Question about budget for prequels...and why?

Since GL owns the rights and all merch. rights to Star Wars, it would make sense to me that he's a billionaire...in the billions. LOTS of money. Plus he's got the rights to technical inventions/investments and created companies like THX, Lucasarts, Skywalker Sound, etc.

So, my questions are why were the budgets set at around 100 million for each of the prequels...why not 200 or 250? Why is there even a cap necessarily if he has so much money...especially for Ep II and III following the success of I?

Would the extra 'headroom' have given him more freedom, or made the films easier to make by having a larger 'machine' doing the work (more artists, carpenters, CG workstations...more more more)? I mean they turned out great with what he had, but would have some more animators and specialists have made the films even better and closer to his vision?

If you have nearly unlimited funds, AND these movies are a great investment, why not stretch a bit more?

What brought this on was watching 'The Beginning' and furrowing my brow when they were discussing how much each CG shot was going to cost.

Also, does anyone know (as a basis of comparison) what the LOTR movies cost to make for each one, or an average of the three?

 

So, my questions are why were the budgets set at around 250 million for each of the prequels...why not 300 or 350? Why is there even a cap necessarily if he has so much money...especially for Ep II and III following the success of I?


Actually the final budget for each prequel finished at around 115 million dollars. I know when they were shooting TPM, they were hoping the budget would be at around 80 million, but it just wasn't possible.

The reason Lucas doesn't have an unlimited budget is that he is a businessman. And no matter how rich you are, when you run a business, you try to run it as efficiently as possible. Because he was already rich, why wouldn't he charge only 10 bucks for OT DVD Set, because he knew he could get the market price for what DVD's are going for.

The reason I respect Lucas, putting aside some of the problems I have with the prequels, is he invests the money he makes from Star Wars into his business and new technology. Sure he is worth billions, but he is always pushing the limits of technology, and doesn't have to hear a word from some studio executive about how to make his movies. He is the only Hollywood Director that can do whatever he wants, because it is HIS money. That is why he runs it like a business.

 

Thank you so much for the correction on my WAY OFF figures for the budget! And for your well-spoken opinion....I'll go ahead and make an edit to fix my figures. Thanks!

 

best part of teh TPM dvd is the documentry. he talks about filling both shoes of diorector and producer. on the one hand he wants eveything he can imagine on the other he needs to keep himself from losing money. each film pays for the next one.
but there is a point where he says the budget is around 70 million dollers but don'yt let that hold you back. just do your best work.

increadible amount of freedom he had.

 

But there are still practical concerns - setting a limit on the budget also (ostensibly) sets a limit on how long one has to work before releasing a product (witness the debacle surrounding G'N'R's Chinese Democracy, which has been in artistic limbo for *years*). By not simply opening the purse strings for whatever costs may be incurred, there is no real deadline, as one could always tweak things a little more.

 

You bring up a great point. It was either George or Peter Jackson that said films aren't released, they escape.

 

He also uses a budget for the sake of ILM's business appeal. When other film companies see what they can do for that budget, their more likely to use them as an effects house than someone who uses $100 million on effects alone.

Quixotic-Sith: G'N'R's Chinese Democracy. Good analogy. It is also the ?greatest album that never was.?

"Apolocalypse Now" also comes to mind as a compelling argument for self imposed budgetary and time restraints.