While watching the segment about the two military men who were long lost relatives (the name escapes me of course, as always), I marveled at how professional the segment looked and how much it contrasted to the earliest UM episodes in which the production values were far from extravagant. I first took notice of the two men’s WWII period uniforms and then started to note how many extras were decked out in similar attire. Add to that the extras in regular WWII period dress, as well as the period trains, the lighting, and the fact that it was done with multiple shot coverage, then we’re talking a high price tag on the segment (even though it was just a one location shoot).

I started to wonder about which segments cost UM the most. I think any segments could be considered “expensive” if they featured some of, or multiples of, the following: helicopter shot, multiple locations, period-costumes, lots of extras, burning cars/car crashes.

Anyone have an opinion on high-priced segments or what elements might add to the budget?

Well I know the Mothman one isn't on that list.

The Alcatraz one must have been quite expensive and the Anastasia one, but that one I'm not sure if it was made solely by UM or a European production.

I would say many of the UFO segments, especially:
Kecksburg
Bentwaters Air Base
Cash-Landrum incident
Phoenix Lights

Aside from UFOs:
Trenchcoat robbers (recreating a high speed chase)
Skeleton Canyon treasure (recreating the whole shootout scene)
Eliot Ness (1930s to 1940s setting)

The Kathy Power segment, for the period dress and music royalties.

The Todd Mueller segment, for the cost of having to fly to Honolulu to film those couple of street scenes. Until I actually moved here I had no idea that really WAS Hawaii.

Rudolph Hess

Potentially the ghost segment filmed on the Queen Mary.

The UFO ones were probably the most expensive ones. The Area 51 one comes to mind where they had the weird artificat that floated by itself plus I think there was also a UFO in the beginning part as well or they opened with the press cliping of the weather ballon. I don't think they used Industrial Light & Magic, but I remember thinking how good it looked and it was probably not cheap. Also they had to get the 1950s military outfits as well as the military equipment.

You have to factor

1. length of a segment into this.

2. Also some of the people interviewed may have gotten paid.

3. Locations used.

I would have to guess that Alcatraz was the most expensive(by sheer length) followed by
Roswell.

Most expensive bizarre murder case was probably Ohio Prositute Serial Killer. There were high production values in that episode.


The RFK and JFK episodes are probably might be expensive due to rights on film, photos and locations.


I don;t know if Period uniforms and vehicles make an episode expensive.
Remember that NBC probably had a lot of those things on the lot.

I have to agree that the Alcatraz segment had to have been the most expensive

I have to agree with the common consensus re: the Alcatraz episode. The sheer logistics of filming out there in the Bay, organizing the swimming/rafting stunt, as well as the length and access they had for the actual Alcatraz escape segment coud have easily made that the most expensive episode to film.

Well done.

I don;t know if Period uniforms and vehicles make an episode expensive.
Remember that NBC probably had a lot of those things on the lot.


LOL...that’s not how the majority of television shows are made. There isn’t one big NBC “lot”. The production company for UM contracts out the necessary items for shooting the show, which could include any of the following: crew, cast, cameras, lighting, costume & wardrobe, props, union truck drivers & haulers hire to stand around, etc. The production company, dependent upon its size, might have a number of the necessary items. However, in this case I’d be willing to bet Cosgrove-Meurer(sp?) didn’t have that many WWII era military uniforms nor a couple of trains at their immediate disposal.

I always figured the Georgia Rudolph segment was probably pretty expensive to produce. Think of all the turn of the century scenery that they had to recreate. Then factor in the period costumes, use of that old boat etc. I bet the production costs were up there.

I always figured the Georgia Rudolph segment was probably pretty expensive to produce. Think of all the turn of the century scenery that they had to recreate. Then factor in the period costumes, use of that old boat etc. I bet the production costs were up there.

I was thinking the same thing too. That was a visually stunning and well-produced segment.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mastermind
I don;t know if Period uniforms and vehicles make an episode expensive.
Remember that NBC probably had a lot of those things on the lot.


LOL...that’s not how the majority of television shows are made. There isn’t one big NBC “lot”. The production company for UM contracts out the necessary items for shooting the show, which could include any of the following: crew, cast, cameras, lighting, costume & wardrobe, props, union truck drivers & haulers hire to stand around, etc. The production company, dependent upon its size, might have a number of the necessary items. However, in this case I’d be willing to bet Cosgrove-Meurer(sp?) didn’t have that many WWII era military uniforms nor a couple of trains at their immediate disposal.

The reason I brought this up was because, NBC was producing Amazing Stories at roughly the same time as UM, (if I am correct). Many of those episodes where period.

NBC was also doing a lot of made for TV movies. Least of which was the Frank Nitti movie.
If I also remember there was a massive Peter the Great movie produced by NBC at the time.
Even A George Washington movie if I remember.

ABC was doing China Beach,

I also vaguely remember a

Studios tend to borrow everything from each other. So it wouldn;t suprise me if UM borrowed the costumes from another production. Perhaps even at no cost.

After all it's not like they have to film THAT many scenes.

Costumes and cars usually aren;t the biggest effect on a budget.
It's usually location and special efects.

I remember somewhere reading that Dark Shadows budget remained the same even when they changed to period.

Another thing to think about is re-shoots.

I'm almost positive that the Alcatraz scenes had to be re-shot more than an average UM episode. What with some of the stunt work.

Something to factor in is Robert Stacks pay. Which may have increased in later episodes.

Also, unlike other shows...UM isn't really pressured to do a show.
UM can arrange their schedule for what reduces costs.

If it's too expensive to do the Roswell episode, they can wait a year or so when it becomes cost efficient.

If period costumes or cars are available that season...perhaps they decide to do their WWII story now rather than later.

Questions for everyone..

1. Do you think UM was more expsnsive than the average show...or less expensive, or about average?

2. Would it be more expensive if the show was created today?

In the later years UM seemed to rely more on actors than actual people in the reenactments, so I would imagine that caused the production costs to increase.

Look at a story like Joe Owens....they had an actor and an actress to play Joe and Gladys. Everyone else in that reenactment were the actual people affected.

Then, look at some of the later stories, or even some of the period pieces....what would it cost to hire all those people? Did UM compensate the regular people too? Probably not at the same rate as the actors, if they did.

Pretty sure the Unabomber episodes was pretty expensive. They did more than one? And that Unabomber vs Zodiac..