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Real-Life Activities

Real-Life Math

A location manager secures locations and permits for films shooting outside the studio. They also select the crew and must work within a budget given by the producer.

This is where a business degree comes in handy, says Timothy Stone, a location manager in Georgia. Ashley Hathaway, on the other hand, says she has not had to use math extensively.

For a new production, you must estimate what will be spent per day while on location. Here are the costs:

2 production assistants -- $200 per day
1 script supervisor -- $300 per day
1 grip -- $275 per day
1 gaffer -- $275 per day
1 prop master -- $250 per day
5 extras -- $175 per day
Your fee -- $400 per day

Plus, you need to pay the people who own the house you are filming in ($2,500 per day). You also need a special prop, an old 1930s Ford ($600 per day), but you only need it for 1 day.

If the film shoots for 5 days, what will be the total cost to the producer?