My Opinion/Feeling on S4 Ratings. Will there be S5?

[Skydiver]

I just change the channel and only watch waht I want. For example, I only watch scifi channel 1-2 hours a week. Sanctuary, being human, merlin and now eureka.

It's kinda like, ok, so there are viewers that love and watch Ghost Hunters or Fact of Faked (both of which I think are complete and total junk), so I'll just 'use' them to give those shows ratings so the profit can supplement the shows I want to watch.

I don't disagree that a lot of the shows are stupid. Networks are struggling to come up with new and creative ideas. the 'easy' stuff like Dirty Jobs, Deadliest Catch, Toddlers and Tiaras, hoarders, etc have been taken, so now it's more and more niche ideas as they look to find something, ANYTHING that someone else hasn't done.

[Rocky89]

@alexa_md In reply to recent rumors Paul Brown has confirmed Legends Memorabilia has purchased ALL props&costumes of @SanctuarySeries @amandatapping

@alexa_md @SanctuarySeries fans can rest assured the show's inventory is in the BEST hands & will be brought to the market soon. stargateprops.com

^ What do y'all make of this?

And this? > @wordsrmagic2me Heard from a reliable source today that #Sanctuary could still come back so my advice is, make it known if you want it to!

[helenmagnus23]

]@alexa_md In reply to recent rumors Paul Brown has confirmed Legends Memorabilia has purchased ALL props&costumes of @SanctuarySeries @amandatapping

@alexa_md @SanctuarySeries fans can rest assured the show's inventory is in the BEST hands & will be brought to the market soon. stargateprops.com[/B]
^ What do y'all make of this?

And this? > @wordsrmagic2me Heard from a reliable source today that #Sanctuary could still come back so my advice is, make it known if you want it to!

I find i'm a little unsure about the first two i'm not sure how i feel about it but the third one i really hope sanctuary does come back to our screens i miss it so much!

[Rocky89]

I find i'm a little unsure about the first two i'm not sure how i feel about it but the third one i really hope sanctuary does come back to our screens i miss it so much!

@GillianHorvath @Dragons_Dusk No secret studio lease ended awhile back. Props and wardrobe are only things. You saw end of S4. Fiery fate for many objects.

[NumberSix]

Fair enough. However, I'd argue that if there's nothing new to watch, you could watch older shows, a movie, read a book, or simply find something adventurous to do.

Uh, isn't that what I said? "Read a book, pull out a dvd, or find something else to do" The question becomes is it worth paying my monthly fee to dish network when I get to the point where I'm only watching those stations a few hours a week. And only I can answer that I suppose.

Cancel cable and get Netflix?

I've been considering that but would have to look more into how it works and if I've got the necessary electronics.

Rocky89:
@GillianHorvath @Dragons_Dusk No secret studio lease ended awhile back. Props and wardrobe are only things. You saw end of S4. Fiery fate for many objects.

Well I like that one better than the others you shared. Also if the inventory is "in the best of hands" couldn't it be brought back into use if needed? or new inventory created due to the "fiery fate"?


Awhile back there was some discussion of writing to the Beedie Group or other financial backers of Sanctuary. Anyone do this and hear back from them?

[Rocky89]

Well I like that one better than the others you shared. Also if the inventory is "in the best of hands" couldn't it be brought back into use if needed? or new inventory created due to the "fiery fate"?

Awhile back there was some discussion of writing to the Beedie Group or other financial backers of Sanctuary. Anyone do this and hear back from them?

My best friend (best friend EVER ) was worried, but you know, she didn't want to accept it, and wanted word from someone official, and she got that from Gillian.

[SWMBOTGSG]

http://t.co/phgjEXIz
Picked this up on Twitter.

Kay aka Mumsey

[12OzMouse]

Wow! That 2.6 Million per episode really shocks me! I know that all the CGI isn't cheap, but it's also a tradeoff with other areas. What I would be interested in knowing is how much of a return AT's private investors have realized during past years. From what I have understood, investing in TV is a crapshoot, and normally has one of two outcomes. Unfortunately, they are both extreme. It's either really good, or really bad. I'm betting that the show has defied normal entertainment investor logic and came out even last year, otherwise the show still wouldn't be in limbo.

Interesting article, thanks for the link!

[fems]

I thought that amount per episode was all-in, as in including paying personnel etc? Perhaps with AT (films and directing) and the other exec producers taking other jobs they can afford to lower their own salaries even more and thereby making the costs per episode more appealing to investors?

