Close Encounters of the Third Kind Budget
Science FictionDrama2h 17mUpdated
Synopsis
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind," directed by Steven Spielberg, is a groundbreaking science fiction film that explores humanity's first contact with extraterrestrial life. The story follows Roy Neary, a blue-collar worker who experiences a series of mysterious and unexplainable events after a close encounter with a UFO. As he becomes increasingly obsessed with the visions and sounds he encounters, Roy's life spirals out of control, straining his relationships with his family and friends.
Simultaneously, a group of scientists, led by Dr. Claude Lacombe, investigates the phenomenon, uncovering a pattern of strange occurrences around the world. The film culminates in a breathtaking climax at Devil's Tower in Wyoming, where the government orchestrates a grand communication event with the alien visitors. Through stunning visual effects and a haunting score by John Williams, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" delves into themes of wonder, curiosity, and the universal quest for connection beyond our planet.
What is the budget of Close Encounters of the Third Kind?
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind," a science fiction released in 1977, was directed by Steven Spielberg and stars Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut. The production budget was $20,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for science fiction productions of the 1970s.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a science fiction production like this include:
- Visual Effects & CGI Pipeline: Sci-fi films are among the most VFX-intensive productions in Hollywood.
- Production Design & World-Building: Creating a believable sci-fi world required significant investment in set construction, prop fabrication, and conceptual design , from physical environments through LED volume stages and virtual production technology.
- Technology & Camera Systems: Cutting-edge camera rigs, motion capture stages, LED volume stages (virtual production), and proprietary rendering technology often push the technical budget far beyond conventional filming costs.
- Filming & Locations: Principal photography began on May 16, 1976, though an Associated Press report in August 1975 had suggested filming would start in late 1975.
What were the major cost factors in Close Encounters of the Third Kind?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."
- Visual Effects: Visual Effects & CGI Pipeline is one of the primary cost drivers in science fiction productions of this scale.
- Production Design: Production Design & World-Building is one of the primary cost drivers in science fiction productions of this scale.
- Technology: Technology & Camera Systems is one of the primary cost drivers in science fiction productions of this scale.
How Does Close Encounters of the Third Kind's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $20,000,000, Close Encounters of the Third Kind sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 12 Years a Slave (2013): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $187,000,000
- 21 Grams (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $60,427,839
- 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $11,798,854
- A Guy Thing (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $17,400,000
- A Most Violent Year (2014): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $12,007,070
The median budget for wide-release science fiction films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind Box Office Performance
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" earned $135,189,114 domestically and $306,889,114 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $20,000,000, the film performed strongly at the box office.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," that break-even threshold was roughly $40,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $306,889,114, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $20,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $306,889,114
- Net Return: $286,889,114
- ROI: approximately 1434.4%
At 1434.4%, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" earned roughly $15.34 for every $1 invested in production.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind Production History
Principal photography began on May 16, 1976, though an Associated Press report in August 1975 had suggested filming would start in late 1975. Spielberg did not want to do any location shooting because of his negative experience on Jaws and wanted to shoot Close Encounters entirely on sound stages, but eventually dropped the idea. The hangars in Alabama were six times larger than the biggest sound stage in the world.
Image frame|width=300|content={bes' c'' aes' aes ees'2}|caption=Five-note tonal phrase featured in the storyFile:Recontres du troisième type.ogg The film score was composed, conducted, and produced by John Williams, who had previously worked on Spielberg's Jaws, and performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony. Williams included the ominous two note phrase of the Jaws theme delivered by the mothership. Williams wrote more than 300 examples of the iconic five-tone motif, to be used by scientists to communicate with the visiting spaceship as a mathematical language, before Spielberg chose the one incorporated into the film's signature theme.
Awards and Recognition
Won 1 Oscar. 16 wins & 40 nominations total
- Academy Award for Best Cinematography: Vilmos Zsigmond (50th Academy Awards)
- Saturn Award for Best Director
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
Critical Reception
Jonathan Rosenbaum refers to the film as "the best expression of Spielberg's benign, dreamy-eyed vision". A.D. Murphy of Variety magazine gave a positive review but wrote that Close Encounters "lacks the warmth and humanity" of George Lucas's Star Wars. Murphy found most of the film slow-paced, but praised the climax. On Sneak Previews, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert highly recommended the film.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)?
The production budget was $20,000,000, covering principal photography, visual effects, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $10,000,000 - $16,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $30,000,000 - $36,000,000.
How much did Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) earn at the box office?
Close Encounters of the Third Kind grossed $135,189,114 domestic, $171,700,000 international, totaling $306,889,114 worldwide.
Was Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $20,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$50,000,000, the film earned $306,889,114 theatrically - a 1434% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Close Encounters of the Third Kind?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Teri Garr); visual effects pipelines, virtual production technology, and speculative world-building; international production across United Kingdom, United States of America.
How does Close Encounters of the Third Kind's budget compare to similar science fiction films?
At $20,000,000, Close Encounters of the Third Kind is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release science fiction films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 12 Years a Slave (2013, $20,000,000); 21 Grams (2003, $20,000,000); 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994, $20,000,000).
Did Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) go over budget?
There are no widely reported accounts of significant budget overruns for this production. However, studios rarely disclose precise budget overrun figures publicly. The reported production budget reflects the final estimated cost.
What was the return on investment (ROI) for Close Encounters of the Third Kind?
The theatrical ROI was 1434.4%, calculated as ($306,889,114 − $20,000,000) ÷ $20,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) win?
Won 1 Oscar. 16 wins & 40 nominations total.
Who directed Close Encounters of the Third Kind and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Steven Spielberg, shot by Vilmos Zsigmond, with music by John Williams, edited by Michael Kahn.
Where was Close Encounters of the Third Kind filmed?
Close Encounters of the Third Kind was filmed in United Kingdom, United States of America. Principal photography began on May 16, 1976, though an Associated Press report in August 1975 had suggested filming would start in late 1975. Spielberg did not want to do any location shooting because of his negative experience on Jaws and wanted to shoot Close Encounters entirely on sound stages, but eventually dropped the idea. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
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Close Encounters of the Third Kind
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