Stargate Universe budget

[Nikec3]

Before Stargate Universe started, the producers said that the new series will have budget twice as big as Stargate Atlantis. After watching eleven episodes, I can't determine where they spent 2 million dollars per episode.

Most events are happening on the ship. They don't need a costumes, makeup and the special effects are average, and we very rarely see them.

Is there a possibility that MGM lied about the budget? Or can someone explain to me, where did they spend 2 million dollars per episode?

[reddevil18]

SGA's budget wasn't 1 million per episode, it was around 2. And SGU's budget is 2.5-3. And if you honestly believe what you wrote, well, there's no hope for you.

[Deevil]

Places where money goes - actors, directors, producers, writers, DP's, camera men etc etc etc.

Special effects (and every single episode has them, and the fact you aren't seeing them shows how good they are), wardrobe, make-up, music, sound effects, editing, grading, craft service, on location shoots (which are fraking expensive), maintanence, armory and the list keeps on going. Not the obvious stuff on screen ='s the $'s. Canada is no longer offering the fantastic tax breaks it once was, the dollar isn't worth as much (which means the raise in $'s isn't that excessive at all).

Ohh and just because we see them wearing the same clothes most of the time, do not mistake it for only have 'one' of that said costume per person. They will have, at least, 2 - likely more so they can cut them up and rough them up.

[thekillman]

i believe it has 1 million extra. 400 000 goes to CGI. well i believe that figure is for SG1. SGU has an almost unhealthy amount added. also, many more sets, bigger sets, bigger cast, a lot of them regular (so more expensive), a "star" actor (carlyle) so extra expensive, for the first time we have a imagery appreciation thread, and well, take a look and you see where the money goes

[Nikec3]

OK, they have some incredible actors like Robert Carlyle or Justin Louis, but Stargate SG-1 had RDA, and RDA has been much more popular than is now Robert Carlyle in stargate franchise.

I also undrestand that episodes such as Air Part 3, Time and Space costs 2-3 million dollars, but just do not understand what it would cost 2 million dollars in episodes such as the Darkness, and Life.

Do't get me wrong, I like SGU very much and I just want to know where they spend money.

[Jumper_One]

Before Stargate Universe started, the producers said that the new series will have budget twice as big as Stargate Atlantis. After watching eleven episodes, I can't determine where they spent 2 million dollars per episode.

Most events are happening on the ship. They don't need a costumes, makeup and the special effects are average, and we very rarely see them.

Is there a possibility that MGM lied about the budget? Or can someone explain to me, where did they spend 2 million dollars per episode?

actually...

Major D. Davis writes: “I heard SGU’s budget was up by 1 million bucks from Atlantis’ budget. So is SGU’s budget 3 million US dollars???”

Answer: Sorry, I’m not about to discuss numbers. However, I will say this – many have erroneously assumed that this was in reference to Atlantis’s FINAL season. It wasn’t. The comparison was being made to Atlantis’s FIRST season. Two very different budgets

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...-note-mailbag/

[Detox]

Before Stargate Universe started, the producers said that the new series will have budget twice as big as Stargate Atlantis. After watching eleven episodes, I can't determine where they spent 2 million dollars per episode.

Most events are happening on the ship. They don't need a costumes, makeup and the special effects are average, and we very rarely see them.

Is there a possibility that MGM lied about the budget? Or can someone explain to me, where did they spend 2 million dollars per episode?

See all those people playing the characters? They don't do it for free.

[Mike.]

I agree with what's been said by others.
SGU lookes beter than any sci-fi I've ever seen. The special effects are off the hook, so much detail. The sets are beautifully crafted and they seem to never end. I see a lot of rooms, props and everything seems to be top quality. They could even be using cgi indoors. BSG did this a lot.

Even the lighting is masterfully planed. Every scene looks as if the whole team spent hours just setting up the right angles. Also notice the perfect framing, the colors, the tones, brightness, all perfect for the mood of that section. If you look at some stills really carefully you'll notice a painting like feel. Everything is so wonderfully done that you could frame it.

I imagine all of this costs a lot.

[thekillman]

well actually the lights were just placed there.


anyway what do you think those pretty holoscreens cost ?

[Deevil]

I also undrestand that episodes such as Air Part 3, Time and Space costs 2-3 million dollars, but just do not understand what it would cost 2 million dollars in episodes such as the Darkness, and Life.

You have to understand, the same amount of money is not spent on every single episode. (regular) Actors pay, Producers, staff Writers and Directors, other crew, craft services etc etc etc all come out of the budget before a single episode goes into production. THEN, individual episodes are assigned a budget, some may only get a small budget and be set on existing sets, and existing characters... they are called bottle episodes (and are relatively cheap). Other episodes blow out and can take 10ish% of the total budget.

It depends.

Life would have cost a fortune to make because it's almost all on location. On location requires moving the circus (trailers and equipment). Renting locations, closing down streets, hiring traffic personnel and additional security.

You are mistaking special effects and shiny stuff for money, whereas money tends to seep out of the not so shiny stuff.

Plus, a chunk of this seasons budget went to building the sets - so they didn't have as much money to play around with as you're assuming.

[KEK]

Before Stargate Universe started, the producers said that the new series will have budget twice as big as Stargate Atlantis. After watching eleven episodes, I can't determine where they spent 2 million dollars per episode.

Most events are happening on the ship. They don't need a costumes, makeup and the special effects are average, and we very rarely see them.

Is there a possibility that MGM lied about the budget? Or can someone explain to me, where did they spend 2 million dollars per episode?

I can't think of many shows that have had better.

[major davis]

Actually its not as much money as you guys think. I remember TPTB saying that Season 6 of Atlantis would cost more to produce than season 1 of SGU, so actually, they saved money!!

[DavidR]

You have to understand, the same amount of money is not spent on every single episode. (regular) Actors pay, Producers, staff Writers and Directors, other crew, craft services etc etc etc all come out of the budget before a single episode goes into production. THEN, individual episodes are assigned a budget, some may only get a small budget and be set on existing sets, and existing characters... they are called bottle episodes (and are relatively cheap). Other episodes blow out and can take 10ish% of the total budget.

It depends.

Life would have cost a fortune to make because it's almost all on location. On location requires moving the circus (trailers and equipment). Renting locations, closing down streets, hiring traffic personnel and additional security.

You are mistaking special effects and shiny stuff for money, whereas money tends to seep out of the not so shiny stuff.

Plus, a chunk of this seasons budget went to building the sets - so they didn't have as much money to play around with as you're assuming.

Green when I can refreshing to see someone who knows.

But life wasn't all that expensive as the outside scenes were not that extensive in time and takes.

[KEK]

How can you know how many takes they took?

[Phenom]

Its been what, 8 years since SGA's first season. Do you think the price of bread is the same as it was 8 years ago?