Production Cost by Doffe

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Production Cost

POSTED BY: DOFFE
UPDATED: Thursday, March 2, 2006 13:50
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VIEWED: 3061
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Wednesday, March 1, 2006 2:13 AM

DOFFE

Hi,

Does anybody have an idea of how much could
the new production cost?

Keep flying.
Doffe.

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Wednesday, March 1, 2006 8:24 AM

ALMIGHTYWOOKIE

Quote:
Originally posted by Doffe:
Hi,

Does anybody have an idea of how much could
the new production cost?

Keep flying.
Doffe.

New series of another film? 'coz it cost $39 to make Serenity, and usually costs $1-2 million an episode I think, might be a bit less.

"The man they call...MEEE"

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Thursday, March 2, 2006 12:28 AM

DOFFE

And how many of us know today? Well, registered at this site? Can't we just sponsor this thing?

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Thursday, March 2, 2006 2:30 AM

FLETCH2

Two Million an episode is misleading, what people really mean is that 13 episodes cost $26M, so they do simple math and assume they are $2M each. In fact it costs a lot to set up a show like Firefly. For example, they built very large, very expensive sets that unlike in most series really interlinked so you could follow people handheld from room to room. Then you need to set up a CG team within an effects house, hire actors, writers et al, pay for costumes, etc.

So in reality you spend X million dollars just getting set up and that cost remains the same if you make one or 21, it's just that the more you make the more that initial cost is split between episodes.

So to answer your question. No, there are not enough of us to afford to make the show ourselves. Fanfilms, even ambitious ones would be posible but that's about all of the 'Verse we'll see until the BD sequel is released.

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Thursday, March 2, 2006 3:49 AM

DUG

There's also the future to think about when you discuss new productions.

I know that sounds a mite philosophical, but I actually mean it to be about the shiny coin. Studio execs are thinking about the profits from reruns, syndication, dvd sales and marketing. Their business model does not fit one off productions. Since their model is still very lucrative there is not any incentive to change.

BTW, from what I remember the costs for Firefly were reported at around 2 mil per episode. This was somewhat inflated by the fact that the unaired Serenity pilot cost ~10 million to make and was amortized across the rest of season one. So not only did the episodes have to absorb the cost of initial set production/ casting/ fx and the like the budgets also had to absorb an episode that never aired. By comparison I seem to remember that Andromeduh had costs of around 1.2-1.4 mil per episode at the time.

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Thursday, March 2, 2006 9:25 AM

FLETCH2

Yeah but the point is that "Serenity" cost $10M not $1.6-2M. If we wanted to buy just one episode, it would likely cost closer to $10M.

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Thursday, March 2, 2006 12:55 PM

JOLLY

Quote:
Originally posted by dug:

I know that sounds a mite philosophical, but I actually mean it to be about the shiny coin. Studio execs are thinking about the profits from reruns, syndication, dvd sales and marketing. Their business model does not fit one off productions. Since their model is still very lucrative there is not any incentive to change.

With Buffy, I believe that Fox produced and owned the show but sold screening rights to smaller networks (first WB and the UPN). I believe that FOX retained the rights to the DVD sales. A return of Firefly could entail something similar, though my impression is that Whedon has no interest in returning to the network based on his earlier experiences.

http://www.time.com/time/columnist/poniewozik/article/0,9565,107337,00
.html

Presumably another network could produce the series by making the appropriate arrangments (either licensing or buying the right outright).
However, if Fox believes that the DVD sales will be impressive, I suspect that they will try to capture as big a share as possible through the fee they charge. This suggests to me that the biggest barrier to a subsequent series will come from the obstacles associated with acquiring the rights. The DVD sales *are* lucrative, and FOX knows this...they aren't gonna let the rights go cheaply.

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Thursday, March 2, 2006 1:04 PM

FLETCH2

There are two "Foxes." There is 20th Century Fox Television that made the show and the Fox Network that screened it. Apparently Fox Television was highly supportive of Joss and delayed tearing things down while he tried to shop Firefly around after the series was cancelled. They are the guys that still have rights to the series and the DVDs.

It was the Fox Network that shafted the show every chance they get and who Joss says he doesn't want to work for again. While I doubt it will ever happen I'm sure if Fox Television wanted to bring the show back Joss would work with them on it. He will have to work with them if he plans to make any of the Spike/Ripper direct to DVD movies.

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Thursday, March 2, 2006 1:50 PM

JOLLY

Thanks. I wasn't sure if Joss had issues with the network or the whole company.

Anyhow, it seems likely that any return of the series will be produced by Fox Television. I'm not sure what the screening fees would be like, or which network would pick it up, but it certainly seems like the continuation of strong DVD sales will improve the likelihood of it happening.

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