A film material for the manufacture of a film carrier has a lead pattern including an outer lead portion formed independent of the electrode arrangement of a semiconductor chip to be mounted on the film carrier, and an inner lead formation portion a part of which is selectively removable in accordance with the electrode arrangement of the semiconductor chip to be mounted thereon, the inner lead formation portion being contiguous and connected to respective leads of the outer lead portion. A method for manufacturing the film carrier includes the steps of forming a conductive layer of material on a film; forming the lead pattern by etching part of the layer formed on the film into an outer lead portion having a pattern independent of the electrode arrangement of each semiconductor chip to be mounted thereon, and by leaving another part of the layer as it is to form an inner lead formation portion having a pattern which is changeable according to the electrode arrangement of the semiconductor chip to be mounted thereon; and selectively removing part of the inner lead formation portion by laser processing in accordance with the electrode arrangement of the semiconductor chip to be mounted thereon.