How Much Should You Spend on Post-Audio?
- Ben Flint
- Jun 23
- 6 min read
At Filmscape in Chicago over the weekend, I found myself in a familiar conversation with other post professionals. We were comparing notes on workflow, client expectations, and—inevitably—how much to charge. It's a discussion that happens at every industry gathering, and for good reason: getting the budget right for post can make or break an indie film's success.
Here's what I've learned after years of working with filmmakers across all budget levels, and why understanding these numbers matters more than you might think.
Note: When we say "$100K film," we're talking about total budget, not just what happens on set.
Start With the Big Picture
You've probably heard the industry rule of thumb: divide your total budget into thirds.
33% for Production
33% for Post-production
33% for Distribution
On a $100,000 film, that puts about $33,000 toward post-production. It's not a perfect formula—some films need more VFX, others require extensive location work—but it's a useful sanity check.
Here's a more realistic breakdown for indie films:
Total Post-Production: 25-35% of your film budget
$100K film = $25K–$35K for all post
$500K film = $125K–$175K for all post
$1M film = $250K–$350K for all post
Don't spend your entire budget on production. Post-production includes picture editing, color grading, visual effects, sound design and mixing, music composition and licensing, and each area needs real budget allocation for professional results.
What Does Your Post Budget Actually Buy You?
Within that post-budget, here's how the money typically gets allocated:
Picture Editing: 35-45% of post budget
Assembly, director's cut, picture lock
$100K film: $9K–$14K
Sound: 20-25% of post budget
Dialogue editing, Foley, sound design, mixing, deliverables
$100K film: $5K–$8K
Music: 15-20% of post budget
Original composition and/or licensing
$100K film: $4K–$6K
Color Grading: 10-15% of post budget
$100K film: $3K–$5K
VFX: 5-15% of post budget (if applicable)
$100K film: $1K–$5K
We don't handle editing, color, or VFX at Said So—but we work closely with those teams, and our post-audio quote depends on how those other parts shape the timeline and deliverables.
Why Music Gets Its Own Line Item
Music isn't just "part of audio"—it's a distinct creative and financial consideration. Original score composition typically runs $200-$250 per minute, so a 50-minute score costs $10,000-$15,000. Music licensing varies dramatically: indie tracks might cost a few thousand, while popular songs can run $15,000-$50,000+ each. Some films like "Dazed and Confused" spent over $1 million (nearly one-sixth of their budget) on music rights alone.
For indie filmmakers, this means planning early. Do you need original composition, licensed tracks, or both? A character drama might lean heavily on licensed indie music, while a horror film typically requires extensive original scoring to build tension.
When Budgets Grow, So Do Expectations
Here's what auditors and some producers don't understand: a bigger budget doesn't just mean we use fancier plugins. The scope of work fundamentally changes.
"A $100K film and a $10M film are not the same—and post audio should never be treated like one-size-fits-all."
On a $50K film, you might get:
Basic dialogue cleanup and balance
Essential sound effects and design
Simple music mix
Stereo deliverables
On a $500K film, expectations include:
Detailed Foley for every footstep and prop
Layered sound design with custom-recorded elements
Multiple mix passes with director feedback
5.1 surround, M&E, and multiple delivery formats
Extended revision cycles
Potential theatrical mixing requirements
You're not just paying for technical execution—you're paying for creative collaboration, storytelling through sound, and the polish that elevates your film to compete at its intended level.
How Better Production Audio Saves You Money
We've worked on films ranging from $50K to $150K recently, each with different post needs:
Horror Film ($150K total, $50K post budget):
Sound design heavy (background ambiance, Foley, SFX, dynamics): $12,500
Music (original score, no licensing): $8,000
Picture editing: $20,000
Color: $7,500
VFX: $2,000
Character Drama ($50K total, $13K post budget):
Great production audio meant less sound cleanup: $3,000
Music budget focused on licensing indie tracks: $2,500
Original score: $2,000
Picture editing: $4,500
Color: $1,000
Action Horror ($80K total, $26K post budget):
Heavy sound design for body horror, SFX, Foley work: $6,500
Original score composition: $5,000
Picture editing: $10,000
Color: $3,500
VFX: $1,000
The common thread? Production audio quality has a significant impact on both sound and music budgets. Hire a professional sound mixer during production, and you free up post dollars for more creative music choices.
