Movie Industry Themes #6 Film is Capital-Intensive

The High Cost of Entry

Making a film has always been expensive. Among the art forms, film is capital-intensive beyond any other. Low budget movies (to the studios) may cost up to $20 Million. Even micro-budget indies often rely on unpaid labor, deferred payments, and borrowed gear. Between 2022 and 2025, inflation, COVID protocols, and union negotiations pushed costs even higher.

Yet, ironically, there has never been more filmmaking. Accessible equipment and platforms like TikTok and YouTube lower technical barriers—but making a feature-length, professionally finished film still requires substantial funding.

Filmmakers must now be entrepreneurs, pitching not just a vision but a business case. Grants, residencies, and fellowships have become critical paths for underrepresented voices to break in. But for many, the dream remains economically out of reach.