how much does it cost to make an anime movie

by Stephany Bartell 10 min read
image

So knowing that an animated film can really cost anywhere from about $1,000 per finished minute for the most bare-bones and basic animations such as a whiteboard animation and up to $200,000 per finished minute for complex animations such as those in many Disney movies, let’s take a look at some past animated films and their costs:

Answer by Balaji Viswanathan, Founder Zingfin.com:
A good animation movie can take $50 million or more to produce.
Jun 20, 2013

Full Answer

How much does it cost to make an anime episode?

So how much does one Anime Episode cost to make? The average cost of a simple 60-second 2D Animation is around 6000 $. A whole Episode can cost between 100.000 $ to 300.000 $. So a 12 Episode long Season can cost up to 3.6 million US Dollars.

How much does it cost to make an animated film?

So knowing that an animated filmcan really cost anywhere from about $1,000 per finished minute for the most bare-bones and basic animations such as a whiteboard animation and up to $200,000 per finished minute for complex animations such as those in many Disney movies, let’s take a look at some past animated films and their costs:

Why are anime movies so expensive?

But since then, the technology used for animation has improved and changed, and the cost of making movies has become much higher, animated or otherwise. It’s no surprise that the production costs of some of the anime films coming out of Japan in the last decade have blown Steamboy out of the water.

How long does it take to make an anime?

So all this work goes into creating every minute of every Anime and depending on the studio creating only 60 seconds of Animation can take anywhere between three weeks and up to two months! I hope, you got a little bit of an idea of how much work actually goes into making pretty much any Animation.

image

How much does it cost to make an anime film?

In terms of per finished minute, we hear animated films announced at rates of anywhere from $10,000 to more than $200,000. Likewise, animated films can cost anywhere from $50 to nearly $50,000 per finished second.

How much does it cost to make 1 anime?

An anime episode can cost between US$100,000 and US$300,000 to produce. That maximum is around 6 times bigger than what I thought an anime episode could cost at most (considering that what's animated is a top series, with top animators, top animation programs, top voice actors and so on).

How much does it cost to make a 24 episode of anime?

In a July interview, Takayuki Nagatani, producer of Shirobako (itself an anime about anime production), claimed that his show cost 500 million yen (or $4 million) for 24 episodes.

How much does a Naruto episode cost?

Naruto Shippuden – $90,000-$100,000 Per Episode As a general rule of thumb, an acclaimed and widely followed anime costs 100,000 to 300,000 dollars per episode. Naruto Shippuden is one of the greatest anime series ever made. Experts speculate the anime costs north of 90,000 dollars per episode.

Is anime expensive to make?

According to Masamune Sakaki , a CG creator in the anime industry, an average 13-episode anime season costs around 250 million yen (or $2 million). He also made it clear that most anime can't recoup this expense, and the industry rests on the windfall of a few big hits.

How much money is Naruto making?

Naruto - $10.3 Billion The series follows the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a ninja-in-training from the leaf village.

What anime has the highest budget?

The 10 Most Expensive Anime Of The Decade (& How Much They Cost To Make)1 The Tale of Princess Kaguya: $53,400,000.2 Stand By Me Doraemon: $35,000,000. ... 3 Space Pirate Captain Harlock: $31,000,000. ... 4 The Wind Rises: $31,000,000. ... 5 From Up On Poppy Hill: $28,000,000. ... 6 When Marnie Was There: $11,300,000. ... More items...•

How is anime funded?

In order to secure funding for the anime, the broadcaster works with an advertising agency to negotiate with sponsors and get together the money necessary to produce the anime.

How much did the Tale of Princess Kaguya cost?

1 The Tale of Princess Kaguya: $53,400,000. It is both surprising and unsurprising that a Studio Ghibli film is at the top of this list. On the one hand, they are responsible for four other entries on the list, making it easy to believe that they could take the top spot for most expensive production.

How much is the movie "Up on Poppy Hill"?

5 From Up On Poppy Hill: $28,000,000. From Up on Poppy Hill is Studio Ghibli’s earliest film in the 2010s, with a 2011 release date. The film, like many of the later Studio Ghibli films, is a drama about two teenagers in 1960s Japan who are working with their friends to try to save an old school club building where they spend time.

What is the last movie Hayao Miyazaki made?

The Wind Rises is considered by many to be Hayao Miyazaki’s magnum opus. It was the last film he made before he announced his retirement. The story, which follows Jiro Horikoshi, a real-life man who designed airplanes in Japan that were later used for warfare.

How much does an animated film cost?

In terms of per finished minute, we hear animated films announced at rates of anywhere from $10,000 to more than $200,000. Likewise, animated films can cost anywhere from $50 to nearly $50,000 per finished second. Most fall somewhere in between.

How long is an animated movie?

Typically, animated films are between 30 and 90 minutes in total length.

How much did Jungle Book 2 cost?

The Jungle Book 2 – A Disneytoons production that cost $20M.

How much did it cost to make Tangled?

Tangled – This Disney film cost $260M to create.

Is animation gaining popularity?

Animations are gaining popularity and with changes in production recently causing a shift in the scheduling of live-action films, many have considered shifting gears and producing animated films.

Do 3D animations require more hardware?

Additionally, as previously mentioned, the type of animation will play into the complexity of the project. 3D animations require significantly more hardware and software to produce than a basic frame-by-frame production.

Is 2D animation more expensive than 3D animation?

The type of animation is also considered. A 2D cutout animation is certainly going to be less invasive and probably less expensive than a 3D advanced render . When considering the price of an animated film there’s also frame-by-frame animations, motion graphics, stop motion, and kinetic typeset animations — each have their own expected costs per finished minute. If you’re looking for maximum affordability, whiteboard animation or a motion graphic project will most likely be first on the list!

What is the primary investment in filmmaking?

In the world of solo filmmaking and independent filmmaking, time is the primary investment you’ll make in any project. The less money you have to get a project completed, the more of your own time you’ll need to put into it.

What is crew based filmmaking?

Crew-based filmmaking is collaborative and allows you to bite off bigger productions and grander stories. But it comes at a huge time and energy cost. For crew-based filmmaking, you need to be an excellent producer. You’re the one generating the project.

How many people do you need to make Lord of the Rings?

If you want to make Lord of the Rings, you’ll need 2000+ people and millions of dollars.

Do people start filmmaking from crew?

Some unusual people do start off with crew-based filmmaking right away. Maybe they’re part of a group of friends who all want to make films. Or perhaps they just love massive projects and big goals. They’re usually in some kind of creative partnership.

Can I do a Kickstarter for a movie?

You can work an extra job, steal from your retirement account, stop eating sushi for a few years, or (this is risky-ish) get a line of credit. Or if it’s a niche film in service of social change, representation, or a genre that people get fired up about (like horror or sci-fi), you can do a Kickstarter.

Is the cost of filmmaking counted in dollars?

The true cost of filmmaking can’t be counted in dollars and cents. The true cost of filmmaking is your time. If you’re reading this, then you’re probably on the path to become a solo filmmaker or independent filmmaker.

image