NewsCorp/Fox

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Adam Kloos Jr

by Adam Kloos

News Corporation

Fox Broadcasting Station

[1][2]

Contact Information [3]:

1211 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY, 10036 United States

(212)-852-7000

http://www.newscorp.com

Key Executives [6]:

Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO

[7]

Rupert Murdoch is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of News Corporation. He is very active within the company and continues to expand into new media outlets.

Jose Maria Anzar, President

[9]

Jose Maria Aznar is the president of News Corporation and former Prime Minister of Spain.

HRTS Kicks Off With "A Conversation With.. Chase Carey"

Chase Carey, President and COO

[10]

Chase Carey is the President and Chief Operating Officer of News Corporation.

Natalie Bancroft, Director

[11]

Natalie Bancroft is the Director of Newscorp. She is part of the Bancroft family that used to own the Dow Jones Media [5].

Gaude Lydia Paez, Vice President of Corporate Communications

[12]

Gaude Lydia Paez is the Vice President of Corporate Communications at FOX Broadcasting Company.

Overview:

News Corporation is a corporation made up of a large number of various media businesses. News Corporation has assets in film, magazine, newspapers, direct satellite television, news, cable broadcasting, cable programming, television programming and broadcast, as well as sports teams and social media [4]. The media conglomerate was created and is currently under control of Rupert Murdoch, who according to Forbes is the 26th most powerful person in the world and the 91st richest[5]. News Corporation currently operates on 5 continents that include North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia [8]. Their main competitors include CBS, NBC/Comcast, and Disney. The FOX Broadcasting Company was launched in 1986 as a fourth broadcast station that has been largely successful in competing with the Big Three. It owns 27 different stations in the US and many more internationally. Throughout the early 2000s until 2012 FOX was the number one watched station by young adults, 18-49 [13].

History:

The history of News Corporation stretches back to 1952, when Rupert Murdoch inherited ‘The Adelaide News,’ a newspaper company his father owned. After returning from school to run the company, Murdoch greatly improved its profits. From there he acquired a number of other newspapers throughout Australia and New Zealand before eventually moving to the British market in the mid-60s. In 1973 he turned his attention to the US where he began buying up American newspaper publishers. In 1980 he announced the creation of News Corporation as a global holding company [4].

In 1985, News Corporation acquired 50% of TCF Holdings which was the parent company of 20th Century Fox. In 1986, 20th Century Fox launched FOX, an alternative to the already existing broadcast stations ABC, CBS, and NBC [14]. In the early 90s, FOX signed a contract with the NFL, giving them the rights to broadcast NFL games on Sundays. Today FOX continues to be the preferred station of youner adults with popular shows such as The Simpsons, American Idol, Glee, Family Guy, Bones, and The X Factor [15].

What They Are Doing Presently?

In 2011, News Corporation was caught in a huge phone-hacking scandal that involved the family of a murdered British school girl by News of the World. There were also accusations of phone-hackings of the London subway bombing victims, families of deceased British soldiers, and an FBI investigation of possible phone-hackings of 9/11 victims. As a result of this, Rupert Murdoch shut down publication of the magazine, News of the World in England and 12 people were arrested. This scandal also caused the company to withdraw a $12 billion bid for shares of British Sky Broadcasting [16]. The arrests and investigation continued into late 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIZNXZVNk74

Apart from the scandal, News Corporation announced in 2012 that they plan to split into two publicly traded holding companies. One division would take care of all film and television assets including 20th Century Fox film studio, Fox Broadcasting Company, and Fox News. The other would have control over the company’s publishing division that includes The Times of London, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Post. Rupert Murdoch would remain chairman of both companies while Chase Carey would remain Chief Operating Officer of the entertainment and media company [17].

What Are Their Plans For The Future?:

Disney and News Corp. are currently in negotiations over the video streaming service Hulu. Jason Kilar, the current CEO of Hulu is planning to leave his postion, and the interim CEO for now is senior vice-president Andy Forssell. Once News Corp. and Disney finalize their negotiations, a permanent CEO will be named to take over Hulu. There has been recent talk of both Disney and News Corp. planning to buy out each others stake in the company. Both companies admitted that Hulu was losing money due to the high costs of liscensing television shows and computer servers [18].

Fox Broadcasting Company is looking forward to “Fox Now,” a collection of apps for mobile devices. These apps allow audiences to view their favorite FOX shows and allow viewers to be more interactive with the content. “T-Commerce” is part of the “Fox Now” app that enables viewers to shop online while watching the show New Girl. The items from the show such as clothing and other paraphenelia would be available to audiences in real time [13].

