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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Profitability of HBO mini-series?

Brandon Fraley

Brandon Fraley

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So my dad was watching Band of Brothers on History Channel and asked me how much something like that cost, and more interesting, how profitable was it?

Finding the budget was easy. I guessed about $100m, but apparently it was around $125m. But figuring out how profitable it was is another story. I'm not sure how HBO even qualifies stuff like that.

Anyone know how "profitable" mini-series' like Band of Brothers or John Adams are?
 
I don't know actual sales figures, but Band of Brothers is a great piece of work. I'm sure they've done very well in video sales. From HBO's point of view, they often pick up productions like this or produce them to draw subscriptions, video sales come later and some productions do quite well in video sales, others not so much. Band of Brothers is my favorite mini-series of all time. But I'm somewhat of a WWII buff anyway. I had to trade-up my DVD set for Blu-Ray. Worth every penny, IMO...
 
That makes a lot of sense Jeff. I agree that Band of Brothers is the best WWII project ever. If you haven't seen John Adams, what are you waiting for! I watched both of them front to back in one sitting. Some of the best work I have ever seen, period.
 
Jeff Kilgroe said:
From HBO's point of view, they often pick up productions like this or produce them to draw subscriptions
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Obviously this is the case, but I wonder how they price it out. $125m is a lot of coin to dish out on only 10 hours of content. Good point on dvd sales, that part hadn't even occurred to me.

I own BoB and have watched both John Adams and Generation Kill in the last month or so. HBO definitely produces some great content.
 
Interestingly, Soderbergh sort of half-regretted not making Che a ten part miniseries
 
HBO had at one time, something like 14 million subscribers, times, say, $10 a month premium over regular cable service, times 12 months in a year means they make $1.6 billion a year in sales. A lot of subscribers came from powerhouse productions like SOPRANOS and BAND OF BROTHERS - I know a bunch of friends who cancelled their subscription after SOPRANOS ended. So if they don't have a big tent pole series and their base drops to 7 million, how much do they lose? It's a matter of keeping the engine stoked. They are looking hard, I think, for another big attraction - I don't think JOHN ADAMS did it for them, neither did ROME or CARNIVALE. They sure missed it when they passed on MAD MEN (did they pass on this or did the producers go right to AMC first?) So this is why they can spend feature film money on TV series. It's just amazing, watching the production value of BAND.
 
An interesting note about HBO and money. When HBO became a union signatory, they got a sweet heart deal that was supposed to be temporary. Well, years later there is still the "HBO" contract, which has the lowest rates in the universe. They also try to weasel out of anything they can. The last HBO contract I signed had no less than 7 side letters which gave away everything like no double time till 14hrs, no production city rates when working in DC, etc.

They sure do make good TV though, they just aren't throwing the money around.

Nick
 
Douglas Underdahl said:
They are looking hard, I think, for another big attraction . . .
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Then i have a couple of TV series pitches to send them lol.

Band of Brothers was shot not 10 minutes from my house, and some parts from Currahee were shot in the next village over about 5 min away lol (where they are running up the hill to the milestone marker and through the forests). I saw so much of the set of this when i was driving past every day to Uni - too bad i missed out on the set visits offered to the local residents.

Andrew.

EDIT: Google Maps link to the overview of the set http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...1.765835,-0.257535&spn=0.010239,0.027895&z=16 The Set for Holland at the top and the Encampment in Currahee at the bottom. None of this land exists anymore, its now a business park and University complex lol. How time flies.
 
Brandon said:
Obviously this is the case, but I wonder how they price it out. $125m is a lot of coin to dish out on only 10 hours of content. Good point on dvd sales, that part hadn't even occurred to me.
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There are movies that cost $125 and are only 2 hours at most.

I'm sure HBO didn't do all the financing so they didn't have to take all the risk.
 
HBO's first goal is to keep subscriber rates up (or ideally increasing). So, shows and programming is designed to create buz, and interest in getting and keeping a subscription. Of course there are longer term markets such as DVD. And, even in the case of a really big show such as the Soprano's re-runs on other channels.

The main point I'm trying to make is that its not a 1 to 1 model where each show is meant to pay back its budget. They are trying to create an exciting mix of programming to keep their subscription base excited. Of course each individually successful show is good on its own. But, overall the mix of programming is meant to keep their brand visible and attractive to subscribers.

Even if a big show (expensive) such as Band of Brothers is not hugely profitable (which it may have been) it still brought huge attention to their brand. After all we are still talking about it. Providing amazing unique programming is something only they can do. When they can say "Only on HBO" and mean it they have been successful.
 
A Song of Ice and Fire

A Song of Ice and Fire

Well they're gearing up to shoot a pilot for a possible 'Game of Thrones' mini-series, which I think is kind of interesting.
 
Speaking of which, who else is completely stoked about the forthcoming "The Pacific" miniseries?

Some photos have leaked recently.

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It is also rumored that Zimmer is writing the main themes for the score!
 
Tom said:
Speaking of which, who else is completely stoked about the forthcoming "The Pacific" miniseries?
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I was excited about it when i first heard about it what, 5 years ago? I didn't think it was every coming out. Glad to see they're working on it.

Anyway, is there anyway to quantify how much money BoB made HBO?
 
Anyway, is there anyway to quantify how much money BoB made HBO?
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"According to VB research, the miniseries has raked in some $168 million in DVD revenue (at $119.98 SRP per set)--in a little more than four months. Making back that reported $120 million budget? No problem."

That should give you an idea....
 
Brandon said:
I was excited about it when i first heard about it what, 5 years ago? I didn't think it was every coming out. Glad to see they're working on it.
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I think principle photography wrapped last summer, with a release date of late this year or early next year.

Good things come to those who wait. :)
 
Personally, I can't wait for Treme.

Judging from the commercial response to The Wire, which was clearly not the juggernaut that the Sopranos was, I very much doubt that Treme will be the huge tentpole show HBO is looking for to drag in more subscribers. But anything new from David Simon & Co. is good news in my book.
 
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