Here’s What Goes Into a $1,339,558 Web Series [INFOGRAPHIC]

In addition to releasing the first episode of the second season of Video Game High School, Freddie Wong has given fans another interesting treat. He has created an infographic that breaks down the season’s total cost and explains where exactly all that money went.

The infographic is almost identical to the one Wong created after completing the first season of the series. The main difference is the budget itself; while season one cost more than $636,000 to make, season two comes in at a whopping $1,339,558, more than twice as much. More than $800,000 came from VGHSrecord-breaking Kickstarter campaign, but a brand deal with Dodge, a partnership with The Collective and considerations from YouTube also contributed to the budget.

So where did that money go? Season two is only 50% longer than season one, so it’s not just a matter of scale. Instead, the reduced set and vehicle budgets (thanks to the sponsorship deals) allowed Wong to sink more money into his cast, art department, and post-production team. In particular, the art department’s budget jumped from $42,612 to $235,836. Judging by the first episode

, the jump in special effects quality was a noticeable one.

Subscribe to get the latest creator news

Subscribe

“As we feel a strong obligation to our incredibly supportive fanbase, we have broken down all our costs below,” said Wong in a post accompanying the infographic, “We hope it is informative to those of you who donated, as well as enlightening to any current or future filmmakers looking to have a better understanding of filmmaking in this digital age and the costs associated with it.”

Of course, the most interesting part of the infographic is the part where Wong compares the per hour budget of his web series, one of the most expensive in web history, compared to TV sitcoms, House of Cards, and Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, all of which dwarf it. I guess season three will need to have eight times as many explosions if Wong truly wants to turn his project into a TV-sized experience.

Share
Published by
Sam Gutelle

Recent Posts

Top 5 Branded Videos of the Week: MrBeast and the Mouse

'Tis the season for festive holiday beverages, and some of YouTube's biggest channels are raising…

13 hours ago

As YouTube airs Eurovision, TikTok brings back in-house music contest

What do you get when you combine the Eurovision Song Contest, American Idol, and the…

21 hours ago

What happens when a content creator sponsors a NCAA team–and becomes its official media partner? Cullen Honohan is ready to find out.

As the digital content and sports worlds grow more and more entangled, a rare but…

21 hours ago

Creators rely on brand deals, but worry about the “tension” between sponsors and viewers–and just 15% say they fully trust sponsored content from other creators

CreatorIQ's latest State of Creators report puts creators' relationships with branded content in a stark…

2 days ago

Have you heard? Kurzgesagt is not AI, John Nellis goes dancing, and Baby Shark’s K-pop idol.

Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends,…

4 days ago

As social media lawsuits move forward, is Section 230 facing an existential threat?

In 2026, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 is celebrating its 30th birthday. At…

4 days ago