“It has now grossed $5.4m. Not bad, but in the movie business, this means the FILM has made $2.7m of its investors’ $6.2m budget. This does not include ‘prints and advertising’/marketing, which is never disclosed, but is likely at least $1m and probably $2m... So basically the film has made about 25% of its money back. DVD sales and licensing will likely add another 10%.”
With private equity you never really know the true numbers. Documentaries are usually less expensive to make than dramatic feature films. And the cost for “film” and “prints” has drastically changed because of everything digital. So, for example, with cheap software (Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve, which is $299 for the Studio version) you can create Digital Cinema Packages (DCPs) for theatrical distribution without outsourcing to specialty shops like filmmakers had to in the past. Or, if you have a multi-million-dollar budget, like this film, you can get these things done for much less than in the past. What used to cost tens-of-thousands of dollars now costs thousands or even hundred.
The published budgets of films are, in some cases, reported low in order to appeal to indie filmmakers. So you’ll hear things like so-and-so film was “shot” for $15,000. But this is not the entire budget. On the other hand, and more frequently, budgets are inflated in order to make the audience feel they are getting some kind of value or bargain. Which sounds better, paying $15 to see a film that was made for $15,000 or $15,000,000?
You are probably right that this film did not return a profit and may never do so. But most films don’t. Many never even get picked up in distribution deals at all. Films like this are not mainly about making money. It’s great when they do. And it helps to sell the next project. But profit is not the only measure of success here.
True. But I know Dinesh.
That’s the budget. It is less than his last movie, which did not reward investors well.
No, it’s not just about making $. But until/unless we have some filmmakers who can make FEATURE films that turn a profit, we will have no influence, cuz docs like this preach to the choir.