Blog

Insights on production budgeting, film finance, and the tools that help production teams do their best work.

June 12, 2026 · Mike Irving

The New SAG-AFTRA Rates Are Final. Here's the Budget Breakdown.

Members ratified the 2026 TV/Theatrical Contracts on June 4. Minimums rise 3% on July 1 with three more bumps through 2029, health contributions step up in September, and the overtime money breaks moved more than the headline. The line-item impact for producers.

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May 11, 2026 · Mike Irving

Culver City Just Zeroed Out Its Permit and Use Fees. $1,700 Off a Typical 3-Day Shoot.

Effective today, Culver City waives the $660 per-permit fee, the $350 daily motion picture use fee, and the $75 daily still photography use fee. Multi-jurisdiction permits now include Culver at no extra cost. Here is what to do with your open bids this afternoon.

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May 5, 2026 · Mike Irving

The Standard Way of Sourcing Production Work Is Broken

Brands waste hours normalizing five proposals that were never going to be comparable. Production companies waste hours reformatting budgets into other people's templates. AIbudget Marketplace fixes both sides.

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May 2, 2026 · Mike Irving

SAG-AFTRA and the Studios Just Made a Deal. Here's What Producers Need to Know.

A tentative four-year contract landed Saturday, with AI guardrails and streaming residual reform at the center. The terms are still under wraps, but here is what producers should be doing this week.

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April 26, 2026 · Mike Irving

LA's Low-Impact Permit Pilot Is Live: 30 Crew, 3 Days, $350

FilmLA and the City of Los Angeles launched the Low-Impact Permit Pilot Program. Application fees drop from $931 to $350. Here's exactly what qualifies — and what's still on the producer's tab.

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March 10, 2026 · Mike Irving

LA's Film Permit Reform Is a Start — But Producers Shouldn't Celebrate Yet

LA City Council voted to streamline film permitting, but key cost reforms were left on the table. Here's what passed, what didn't, and what it means for your next production.

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February 23, 2026 · Mike Irving

Why We Built AIbudget

Production budgeting software hasn't meaningfully evolved in two decades. Here's what we built instead — and why it starts with the people who actually make things.

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