HOLLYWOOD FILM PRODUCTIONKKS

Hollywood Film Production• Hollywood makes approximately 120 films a year

• High Production Values

high budget affords: Special effectsActorsGreat script Exotic locationsNew technology – camera work

Blockbusters• A high-budget production • Aimed at mass markets• Relies on vital merchandising

“the modern-day blockbuster has become far more than just a movie. However strong the characters and

storyline, none of the new breed of blockbusters gets the go-ahead unless it can justify itself in terms of its TV

spin-offs, sequels, merchandising opportunities and DVD tie-in. It is no longer enough to get pre-

programmed audiences crammed into the multiplex when they could be buying the toy, drinking the drink

and wearing the T-shirt too.”

SPIDERMAN 2Production Costs

Before: the deals ($30M)

Script & development: $10m• The script budget on a film is typically 5% of the total budget. • Writer David Koepp netted an eight-figure payday.• Plus:, a batch of four fresh writers, including Pulitzer prize-winning novelist

Michael Chabon• . In addition, it is likely uncredited but well-paid script doctors were drafted

in to rewrite certain scenes.

Licensing: $20m• Marvel owns the Spider-Man character. Since Sony bought the movie

rights in 1999, there has been ongoing bickering and litigation between Marvel and Sony, pushing the licensing price up further.

• Stan Lee, the co-creator of the Spider-Man comic character, acts as executive producer on Spider-Man 2. Marvel pay Lee an annual salary of $1m [£540,000], but Lee has threatened to sue for a share of profits from licensing.

During: the shoot ($100M)The big money is doled out to the stars, the director and the

producers are still paid a traditional weekly wage for the length of

the shoot. They are what's called "above-the-line" costs that the

studios are committed to paying before the cameras even start to roll.

Producers: $15m• Blockbusters spawn numerous producers : Spider-Man 2 has two producers,

one co-producer and three executive producers.

Director: $10m• In the age of studio-led blockbuster movies, the director has less and less

autonomy, and is often brought on board after the studio has already completed casting. If test audiences dislike a scene, the director is obliged to cut or reshoot. For their pains, directors can still command a hefty fee.

• For the first Spider-Man movie, then Columbia Pictures chairwoman Amy Pascal surprised the community by hiring Evil Dead director Sam Raimi, who was not that well known to keep the costs down.

Cast: $30m• Tobey Maguire landed the title role after first-choice Heath Ledger passed. His

pay for Spider-Man, $4m [£2m] leapt to an upfront $17m [£9m] for the sequel, • Industry insiders estimate Kirstin Dunst was paid $5-$6m for Spider-Man 2. • New baddie Alfred Molina would be paid in the region of $1m [$540,000]. • The rest of the cast will have picked up $3m [£1.6m]. • Actors, agents and managers go home happy with a tasty 10-15% of their

clients' payday.

Below the line: $45m• "Below-the-line" costs are the physical production expenses of the shoot,

including crew fees. The costs of hiring and operating state-of-the-art equipment, corralling and feeding armies of extras, occupying and vacating locations, and, above all, employing thousands of high-salaried crew members are enormous.

• Principal photography on Spider-Man 2 began on April 12, 2003 in New York, where the production spent three weeks shooting at various locations.

After: the edit ($70M)

Special effects: $65m• The lion's share of the post-production budget is now spent on special

effects. Editing remains a sizeable chunk but, along with above-the-line costs, the effects budget on blockbusters is one of the big spends, and is growing fast.

Music: $5m• No more than 2% of the budget. • Three-time Oscar-nominated Danny Elfman composed the music for Spider-

Man 2 for a fee nearing £2m. • Sony Music Soundtrax will put out the official soundtrack which includes

tracks by Jet and Train. • The first Spider-Man album debuted at no 4 on the US albums chart, and

sold more than 2m copies worldwide.

The sell ($75M)

Prints & advertising: $75m

• The print and advertising costs are not actually included in the production budget. Having already spent $200m on making the film, the studios will spend even more money on marketing it!

Was it worth it?

Final Box Office figures:

$821m [£446m] worldwide!

Glossary:

• High production values• Blockbuster • Above the line costs• Below the line costs• Media conglomerate• Subsidiary

Your task:The Making of…..

Research the making (production) of a contemporary Hollywood Blockbuster.

1. What makes it have high production values?

2. Collecting info:• The film’s official site• Also search: +Guardian

+Telegraph+cinematography+interview with director/ producer+production notes+makingof.com

3. You will be presenting your information using Prezi