In brief
You’ll have a shot list and bid schedule you can send to finance, with clear per-shot assumptions, the shots that will cause change orders, and a number that stays stable when turnovers and versions arrive.
We’ll pull a shot list, tag each shot by task and complexity, and build a schedule with line-by-line assumptions you can point to later. You’ll end up with a bid that holds up when plates arrive and notes start. If you’d like to proceed, we’ll start by taking the latest offline and any existing VFX notes.
We treat the cut as the source of truth, then write down what that cut implies. We extract every VFX shot, group them by the work they actually need, and price them with stated assumptions. We’ll run one test comp on a hero shot early, so the look and the level of finish are agreed before the schedule is final.
A bit about us
We’re a Dundee-based VFX and compositing team that gets pulled in when temp work has turned into real scope and someone has to put a defendable budget on it. Our producers and supervisors have sat on both sides of the turnover, so we write bids the way a post team has to live with them: shot-by-shot, with the assumptions stated in plain English.
People hire us for the part that usually goes wrong: the gap between “about 40 shots” and the actual work once plates, handles, notes, and versions hit. We don’t hide uncertainty inside a single total. We separate tasks, name what’s included per shot, flag the budget traps, and keep a change log so any edit shift has a clear, priced impact.
Meet the team
You’ll have a producer watching scope and assumptions, with leads on comp and tracking checking the hard shots before the numbers go out.
Team
Euan MacRae, VFX producer. Euan produces the work and keeps the bid tied to the cut, the turnovers, and the questions finance will ask.
Fiona Rattray, Bid & breakdown lead. Fiona builds the shot breakdown and bid schedule, and writes the per-shot assumptions so they stay readable weeks later.
Calum Strachan, Compositing supervisor. Calum reviews the hero shots and runs the test comp, so the look and the level of finish are priced, not guessed.
Isla Downie, Matchmove lead. Isla sanity-checks matchmove and camera tracking needs early, and flags shots where lens data or layout will drive time.
Recent work
Here are three recent bidding and breakdown packages where the cut needed numbers that would survive turnovers and versioning.
Portfolio
Offline cut bid package. We pulled a complete shot list from an offline, split it by task, and delivered a vendor-ready bid schedule. The production used it to align internal and external bids against the same assumptions.
Plate cleanup quote set. We quoted plate prep and cleanup across a sequence with repeated issues. Grouping recurring fixes into a standard per-shot allowance cut back-and-forth and stopped the quote growing with each new turnover.
Hero shot test comp. We ran a test comp on one hero shot before the bid locked. The approved look became the reference for level of finish, which kept later notes from turning into open-ended scope.
“The bid was clear enough to defend, and it didn’t unravel at turnover.”
Post producer, a fast-turnaround commercial team
VFX shot list
A shot-by-shot list pulled from the latest offline cut, with a unique ID per shot, timecode ranges, and notes tied to what’s visible in the edit.
TASK AND COMPLEXITY TAGS
Each shot tagged by the work it needs, such as paint, roto, cleanup, comp, matchmove, or CG integration, plus a complexity level that drives time and cost.
BID SCHEDULE AND ASSUMPTIONS
A bid schedule you can forward to finance, with per-shot line items and written assumptions for what “included” means, so the number stays defendable later.
Budget trap notes
A short list of the shots most likely to change cost, with the reason spelled out, such as missing plate data, heavy roto edges, or likely editorial churn.
HERO SHOT TEST COMP
One compositing test on an agreed hero shot for look approval, delivered as a review file with notes on what would change time, such as extra roto or added elements.
TURNOVER Q&A LOG
A running list of questions and answers from turnover, editorial, and vendors, so decisions are recorded and any later change has a paper trail.
Pricing
Pick the tier that matches how firm your cut and shot count are. We can start from an offline cut, and we’ll carry the assumptions in writing.
Priced items
Get started
If you want us to lock numbers for the cut you’re working from, sign this proposal and we’ll book the first breakdown slot.
1. Sign the proposal to confirm VFX bidding and shot breakdown. 2. Pay the 25% booking invoice so we can start the breakdown. 3. Send the latest offline cut and any VFX notes, then we’ll begin.
CAN YOU PRICE THIS OFF AN OFFLINE CUT, OR DO YOU NEED FULL PLATES?
We can price from an offline cut, and we do it often. The bid will carry written assumptions about plate quality, handle length, lens data, and versioning. When plates arrive, we update only the lines those assumptions touch.
WHAT ARE YOU ASSUMING IS INCLUDED PER SHOT, EXACTLY?
We spell it out on the bid schedule, per task. For example, cleanup might include one pass of wire removal and edge fixes, while roto might include a defined number of shapes and one round of client notes. If you want a different allowance, we price it as a different line.
Signature
Fee summary
Which shots are the budget traps in this sequence?
We flag them directly in the shot list and summarise them in the trap notes. They’re usually the shots with heavy interaction, thin edges, motion blur, fast editorial changes, or anything that depends on missing data like lens grids or camera reports.
IF WE CHANGE THE EDIT, WHAT BREAKS THE BID?
The bid is tied to shot IDs, timecodes, and assumptions. If a shot becomes longer, splits into two, changes plate source, adds a new element, or changes the level of finish, we treat that as a change and price the delta against the original line item.
Booking and payment
To book VFX bidding and shot breakdown, we invoice 25% when the proposal is signed. The remaining 75% is invoiced when the finished work is handed over. Invoices are payable within 14 days.
What we need from you. We’ll ask for the offline cut and whatever you have for timecodes, shot IDs, and editorial handles. If key items are missing, we’ll write the assumption into the bid line it affects.
Assumptions and updates. Our bid is built on written assumptions about plate quality, handle length, lens data, and versioning. When plates arrive, we update only the lines those assumptions touch, not the whole schedule.
Changes to the cut. The bid is tied to shot IDs and timecodes. If a shot length changes, splits, changes plate source, adds an element, or changes finish, we price the delta against the original line item.
Hero test comp notes
The hero shot test comp is for look approval and bid calibration. If the approved look requires extra tasks or a higher finish level, we’ll update the affected bid lines to match that target.
Review cycle and turnaround. We’ll track questions and answers in the turnover Q&A log. If feedback arrives as a new set of assumptions, we’ll reflect it as a marked bid revision so the source of the change stays visible.
Ownership of files. Once the final 75% is paid, you own the bid schedule, shot list, trap notes, and test comp files we deliver. We keep working files and project notes for continuity and audit trail.
