Quote from: DoomRulz on Feb 19, 2015, 02:41:27 PMCameron did it at a time when movie's didn't cost as much to make. Everything's more expensive today.
Both right and wrong in this sentence.
Almost everything to make a movie (adjusted to inflation of course) actually cost much less than it did back in time.
A 10go usb card that can fill 1 minutes of raw files cost way less than 1 meter of film.
Same goes for camera, now companies eventually own them while back at the film era they only use to rent it due to the price.
Problem was, you rent it for one movie but as soon as you make another one you could have bought a camera.
But since studios didn't knew if they were ever going to make another movie they used to rent.
For all the expensive gear (microphone, tripods, crane, dolly, blablabla) not much has changed, they keep it so it doesn't cost anything at all.
Also, keep in mind they use to be a time, making lawrence of Arabia required 1000 figures to make a couple of shots. Each shot takes a day and you pay an average of 100$ each person. That's 100 000$ you're burning a day.
Today with modern computer, you pay 100 000$ and a bunch of VFX artists are going to make all the VFX of your film due to fixed bid which doesn't depends on the time spent to achieve a shot. It's very cost effective especially when you get subsidies.
What actually cost much more are the stars & marketing. And that's where the budget goes for your film.
Even adjusted with inflation there's a gap between what actors and directors used to be paid 50 years ago and how much they are being paid today.
Pay 10 000 000$ 5 stars and you already have a 50 000 000$ budget
Same thing with marketing. There was a time there weren't even trailers for film.
Now they make multiples, with posters everywhere and in all media (TV, Internet, local shop)
That is where your money is.
