Budget

Short film expenses: how to claim them and manage receipts

Short film spending is scattered: twenty lunch boxes, a roll of tape, a taxi ride, batteries bought on the spot. The money is usually paid up front by different people and claimed all at once after the shoot. By then three problems turn up together: lost receipts, nobody remembers who paid, and Hong Kong dollars and New Taiwan dollars are mixed up.

GET SHOTS DONE EditorsAbout 3 min read

Log these seven things for every expense

Log it on the day the money is spent, not from memory after wrap:

  1. Date
  2. Item: say exactly what was bought, for example "20 lunch boxes", not just "meals".
  3. Category: use the same categories as the budget, for example production, camera, art and props, locations, insurance and miscellaneous, so you can compare against the budget later.
  4. Amount
  5. Currency: write Hong Kong dollars, New Taiwan dollars, ringgit and Singapore dollars separately.
  6. Who paid first: who to pay back when the claim goes in.
  7. Receipt number and whether it has been reimbursed

How to manage receipts

Number them the same day. Write a number on the back of each receipt that matches the number in the log. Handwritten receipts need a date, amount, and the shop name or payee.

Photograph them the same day. Save the photos in a shared folder named by receipt number, and keep the originals as well.

One envelope per shoot day. At each wrap, put the day's receipts in an envelope with the date and number of receipts on the front.

Get cash payments signed for. For cash paid to extras or individual crew members, prepare an acknowledgement with the date, amount and purpose, and have the payee sign it.

Whoever pays up front claims every week. Leaving it until after wrap lets the amount build up, puts pressure on the person who paid, and makes receipts easier to lose.

Handling multiple currencies

Shooting across Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia means one project can involve several currencies. The safe approach is to total each currency separately and convert at claim time using the actual exchange records (for example the amount posted on the credit card statement), rather than applying an exchange rate of your own in the log.

The Inland Revenue Department's record-keeping requirements

For projects produced under a company, note the Inland Revenue Department's rules. Its website explains that every person carrying on a trade, profession or business in Hong Kong must keep sufficient records of income and expenditure, in Chinese or English, so that the assessable profits can be readily ascertained. Records include books of account, vouchers, bank statements, invoices and receipts, and must be kept for at least 7 years.

For projects with a funding scheme, school or investor, their claim format and deadline apply. Get their claim form before the shoot and log expenses in its categories, so there is nothing to reorganise after wrap.

Check daily during the shoot

At each wrap, spend a few minutes on two numbers:

  • How much each category has used, compared with the budget. Tighten any category that is over from tomorrow.
  • The total not yet reimbursed, by who paid. If it is getting large, arrange a round of claims first.

Our expense log records date, item, category, amount, currency, who paid and reimbursement status for each expense, and totals each category automatically. If you have used the budget allocation calculator, it also compares each category with its budget. Each currency is totalled separately with no exchange-rate conversion. The page does not collect receipt photos; keep those separately.

Frequently asked questions

What if a receipt is lost?

Ask the shop for a copy, or find the electronic payment record. If neither is possible, write a note listing the date, amount and purpose, signed by the person who paid, and let whoever handles claims decide whether to accept it.

How long should receipts be kept?

For business carried on under a company, the Inland Revenue Department requires business records to be kept for at least 7 years. For projects with funders or investors, follow their requirements as well.

What is the difference between paying up front and an advance?

Paying up front means a crew member pays first and claims afterwards; an advance means the producer hands a crew member cash first, and it is reconciled against receipts afterwards. Log every item either way.

References

  1. Inland Revenue Department, Keeping business records (Chinese): www.ird.gov.hk/chi/tax/bus_rke.htm

The pages above were accessed on 1 November 2026.

This article is general production reference and is not tax or accounting advice. For specific questions, ask the Inland Revenue Department or a professional accountant.

This article is general information compiled from the references above, accessed on 1 November 2026, and is not legal advice. Check the latest notices from each authority or organisation before you apply or make arrangements.

Published 1 November 2026.

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