Watching TV is the nation’s favorite pastime, with film channels being consistently popular as viewers can enjoy everything from classics to big releases without having to buy expensive cinema tickets.
The hidden costs of Hollywood movies
It’s pretty easy to imagine why movies with big-name stars cost a lot to make, but you may be surprised to know that many blockbusters hire a huge amount of staff of specialists and experts in their field, which pushes the production costs even higher. This is especially true for films that are looking for historical accuracy. For example, a film that involves world war two tanks might enlist the knowledge of a company that provides Tank Driving Experience events such as Armourgeddon Tank Driving Days. This is to ensure that the films stay as true as possible to the historical events that they are looking to portray.
Surprising numbers
Although the average number of people involved in getting a popular film to the big screen is just under 600, bigger numbers are not unusual. For example, Avatar and Iron Man involved around 3,000 people.
Average numbers – but not across the board
In general, around 70 percent of a film’s staff work on the visual or art-related elements, 27 percent on the technical side (light, camera, sound), and the remaining 3 percent are responsible for writing, directing and producing the work, but some top-grossing films have quite different stats. The Butler had five times more producers than average, and Pokemon used a quarter of all staff on the music.
Many modern films focus on special features to captivate audiences, and the Harry Potter films used more than 60 percent of the total crew in just this one department, while The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey needed more than 200 people on special effects. Other areas of film production can vary, too, as Mulan had 10 times more writers than average.
How to get the best out of your TV viewing experience
Having easy access to films is one thing, but if the picture quality is poor, there isn’t much chance of actually enjoying it. Unless you pay for specialised cable services, a TV aerial is essential. Watching great movies at home is more convenient than going to the cinema, but trading the big screen for the TV only works if you have a guaranteed clear picture. There, of course, some great home cinema products available for you to enjoy an amazing picture quality that can be projected onto a wall and surround sound.