Then again, I doubt their pay would make a huge difference...

Ah well, a girl can hope.

Maybe they should fire RD to save costs!

[12OzMouse]

I'm sure that when they give a price per episode that accounts for everything. Still. 2.6 Mil is a pretty good buck for show on cable. TV differs from movies. It's fairly common for actors and producers to take a low salary on a movie in exchange for a percentage of the gross. They are taking a chance for the possibility of a huge payday if a movie does well at the box office. Not so with TV. I think residuals are the only potential gray area unless a show goes into syndication.

[Deevil]

Wow! That 2.6 Million per episode really shocks me! I know that all the CGI isn't cheap, but it's also a tradeoff with other areas.

2.6mil an episode is SUPER CHEAP. Now, there were 13 episodes in the last season, that means they had just shy of 34 million to film the entire season. This includes everyones income (from execs to crew). This includes studio space, set building and design, props, make-up, hair, script writing, directing, catering and CGI. You name it, it comes under those $'s. And for a show in its 4th season, cable or not, it's still cheap.

Perhaps with AT (films and directing) and the other exec producers taking other jobs they can afford to lower their own salaries even more and thereby making the costs per episode more appealing to investors?

There are union rules that will govern the minimum amount they can get paid. Irrespective of that, if you were working 2 jobs, would you want to get paid less for one of them just because you have a second job? I know I wouldn't.

[12OzMouse]

Let's look at at this way, Mad Men is budgeted at $2-2.5 Million per episode. Lionsgate has brought it in at under $33 million for 13 episodes. Joe Hamm reportedly makes $250,000 per episode, the rest of the cast, makes less, but probably not a whole bunch.

If you were an investor, where would you put your money? Both cable shows, but just look at the ratings. Your right, $2.5 million is not a lot compared to a network budget, but these are cable shows. Mad Men is shot at cable prices but brings in network ratings. Heap big difference. Plus, last year Mad Men got another $700K per episode from syndication, that's all gravy.

I only use Mad Men as an example of a successful cable show with a similar budget. Also, no offense, but $2.5 million isn't peanuts for a cable show. There are a whole bunch of other shows out there who would love to have that kind of budget.

Just for kicks and giggles, another AMC show, The Walking Dead, brings in 6 million viewers and last year (prior to season 2) had it's budget cut by $675K, down to $2.75 million per episode. AMC is a cash starved network but they manage to put out 3 highly rated shows at around $2.5 mil per episode. The 3 being Walking Dead, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad. When AMC wanted to cut the budgets of all three last year, they quickly changed their tune when they saw how easily these three would be picked up on the open market. My point being, 2.5 million is only small compared to a network show like Terra Nova. But that's just my two cents...

[Deevil]

Mad Men isn't bringing in network ratings. Last week it was a 1.0 demo and just over 2.5mil in total viewers. A show like that stays on the air for critical acclaim, not because of anything else especially considering the stand-off that had it on an extended hiatus.

2.5 mil and episode is peanuts for ANY show. TV is expensive and the $'s don't go as far as people think they do. That's why the writing and acting really has to pull them through. I wasn't comparing the budget to network, or other cable. I am just saying, outright, 2.6mil an episode is NOT a lot of money. If used well, it can work, but it also depends on the kind of show it is. A show that is almost like a bottle show, mainly filming on already built sets can have a significantly lower budget requirement then a show that is all location and needs prosethetics for example.

As for Walking Dead, their budget for the 1st season was a little different. Their pilot budget (pilots are always individually much more expensive and are not included in the seasons budget) was actually included INTO the first season budget. So, over 6 episodes they had a significant bump. This meant in second season the 'pilot bump' disappeared and it looked like there was a significant cut in budget, but there wasn't really. It's one of those tricksy industry things that happen rarely, but still happens.

[EvenstarSRV]

Regarding the $2.6 million per episode budget, I remember AT giving an interview at Comic-con last year where she said Sanctuary's budget was closer to being just under $2 million an episode.

Ah, found the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeF5kY25lwk

[RealmOfX]

Regarding the $2.6 million per episode budget, I remember AT giving an interview at Comic-con last year where she said Sanctuary's budget was closer to being just under $2 million an episode.

Ah, found the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeF5kY25lwk

I remember Martin also said it too, can't remember where though.

The source of the information is the same place that said Sanctuary's future was tied to BSG: Blood and Chrome which was untrue so I'd take any info from there with a grain of salt