@ What budget per episode will cgi heavy sci fi / fantasy tv shows look as good

[Sammael]

as movies?

20 million per episode?

Also, what does 10 million per episode get you in 2015 vs 2020 vs 2025? Does it not get cheaper to create more expansive visual effects with time? I mean, ideally instead of artists having to painstakingly build visual effects from scratch, we ought to continue automating the process of different areas until we get to the point where we are like star trek holodecks and engaging with an AI to built what we describe, or perhaps even have some brain interface to convert thought into reality.

Then we could construct whole worlds much easier, filled to bursting with detail.

[AndrewCrossett]

I'm no Hollywood insider, but it seems like blockbuster CGI-heavy movies nowadays average about $75-100 million per hour of running time. So an hour-long episode would begin at that, and then you can start deducting money due to multiple variables... TV shows usually have a much less expensive cast than movies... and there is usually less footage that gets shot but not used... there may be less expensive on-location shooting... and if it's a show with commercials, they only need 41-43 minutes of footage per hour.

Also, unless there is an intention to show the TV series in movie theaters (not likely except for the occasional stunt promotional deal), it takes less to make the show look good on a TV-sized screen as on a theater-sized screen.

$20 million an episode would probably do it. I think budgets for season 8 of Game of Thrones were in the $10-$15 million per episode range.

[Midvillian1322]

I'm no Hollywood insider, but it seems like blockbuster CGI-heavy movies nowadays average about $75-100 million per hour of running time. So an hour-long episode would begin at that, and then you can start deducting money due to multiple variables... TV shows usually have a much less expensive cast than movies... and there is usually less footage that gets shot but not used... there may be less expensive on-location shooting... and if it's a show with commercials, they only need 41-43 minutes of footage per hour.

Also, unless there is an intention to show the TV series in movie theaters (not likely except for the occasional stunt promotional deal), it takes less to make the show look good on a TV-sized screen as on a theater-sized screen.

$20 million an episode would probably do it. I think budgets for season 8 of Game of Thrones were in the $10-$15 million per episode range.

I assume somewhere around 20m an episode is what Marvel is gonna be spending on an episode of they're shows. 7 episodes with a movie a budget so for Marvel that 150-250m. So if we low ball at 150 that's about right. So I'm guessing your on to something

[TriggerWarning]

So much is done by CGI that could be done by practical effects. I doubt Farscape had a very big budget yet they managed to pull off practical effects with makeup and costumes that movies throw millions at for CGI that doesn't look half as good. Look at Zan or Chianna looked on the show and realize it was all makeup and costume and then wonder how much money Marvel blew to make a fake lookin CGI Hulk rather than go the Lou Ferigno route.

[Midvillian1322]

So much is done by CGI that could be done by practical effects. I doubt Farscape had a very big budget yet they managed to pull off practical effects with makeup and costumes that movies throw millions at for CGI that doesn't look half as good. Look at Zan or Chianna looked on the show and realize it was all makeup and costume and then wonder how much money Marvel blew to make a fake lookin CGI Hulk rather than go the Lou Ferigno route.

CGI is expensive but in alot of cases it's the cheapest option for a multitude of reasons. Also because it's done in post its helpful when working against a tight window. But yea Civil war was a movie I feel balanced this really well. They did as much as they could practically like that whole Freeway tunnel chase. Even the huge jump Bucky made but then certain things like the airport for scheduling reasons had to be all CGI. I know they have a reason they stopped doing Ironman practical but i forget what it is. But yea they definely do somethings with CGI I wish was done practically