Playing with the big kids

Today I met a friend who is a producer. Not really a friend, but I emailed and said I'd buy him a coffee in return for picking his brains about how to do a documentary. Actually, at this point I'm just getting info on how to do the pitch in two weeks. He was incredibly gracious and informative and enthusiastic, and thought my project sounded great, and asked lots of hard questions to which I did not have answers.

'Of course, your budget will be in the $300-$400 range, or else they won't take you seriously,' he said.

I tried not to snort my coffee. It seemed gauche to clarify, but I presume he meant '-thousand'.

I had been thinking, anxiously, about whether $25,000 was too outrageous a sum to propose.

Really! What topic is that important? Couldn't $300-$400K be used to, I don't know, build a shelter for battered women or something?