# Top sheet

Source: https://storiara.com/glossary/top-sheet
Last updated: 2026-09-14
Author: Charles Hirschhorn, Storiara

> A top sheet is the first page of a film budget. It lists every major account category (cast, camera, locations, post, insurance, and so on) with a single total per category, grouped into above-the-line, below-the-line, post-production, and other costs, followed by contingency and the grand total.

## A sample top sheet for a small feature

Here is what the page looks like for a fictional 18-day feature. The numbers are illustrative, but the structure is the standard one.

| Acct | Category | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1100 | Story and rights | $25,000 |
| 1200 | Producers | $60,000 |
| 1300 | Director | $40,000 |
| 1400 | Cast | $95,000 |
| | **Total above-the-line** | **$220,000** |
| 2000 | Production staff | $58,000 |
| 2200 to 3700 | Art, camera, grip, electric, sound, locations, transport | $412,000 |
| | **Total production** | **$470,000** |
| 4500 to 5000 | Editorial, music, post sound, VFX, deliverables | $110,000 |
| 6500 to 7000 | Insurance, legal, accounting, general | $48,000 |
| | **Total below-the-line** | **$628,000** |
| | Total above and below | $848,000 |
| | Contingency (10%) | $84,800 |
| | **Grand total** | **$932,800** |

Contingency here is 10% of $848,000. If a lender asked for a completion bond, its fee would appear as another line between contingency and the grand total.

## Reading it the way a financier does

People who fund films look at ratios before they look at lines. How much of the money is [above-the-line](https://storiara.com/glossary/above-the-line)? Does the post total look realistic for the delivery requirements? Is there a [contingency](https://storiara.com/glossary/contingency) at all? A top sheet with a $95,000 cast line and an 18-day schedule tells an experienced reader roughly which [SAG-AFTRA agreement](https://storiara.com/glossary/sag-aftra-tiers) you are probably on, so the two need to agree.

## Mistakes that make a top sheet useless

The top sheet has to be generated from the detail. If someone edits a category total on the summary page without changing the lines underneath, the budget no longer adds up, and a [production accountant](https://storiara.com/roles/production-accountant) will find it the first time they build a [cost report](https://storiara.com/glossary/cost-report). Other common problems: account numbers that don't match the [chart of accounts](https://storiara.com/glossary/chart-of-accounts) your accountant set up, category totals that leave out [fringes](https://storiara.com/glossary/fringes) while the grand total includes them, and a missing date or version number, which matters once the budget is revised.

## Where it connects

The top sheet is the summary of the full [production budget](https://storiara.com/glossary/production-budget), and once financing closes it becomes the "budget" column in every weekly cost report. You can start from the [budget top sheet template](https://storiara.com/templates/budget-top-sheet), and the [film budget top sheet explained](https://storiara.com/blog/film-budget-top-sheet-explained) post goes through each category in more detail.

## Frequently asked questions

### What goes on a film budget top sheet?

Account numbers, category names, and a total for each category, grouped into above-the-line, below-the-line production, post-production, and other. Below those come subtotals, contingency, any bond or overhead fees, and the grand total.

### Can I send just the top sheet to investors?

For a first conversation, yes. Anyone serious about money, including a completion guarantor or a union reviewing a low budget application, will ask for the full detail behind it.

### Should fringes appear on the top sheet?

Most budgeting programs fold fringes into each category total, so the camera line already includes camera crew payroll taxes. Some producers also show a separate fringe total so the reader can see how much of the budget is benefits and taxes.