The Real Costs Of Movies

You know, it’s funny when people gripe about the cost of making a blockbuster movie. I’m not talking mid-level, or low independent I’m talking Marvel/DC Comic universe extravaganzas that have gone over $200 million to make.

First off, I can guarantee, it didn’t cost that much to make. Studios inflate numbers to make their project appear more important than it actually is. The illusion of movies are that, people get proud of how much they put on screen OR they try to impress with the thrift it takes to make it for nothing. “Saw” was done with a production cost under $1 million. I would almost guarantee most blockbuster actual physical costs are probably about that as much. If you are trying to break into movies, you’re probably scoffing by now. But think about it. Over half of all movies nowadays is green screen’d. Last I checked warehouse space rental (studio regulated) is at the highest $3000/month. Let’s even say they spend three months to shoot (I’m being generous, they cram it into less…principal photography). They’re no longer taking these crews to exotic places (skeleton crew only). They’re building them in some drafty place in the San Fernando Valley or on some computer in Santa Monica, California. The furthest they tend to travel is Atlanta, Georgia. The rest can be made up.

Man-power costs is deceptive also. From the ground up, on the camera crew side, a DIT operator/loader, 2^nd assistant camera, 1^st assist, and a operator is about the cost of a director of photography rate per day. It’s 1/10 of what an actor gets. Sound gets sit on, as does practical effects. All designated by a “union rate” that is oftentimes negotiated. Rentals of props, cameras getting food, makeup/hair. Do you think we could race to $1 million of actual physical costs? Probably fairly quick. But we’re not in that world anymore. You can pay skilled artisans practically minimum wage these days. Who keeps an eye on you while you’re in Detroit?

So, the accountant tabs everything together, and keep in mind, we’re moving armies over a mountain and making worlds. And the actual costs of making a movie is surprisingly low. Lower than you believe. So what makes up these costs?

Star salaries.

The only thing negotiated by people looking out for their interest. Why? Because their interest is also the negotiator’s interest. More money means a higher percent. On “Saw” some of the talent took backend deals. They got rich AFTER the movie was made for the simple fact they show their faces in what appeared to be a low-rent movie. It’s a gamble. You could make a high end piece of shit and get nothing, and still be linked with being in a piece of shit.

After all this…and let’s just say the average production cost is hovering $5 million dollars…this is the price of a single Tomahawk missile. This is with change back. Yes, a single piece of ordinance costs as much as every thing I mentioned above, IF you consider that worlds are being built for the same cost it takes to destroy a small village, it really boggles my mind we don’t gripe about military spending.  By the way, I’m basing these costs from 1995. Since I was watching a James Bond movie and thought to myself the military helicopter in it…one helicopter is the total cost of the production of the movie. In 1995. It would really sicken me to know what one costs now.