Silenced Budget
Updated
Synopsis
Based on actual events that took place at Gwangju Inhwa School for the hearing-impaired, where young deaf students were the victims of repeated sexual assaults by faculty members over a period of five years in the early 2000s.
What is the budget of Silenced?
"Silenced," a drama released in 2011, was directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk and stars Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi. The production budget was $2,200,000, placing it in the micro-budget range for drama productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a drama production like this include:
- Above-the-Line Talent: Drama films live or die on the strength of their performances.
- Location Filming & Period Production Design: Authentic locations , whether contemporary or historical , require scouting, permits, travel, lodging, and often significant dressing to match the story's time period.
- Post-Production, Color Grading & Score: The editorial process for dramas is typically longer than genre films, with careful attention to pacing and tone.
What were the major cost factors in Silenced?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Silenced."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
How Does Silenced's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $2,200,000, Silenced sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- A Clockwork Orange (1971): Budget $2,200,000, Worldwide Gross $27,033,812
- Paskal (2018): Budget $2,200,000, Worldwide Gross $6,748,935
- Minnal Murali (2021): Budget $2,111,711
- The Best Years of Our Lives (1946): Budget $2,100,000, Worldwide Gross $23,650,000
- The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989): Budget $2,300,000, Worldwide Gross $7,724,701
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Silenced Box Office Performance
"Silenced" earned $31,500,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $2,200,000, 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 "Silenced," that break-even threshold was roughly $4,400,000. With worldwide earnings of $31,500,000, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $2,200,000
- Worldwide Gross: $31,500,000
- Net Return: $29,300,000
- ROI: approximately 1331.8%
At 1331.8%, "Silenced" earned roughly $14.32 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
5 wins & 14 nominations total
Critical Reception
In Korea, the film ranked No. 1 for three consecutive weeks and grossed in its first week of release and grossed a total of after ten weeks of screening. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has a 100% rating based on 5 reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Silenced (2011)?
The production budget was $2,200,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $1,100,000 - $1,760,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $3,300,000 - $3,960,000.
How much did Silenced (2011) earn at the box office?
Silenced grossed $31,500,000 worldwide.
Was Silenced (2011) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $2,200,000 and estimated total costs of ~$5,500,000, the film earned $31,500,000 theatrically - a 1332% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Silenced?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Kim Hyeon-soo); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Silenced's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $2,200,000, Silenced is classified as a micro-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: A Clockwork Orange (1971, $2,200,000); Paskal (2018, $2,200,000); Minnal Murali (2021, $2,111,711).
Did Silenced (2011) 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 Silenced?
The theatrical ROI was 1331.8%, calculated as ($31,500,000 − $2,200,000) ÷ $2,200,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Silenced (2011) win?
5 wins & 14 nominations total.
Who directed Silenced and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, written by Hwang Dong-hyuk, shot by Kim Ji-yong, with music by Mowg, edited by Hahm Sung-won.
Where was Silenced filmed?
Silenced was filmed in South Korea. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Silenced
Official Trailer
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