Shorts Budget
FamilyFantasyComedyAdventureScience Fiction1h 29mUpdated
Synopsis
"Shorts" (2009) is a family-friendly adventure that weaves together a series of whimsical tales centered around a magical rock that grants wishes. Set in the fictional town of Black Falls, the film follows a group of children who discover the rock and experience the chaos that ensues when their wishes come true. Each child's wish leads to unexpected and often humorous consequences, showcasing the importance of friendship, imagination, and the lessons learned from getting what you wish for. As the kids navigate their newfound powers, they must also confront the greedy adults in their lives who seek to exploit the rock's magic for their own gain. Ultimately, "Shorts" delivers a heartwarming message about the value of honesty and the true meaning of happiness.
What is the budget of Shorts?
"Shorts," a family released in 2009, was directed by Robert Rodriguez and stars Jimmy Bennett, Jake Short. The production budget was $40,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for family productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a family production like this include:
- Talent Salaries & Producing Deals: Established comedic talent can command $15 to 20 million per film, with top-tier stars earning even more through producing credits and backend deals.
- Production & Location Filming: While comedies generally avoid the VFX costs of action films, location shooting in recognizable cities or exotic locales adds meaningful production expense.
- Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising): Comedies rely heavily on marketing to build opening-weekend momentum.
- Production: On January 11, 2008, it was announced that Robert Rodriguez would direct, produce and write a 2009 American and Emirati
What were the major cost factors in Shorts?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Shorts."
- Talent Salaries: Talent Salaries & Producing Deals is one of the primary cost drivers in family productions of this scale.
- Production: Production & Location Filming is one of the primary cost drivers in family productions of this scale.
- Marketing: Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising) is one of the primary cost drivers in family productions of this scale.
How Does Shorts's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $40,000,000, Shorts sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 42 (2013): Budget $40,000,000, Worldwide Gross $95,020,213
- A Few Good Men (1992): Budget $40,000,000, Worldwide Gross $243,240,178
- Big Trouble (2002): Budget $40,000,000, Worldwide Gross $8,493,890
- Boomerang (1992): Budget $40,000,000, Worldwide Gross $131,052,444
- Fifty Shades of Grey (2015): Budget $40,000,000, Worldwide Gross $569,651,467
The median budget for wide-release family films in the 2000s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Shorts Box Office Performance
"Shorts" earned $20,919,166 domestically and $29,000,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $40,000,000, the film faced challenges in theatrical release. Home video, streaming, and ancillary revenue may have contributed to its overall performance.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Shorts," that break-even threshold was roughly $80,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $29,000,000, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $40,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $29,000,000
- Net Return: −$11,000,000
- ROI: approximately -27.5%
At -27.5%, "Shorts" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Shorts Production History
George Oldziey, Robert Rodriguez and Carl Thiel scored the music for the film on its soundtrack and the film's soundtrack contains "Spy Ballet" performed by Robert Rodriguez and "Summer Never Ends" performed by Jimmy Bennett. The soundtrack was released in 2009 by Warner Bros. Records.
Awards and Recognition
2 wins & 1 nomination total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Shorts (2009)?
The production budget was $40,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $20,000,000 - $32,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $60,000,000 - $72,000,000.
How much did Shorts (2009) earn at the box office?
Shorts grossed $20,919,166 domestic, $8,080,834 international, totaling $29,000,000 worldwide.
Was Shorts (2009) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $29,000,000 against an estimated $100,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Shorts?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Jimmy Bennett, Jake Short, Kat Dennings); star comedian salaries, location filming, and aggressive marketing campaigns; international production across United Arab Emirates, United States of America.
How does Shorts's budget compare to similar family films?
At $40,000,000, Shorts is classified as a mid-budget production. The median budget for wide-release family films in the 2000s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 42 (2013, $40,000,000); A Few Good Men (1992, $40,000,000); Big Trouble (2002, $40,000,000).
Did Shorts (2009) 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 Shorts?
The theatrical ROI was -27.5%, calculated as ($29,000,000 − $40,000,000) ÷ $40,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Shorts (2009) win?
2 wins & 1 nomination total.
Who directed Shorts and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Robert Rodriguez, written by Robert Rodriguez, Álvaro Rodríguez, shot by Robert Rodriguez, with music by Carl Thiel, George Oldziey, edited by Ethan Maniquis, Robert Rodriguez.
Where was Shorts filmed?
Shorts was filmed in United Arab Emirates, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Shorts
Official Trailer
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