The Illinois Opportunity: A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats
At Filmscape, we discussed an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen our entire film ecosystem with a dedicated post-production tax credit.
The Current Landscape:
New York offers a 30% tax credit specifically for post-production work, funded at $45 million annually through 2036. The results speak for themselves—New York has become a post-production hub that serves productions from around the world.
Illinois has strong production incentives, but they don't fully capture post-production's unique value proposition. We've heard concerns from unions about diluting existing production credits, but we're not talking about competition—we're talking about collaboration.
A Win-Win Solution for Everyone
Here's a practical approach that strengthens both production and post:
Create an Illinois Post-Production Tax Credit: 30% on qualified post expenses, modeled after New York's successful program.
Add a 5% Post-Completion Bonus: Productions that shoot in Illinois and complete post-production here get an additional 5% credit on their original production incentive.
This approach:
Supports union jobs by incentivizing productions to stay through completion
Creates new opportunities for post-production workers
Generates additional revenue for the state through extended project lifecycles
Builds on existing success rather than starting from scratch
Our Secret Weapon: Educational Pipeline
Illinois has one of the strongest film education ecosystems in the country:
Columbia College Chicago's School of Film and Television—ranked among the best by Variety and The Hollywood Reporter
DePaul University's School of Cinematic Arts—one of the nation's largest programs, with access to Cinespace Chicago Film Studios
The only film school in the U.S. to offer an MFA in comedy filmmaking (DePaul's partnership with Second City)
Strong programs at UIC, Northwestern, Southern Illinois, and others across the state
These institutions graduate hundreds of talented filmmakers every year. But many leave Illinois after graduation because the work opportunities are elsewhere. A robust post-production tax credit would create the economic incentive for graduates to build their careers here.
Our Thriving Post Community
Illinois already has incredible post-production infrastructure:
The new Society of Composers & Lyricists Chicago chapter
Established post houses and hundreds of freelance professionals
Cinespace Chicago Film Studios and other world-class facilities
A deep bench of talent that's worked on major productions
What we need is the policy framework to make Illinois competitive with states that are actively courting this work.
A rising tide lifts all boats. Illinois has all the pieces in place—the talent, the infrastructure, the educational pipeline, and the production incentives. A dedicated post-production tax credit would unlock the full potential of our creative economy.
What Your Story Deserves
Budgeting for post isn't about plugging in percentages. It's about asking: what does your story need to succeed?
A dialogue-heavy drama has different requirements than a horror film or action thriller. But in every case, professional post-production is what transforms your footage into a film that can compete—whether that's at film festivals, in streaming markets, or theatrical distribution.
At Said So, we work with filmmakers across all budget levels. We tailor our approach to meet your goals, timeline, and budget reality. But we also believe in being upfront about what different budget levels can realistically achieve.
Getting Started
Before you finalize your budget, ask yourself:
How clean is your production audio?
What delivery formats will you need?
What genre expectations do you need to meet?
Are you using original score, licensed music, or both?
Did you shoot with sound in mind?
Do you have a clear sound vision?
How much director/producer involvement do you want in the mix process?
The conversation at Filmscape reminded me why these discussions matter. When filmmakers understand the real cost and value of professional post-production, they make better decisions—and end up with better films.
Filmmakers: Want help planning your post budget? We're always happy to discuss your project and provide realistic cost estimates based on your specific needs.
Unions, policy makers, collaborators: Let's talk about how we build the next era of Illinois post-production together.
Ready to start the conversation? Reach out at saidsosound.com. We'll ask the right questions to help you budget smart and make your film sound like it belongs.
About Ben Flint
Ben Flint is the founder of Said So Sound, a Chicago-based post-audio facility specializing in music mixing, sound design, and music supervision for independent films and television. With 15+ years of experience across sound, entertainment, and music industries, he's passionate about helping composers and filmmakers navigate the post-audio process to make every musical moment serve the story. When he's not in the mix bay, you can find him at Chicago film events or collaborating with the city's vibrant indie film community.
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