Budget Top Sheet Blunders: What Was Your Early Mistake?

Hey everyone,

I'm Priya Sharma, a working Colorist, and I'm currently trying to get a better handle on the bigger picture of film budgeting, specifically the top sheet. It's an area I haven't directly managed much, always receiving line items rather than building the whole thing. I'm taking on a passion project as a producer, and crafting the initial budget feels like navigating a minefield.

I've crunched numbers for what I think are the obvious places like crew and locations, but I have this nagging feeling I'm either severely underestimating something or putting too much emphasis on areas that won't actually be the biggest drain. I'm really trying to avoid a nasty surprise midway through.

Reflecting on your early days, what was the biggest mistake you made when first trying to understand or create a budget top sheet? Was it underestimating a crucial 'bucket' like post-production (which, as a colorist, I really don't want to do!), or perhaps over-allocating to areas that didn't need it? I'd love to hear your experiences and learn from them.