The Florida Project Budget
Drama1h 52mUpdated
Synopsis
The story of a precocious six year-old and her ragtag group of friends whose summer break is filled with childhood wonder, possibility and a sense of adventure while the adults around them struggle with hard times.
What is the budget of The Florida Project?
"The Florida Project," a drama released in 2017, was directed by Sean Baker and stars Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite. The production budget was $2,000,000, 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 The Florida Project?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "The Florida Project."
- 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 The Florida Project's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $2,000,000, The Florida Project sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Seven Samurai (1954): Budget $2,000,000, Worldwide Gross $105,000,000
- The Great Dictator (1940): Budget $2,000,000, Worldwide Gross $11,000,000
- Sing Sing (2024): Budget $2,000,000, Worldwide Gross $3,401,789
- The Lives of Others (2006): Budget $2,000,000, Worldwide Gross $77,672,685
- Anatomy of a Murder (1959): Budget $2,000,000, Worldwide Gross $8,000,000
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
The Florida Project Box Office Performance
"The Florida Project" earned $5,904,366 domestically and $11,303,040 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $2,000,000, 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 "The Florida Project," that break-even threshold was roughly $4,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $11,303,040, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $2,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $11,303,040
- Net Return: $9,303,040
- ROI: approximately 465.2%
At 465.2%, "The Florida Project" earned roughly $5.65 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 68 wins & 134 nominations total
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make The Florida Project (2017)?
The production budget was $2,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $1,000,000 - $1,600,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $3,000,000 - $3,600,000.
How much did The Florida Project (2017) earn at the box office?
The Florida Project grossed $5,904,366 domestic, $5,398,674 international, totaling $11,303,040 worldwide.
Was The Florida Project (2017) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $2,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$5,000,000, the film earned $11,303,040 theatrically - a 465% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing The Florida Project?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, Willem Dafoe); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does The Florida Project's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $2,000,000, The Florida Project 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: Seven Samurai (1954, $2,000,000); The Great Dictator (1940, $2,000,000); Sing Sing (2024, $2,000,000).
Did The Florida Project (2017) 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 The Florida Project?
The theatrical ROI was 465.2%, calculated as ($11,303,040 − $2,000,000) ÷ $2,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did The Florida Project (2017) win?
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 68 wins & 134 nominations total.
Who directed The Florida Project and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Sean Baker, written by Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch, shot by Alexis Zabé, with music by Lorne Balfe, edited by Sean Baker.
Where was The Florida Project filmed?
The Florida Project was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
The Florida Project
Official Trailer
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