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Threads Budget

1985NC-17WarDramaScience Fiction1h 57m

Updated

Budget
$420,000

Synopsis

Documentary style account of a nuclear holocaust and its effect on the working class city of Sheffield, England; and the eventual long run effects of nuclear war on civilization.

What is the budget of Threads?

"Threads," a war released in 1985, was directed by Mick Jackson and stars Karen Meagher, Reece Dinsdale. The production budget was $420,000, placing it in the micro-budget range for war productions of the 1980s.

Key Budget Allocation Categories

While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a war 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 Threads?

Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Threads."

  • Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in war productions of this scale.
  • Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in war productions of this scale.
  • Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in war productions of this scale.

How Does Threads's Budget Compare to Similar Films?

At $420,000, Threads sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:

  • Cries and Whispers (1972): Budget $400,000
  • Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975): Budget $400,000, Worldwide Gross $5,763,644
  • Napoleon Dynamite (2004): Budget $400,000, Worldwide Gross $46,118,097
  • 12 Angry Men (1957): Budget $397,751, Worldwide Gross $4,360,000
  • A Matter of Life and Death (1946): Budget $450,000, Worldwide Gross $1,750,000

The median budget for wide-release war films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.

Awards and Recognition

Won 4 BAFTA 4 wins & 4 nominations total

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did it cost to make Threads (1985)?

The production budget was $420,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $210,000 - $336,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $630,000 - $756,000.

How much did Threads (1985) earn at the box office?

Box office figures are not publicly available.

Was Threads (1985) profitable?

Insufficient data for a profitability assessment.

What were the biggest costs in producing Threads?

The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Karen Meagher, Reece Dinsdale, David Brierly); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across Australia, United Kingdom.

How does Threads's budget compare to similar war films?

At $420,000, Threads is classified as a ultra-low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release war films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Cries and Whispers (1972, $400,000); Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975, $400,000); Napoleon Dynamite (2004, $400,000).

Did Threads (1985) 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 awards did Threads (1985) win?

Won 4 BAFTA 4 wins & 4 nominations total.

Who directed Threads and who were the key crew members?

Directed by Mick Jackson, written by Barry Hines, shot by Andrew Dunn, Paul Morris, edited by Donna Bickerstaff, Jim Latham.

Where was Threads filmed?

Threads was filmed in Australia, United Kingdom. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Filmmakers

Threads

Producers
Mick Jackson
Production Companies
Western-World Television Inc., BBC, Nine Network Australia
Director
Mick Jackson
Writers
Barry Hines
Key Cast
Karen Meagher, Reece Dinsdale, David Brierly, Rita May, Nicholas Lane, Jane Hazlegrove
Cinematographer
Paul Morris, Andrew Dunn

Official Trailer

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