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Budgets Per Episode of a standard “docu-reality” style cable show
This messags is for Walter – since he can probably just post the dollar amount of his own food network series and the question is answered – but I am tyring to get an average budget for producing a 60 minute Discovery Channel – Learning Channel – Science Channel style live action docu-drama – shot in HD – with no CGI dinosaurs – and an average of 30-40 Motion Graphic insert bits.
Assume this is a show about how telescopes work. And it will contain interviews and Voice Overs with some graphics of light waves reacting to mirrors and scientific based motion effects to enhance the narrative. No travel expenses and talent is scale. Music is scale. No stock shots.
Basic basic stuff.Ballpark out the door price tag. Total for Production & Post costs.
$35,000 ?
$65,000 ?
$85,000 ?-DM
G5 Dual 2.5Ghz
OSX4 FCP5
Lots of Ram – Lots of cables – Lots of bills… -
27 Replies
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Higher. I edit shows for Discovery, National Geographic and History Channel. The budgets for 1 hour are about $125,000 to $175,000. Those are the standard def rates, and they really haven’t gone up when we moved to HD. Maybe bumped another $25,000…at most.
Shane
Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net -
Each network pays a different rate. The Science channel has no where near the audience of The Discovery Channel, Discovery pays more.
If you have never done a show before, and the Discovery channel wants your show, you will be pushed aside and the folks from Discovery will let you watch as their hand picked production company does the job, in other words, don
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I like (and very much appreciate) Shane’s answer with the $ numbers. I’m not asking what networks will PAY. I’m asking what your ballpark production budget for the type of show I mentioned (or whatever you make) should be. No variables. Just tell us your show and post the dough. Not what you SOLD IT FOR. Not what they might PAY. What it COST YOU TO MAKE IT.
A House in Phoenix costs $35,000 to MAKE. They sell it for $135,000. Got it?
How much does your production cost to MAKE. I really don’t care about the other numbers. Personally in this business I find people lie about both figures in public constantly. And nailing down how much the total bill is for a certain production can sometimes be very hard to get out of people.
I am sure many users here will find this useful. And fun.
Thanks Shane. Very useful.
-DM
G5 Dual 2.5Ghz
OSX4 FCP5
Lots of Ram – Lots of cables – Lots of bills… -
Hey now, no reason to get rude. Don’t knock what Chris said…it is very true. The shows I work on happen to be for the biggies, Discovery and History Channel (well, if they can be considered biggies). And if the show is on during the day, the budget is less. If it is for Discovery Health, the budget is about 1/2 to 1/3 what I mentioned.
And yes, about the show pitches…also true. My boss pitched a show to History Channel that they were…lukewarm about, but then they said, “hey, how about doing this one for us?” And we did. Then, 1 year later, we see the show he pitched being advertised…some other company did it. But did we complain? Not TOO loudly…not for them to hear. We didn’t get that show, but they gave us another…so it all worked out in the end.
Shane
Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net -
I don’t mean to be rude. I know the pitching a show game. We pitched Lifetime last month. And I’m not asking for help here — -yet. I just want to see what cold hard cash figures people put up here for their out of pocket negative costs based on the show they produce. Actually based on the show I kinda sorta mentoined – but OK – tell me what show you did (do) and what the cost of making it was and I’m cool with that. It really is a simple question.
Here is the kind of answer that I’m looking for:
I’m joe and I worked on “Whoring Wiveswap Of Orange County” for LIFETIME and it costs us $68,000 per episode to get er done.
Easy.
Thanks.
-DM
G5 Dual 2.5Ghz
OSX4 FCP5
Lots of Ram – Lots of cables – Lots of bills… -
Well, this is something we cannot divulge. While one company might get $175,000 per episode another might get $85,000. Depends on the show and what is involved in making it…and the politics involved in getting the money. I know what the budgets are, but I will get in trouble if I mention specific shows and specific budgets. This is very hush hush info. I can give you ballpark estimates and that is it.
Shane
Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net -
I highly doubt anyone will reveal their actual “hard cost” to you as this is considered confidential information.
Any experienced producer can reverse engineer the budget given the actual amount a given network will pay and factor in the actual cost for the entire production to decide if the job can actually be done and if anything will be left over for profit.
Tony Salgado
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David,
If you can cut any actor’s demo for just $100 like your website states, you should be able to pull a series together for peanuts. Why don’t you do twenty-six episodes and get back to us and tell us what it cost you?
Good luck,
DRW -
Did I touch on a personal subject? What is the big secret here? I can tell you the budget on several shows I’ve cut for in the past – but none were HD. Well one actually was (playboy). And BTW – I do reels for $50, not $100, cupcake. Anyone who pays more is getting hosed – or is not cutting a reel.
-DM
G5 Dual 2.5Ghz
OSX4 FCP5
Lots of Ram – Lots of cables – Lots of bills… -
You edited a Playboy show? Thats funny! Was that “girls next door”? How was your relationship with Kevin B.?
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