The cost of making an Australian feature has increased
significantly in the last eight years or so, according to the Film Finance
Corporation Australia (FFC).
In 2001, the FFC commissioned a study to explore the
changing costs of production in Australia. The study investigated how
much it would cost in 2001 to shoot a feature originally made in 1993
– The Sum of Us, starring Russell
Crowe and Jack Thompson – considering only the standard production
costs (‘below-the-line’) and leaving aside the more
variable ‘above-the-line’ costs for key creative personnel.
Russell Crowe, for example, would certainly cost much more now than
he did pre-Gladiator.
Results show it would cost at least 68 per cent more
to shoot the film today, with below-the-line costs rising from $2.07
million in 1993 to $3.36 million in 2001. Costs would jump to $4.26
million – a 112 per cent increase – if the shoot followed
today’s more rigorous filmmaking practices.
Re-budgeting The Sum of
Us
The Sum of Us was selected
for the research as it was a mid-range feature film in terms of budget,
with no elements likely to produce difficulties in the comparison, such
as computer-generated images or big sets. It was a location shoot done
in a reasonable timeframe (six weeks) and without any distortingly big
line items.
Anne Bruning, a highly experienced production manager
who had prepared the original budget for the film, was commissioned
by the FFC to re-budget it using 2001 prices, line by line. Bruning
then added in the extra costs that would be mandatory under today’s
safer and more professional filmmaking standards to arrive at the final
increase of 112 per cent.
Areas of particularly significant growth included:
location costs, including council fees, security fees, facilities
and cleaning up, which rose by more than 380 per cent;
equipment, including such areas as camera, grips, lighting, sound
and stills, where costs increased by an average of 177 per cent;
rentals and storage, including for art department and office, construction,
toilets, cleaning, and editing facilities, where increases averaged
81 per cent;
fringe costs relating to wages, including cast and crew overtime,
night and other loadings, where costs increased by more than 150 per
cent.
Source: Film Finance Corporation
Australia (FFC), 2001.
