Tech's Impact on Top Sheet Buckets - UPM Perspective

Hey everyone,

I'm Aiden Cross, a UPM working on a mid-budget indie feature right now, and I've been wrestling with our budget allocations. With all the advancements we're seeing (AI tools for things like scheduling drafts and script breakdowns, cloud collaboration platforms becoming standard, and even high-quality gear becoming more accessible) I’m finding myself questioning the traditional breakdown of our top sheet.

Specifically, I'm wondering how these technologies are influencing the 'buckets' and allocations we've always relied on. For instance, are we seeing certain categories, like some post-production VFX or even certain pre-production roles, shrinking due to automation or increased efficiency? And conversely, are others expanding, perhaps for software licenses, secure cloud storage, or specialized AI prompt engineering? I've been trying to streamline our current project's post budget, leveraging some cloud-based platforms, and it's definitely changing the line items. What are you all seeing out there?