Season 5 needs funding

[SciphonicStranger]

Maybe if we all break open our piggy banks we can help it get produced.

http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2012/04/lac...on-on-future-of-syfys-drama-series-sanctuary/

 

[Joelist]

The perils and pitfalls of independent financing. No doubt they can find ways to shave the costs a little bit (although I find that 2.6 million per episode number high sounding) but you still need backers and that will be decided by whether SyFy will pay a license fee that allows the backers to make their investment back.

 

[Bluce Ree]

The perils and pitfalls of independent financing. No doubt they can find ways to shave the costs a little bit (although I find that 2.6 million per episode number high sounding) but you still need backers and that will be decided by whether SyFy will pay a license fee that allows the backers to make their investment back.

Sanctuary had a budget of $2.6m per episode? But the whole thing is filmed on 10 feet of green screen! WTH?

 

[Gatefan1976]

It's more like 2.8 now IIRC. Sanctuary may have started cheap, but it's not anymore.

This is something that I would be interested in, simply because the processes are already in place to fund Sanctuary, you don't have to deal with the legal minefield of donating to the studio/broadcaster as people could donate to the already existing "support corp" for sanctuary.

 

[Joelist]

That's what I mean - I don't buy that it costs that much to make Sanctuary. That would make it more expensive than The Walking Dead and given what we know about comparative costs would mean SGU was costing in excess of 4 million per episode.

 

[Overmind One]

That's what I mean - I don't buy that it costs that much to make Sanctuary. That would make it more expensive than The Walking Dead and given what we know about comparative costs would mean SGU was costing in excess of 4 million per episode.

I dont get it either. It is always the result of bloat. Writers who think, because of a good season, that they deserve a raise. Studios who see a winner with possible longevity, prices get inflated. The cost cant be increasing to make the show, since technology has been introduced to reduce the costs in the past 5 years. If they cant make this show for less than that, then it deserves to be canceled.

 

[SciphonicStranger]

I'm surpised that the powers that be would let this show die on the vine. Maybe Amanda could take a small pay cut?

 

[Bluce Ree]

Why don't they just resurrect Stargate? If they're willing to burn that kind of money on a set that's just a 10x10 green screen, why not put the money where it will secure a big, sure-fire return?

 

[SciphonicStranger]

Why don't they just resurrect Stargate? If they're willing to burn that kind of money on a set that's just a 10x10 green screen, why not put the money where it will secure a big, sure-fire return?

I would certainly bust open my piggy bank for season 11 of SG-1. Sometimes these things are just too simple...

 

[Gatefan1976]

I'm surpised that the powers that be would let this show die on the vine. Maybe Amanda could take a small pay cut?

AT has (IIRC) passed on pay *period* for her Directorial role.

 

[Joelist]

I was just saying that the rather high per episode number given makes me wonder about the credibility of the whole piece. As cited, if The Walking Dead with a much larger cast and using actual sets is 2.5 million per episode then what the heck would Sanctuary be spending 2.6 million per episode on with a smaller cast and most effects being green screen?

 

[Stonelesscutter]

I think they mean 2.6 million per season.

 

[YoshiKart64]

I think they mean 2.6 million per season.

It does say per episode in the source. I did think that was high but having a look around the net seems to put the estimate for hour long scripted shows in the 3 million mark. This one gave such an estimate in 2007 so today inflation would make it even higher.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/b...7d&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Given that, 2.6 million doesn't seem all that outlandish for a cheaper scripted show.

 

[Stonelesscutter]

It does say per episode in the source. I did think that was high but having a look around the net seems to put the estimate for hour long scripted shows in the 3 million mark. This one gave such an estimate in 2007 so today inflation would make it even higher.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/b...7d&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Given that, 2.6 million doesn't seem all that outlandish for a cheaper scripted show.

I can't imagine a crappily produced show like that ever costing that much. They're probably factoring in something like the "cost" of airtime.

 

[Joelist]

It's not "crappily produced". Overall the acting is good and the scripts have been uneven but generally solid. The visuals are not spectacular but generally decent.

Perhaps SyFy's issue is more that their audience base is smaller than that of a broadcast network, and as such they simply do not pull enough people as a channel to afford scripted shows, which would explain their heavy turn to reality TV and Wrestling. If true, that it says is more that SyFy needs a different financing model than anything else.

 

[shavedape]

I can't imagine a crappily produced show like that ever costing that much. They're probably factoring in something like the "cost" of airtime.

I -- I -- I'm...actually...going to have to...agree with you here Stone. I know; I'm as shocked as you are.

At any rate, there's definitely something fishy here. That's a lot of money to produce 38 minutes (or less) of live action footage per episode. And if they can't swing it they should just close up shop and call it a day.

 

[Stonelesscutter]

I -- I -- I'm...actually...going to have to...agree with you here Stone. I know; I'm as shocked as you are.

At any rate, there's definitely something fishy here. That's a lot of money to produce 38 minutes (or less) of live action footage per episode. And if they can't swing it they should just close up shop and call it a day.

It's indeed shocking that we agree. Furthermore it is shocking that we are both shocked.

 

[shavedape]

It's indeed shocking that we agree. Furthermore it is shocking that we are both shocked.

Maybe we're psychically linked...again?

 

[Stonelesscutter]

Maybe we're psychically linked...again?

I don't even want to think about that.

 

[Overmind One]

I dont get it. How did Sanctuary which began as a webisode series go from a few hundred thousand per episode to 2.6m per episode and become something that "cant survive" for less? Cancel the thing. Either that, or go back to webisodes OR like Bluce Ree suggested, bring back Stargate and let Amanda run it.