor or cashier, so keep one with you.
  • Some vendors will ask to keep the form. Some vendors will just write down the number and return the form to you.
  • Someone at the business knows about tax exempt forms. If your cashier doesn’t know what to do, ask them to get a manager to help.
  • If you need additional forms, you can request them through film@vassar.edu.
  • There are very few exceptions: For some purchases tax is always included, such as the Metro North Train, and Gasoline.

Reconciling Procurement Card Purchases

A dedicated Google Form and Folder will be created for each Procurement Card holder enrolled in a Senior production course (Film 326/327) where they will submit:

  • A clean scan of each original, legible, itemized receipt.
  • The date of the transaction.
  • The name of the vendor.
  • The amount spent.
  • The specific items or services purchased.

Each month a statement will be sent to the Film Administrative Assistant from JP Morgan Chase. All of your submitted receipts from that month should match the statement. Your dedicated Google Form goes into our department budget file and is kept should the college be audited by the IRS. It is very important that this is done properly.

If a receipt is lost, you will be asked to fill out a missing receipt affidavit, which will be reviewed by the chair and the faculty member responsible for your course. Excessive use of this form will result in P-Card privileges being revoked.

Keep a spreadsheet of all your purchases.  Click here for a sample budget sheet to copy and use for this purpose. Sample Budget Sheet

Reimbursement

Vassar College will only reimburse with proof of purchase. Purchases should always be made using a Vassar Procurement Card but in the event that you purchase an item for your project with your own funds you will be required to submit an original, legible, itemized receipt which includes the name of the vendor. Reimbursement will be taken from your project budget.

Only members of your crew in that are enrolled in your course (Film 326/327) will be reimbursed.

Reimbursements must be submitted no later than the last day of classes for the semester. Please submit in person to the Film Administrative Assistant (VCDF 108). Reimbursements will have final approval by the Film Department Chair.

Other Considerations

There is never cash available for Film Production projects. All purchases must have an easily identifiable paper trail.

Do not purchase anything for a film crew outside of your course.

Do not ask crew or helpers outside of your course to put up money for your project.

The following link will take you to the Vassar Purchasing Department’s page on credit card policy. Much of the information is intended for administrators, but guidelines and limitations listed at the bottom of the article apply to everyone holding a college issued credit card.

Vassar Credit Card Policy and Procedures

Final Budget

The final budget will be necessary for SAG-AFTRA if your project has SAG-AFTRA performers.  SAG-AFTRA Picture Budget Detail

The Film Administrative Assistant will also want to collect or have access to all of your spending in one single google doc at the end of your shoot.  Sample Budget Sheet