Programming:

American Idol, 2002-present

[19]

American Idol has been a long running success on the Fox network. It first aired in 2002 and had been the number one watched show for eight consecutive seasons through 2011. The show is very interactive with the audience because the millions of viewers get to decide which contestants get to move on to the next round each week, before eventually choosing the winner [20].

The SImpsons, 1989-present

[21]

The Simpsons is the longest running prime-time animated comedy series in the history of television. Created by Matt Groening in 1989, it is currently in its 24th season. The show focuses on the lives of a dysfunctional lower class family in Springfield. The show is typically family friendly [22].

Family Guy, 1999-present

[23]

Family Guy was created by Seth McFarlanein 1999. Family Guy has remained a hit on Fox since that time and gained an undeniable cult following. Also focusing on the lives of a dysfuncitonal working class family, this show contains content for more mature audiences with it’s slapstick and often raunchy humor. The show is currently in its 11th season [22].

Financials:

By the end of 2012, News Corporation had assets that equaled out to $63 billion and saw a revenue of $34 billion, the highest it had ever been. This was up from 2011 by about $500 million. The increase in revenue can be attributed to its deals with Netflix and Amazon.com for its sitcoms and films [6]. Currently a share of News Corporation is $30.68 [24]. This is improved from exactly one year ago when a share was going for $23.18. Stockholders have been pleased with the strong growth over the past few years, especially the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

Works Cited

1. http://www.logok.org

2. http://www.zenithotimedia.blogspot.com

3. http://www.hoover.com

4. http://www.corporatewatch.org

5. http://www.forbes.com

6. http://www.newscorp.com

7. http://www.guardian.co.uk

8. http://www.nndb.com

9. http://www.en.mediamass.net

10. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com

11. http://www.nymag.com

12. http://www.foxflash.com

13. http://www.thefutoncritic.com

14. http://www.thehistoryofcorporate.com

15. http://www.fox.com

16. http://www.poynter.org

17. http://www.money.cnn.com

18. http://www.news.yahoo.com

19. http://www.roniloren.com

20. http://www.tvguide.com

21. http://www.collegiatetimes.com

22. http://www.imdb.com

23. http://www.tv.com

24. http://www.wsj.com

DreamWorks Animation

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Alexander Benis

by Alex Benis

DreamWorks Animation SKG

Location

1000 Flower Street, Glendale, California 91201

(818) 695-5000 ; www.dreamworksanimation.com

Key Executives

Jeffrey Katzenberg (Chief Executive Officer/Director/Co-Founder) [pictured below]

Lew Coleman (President/Chief Financial Officer)
Ann Daly (Chief Operating Officer)
Anne Globe (Chief Marketing Officer)
Heather O’Connor (Chief Accounting Officer)
Michael R. Francis (Chief Global Brand Officer)
Andrew Chang (General Counsel/Corporate Secretary)
Rich Sullivan (Deputy Chief Financial Officer)

About

DreamWorks Animation SKG is an animation studio located in Glendale, California that produces animated films, television series and live entertainment for audiences worldwide. With a staff totaling more than 2,100 employees facilitating production, DreamWorks creates and distributes on average roughly three feature-length films for theatrical release in addition to many other smaller-scale projects. Boasting the rank of being the fourteenth best place to work according to Fortune Magazine, the animation studio is the one of the most versatile in the world and is the birthplace of stories that wrestle with the imagination.

Historical Background

DreamWorks SKG was jointly founded on October 12, 1994 by the triumvirate made up of: director & producer Steven Spielberg, music executive David Geffen and former Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg. With its formation, artists from Spielberg’s previous unsuccessful animation studio, Amblimation, were attracted for employment. In 1995, the young animation studio signed a co-production deal with Pacific Data Images, forming the subsidiary PDI, LLC which split the ownership 60/40 favoring PDI. The new business partition would go on produce its first-ever feature film: Antz. In 1997, DreamWorks partnered with British stop-animation studio Aardman Animation to co-produce Chicken Run. At the turn of the century, DreamWorks SKG created the business division DreamWorks Animation and halted the use of hand-drawn animation following the production of Shrek (which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film). In 2004, the studio became the first to produce two computer-generated animated feature films in a single year with the theatrical release of Shrek 2 and Shark Tale. The same year, DreamWorks Animation was further divided into DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. managed by Katzenberg under the terms that 12 new films be distributed by the end of 2010’s fiscal fourth quarter.

Financials

For 2012, the animation studio raked in an impressive $749.8 million – topping its previous year’s revenue by $42 million dollars which can be credited to the release of Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. Additionally, DreamWorks ended 2012 with $82.7 million in revenue with their total assets reaching $1.945 billion and a total equity of $1.346 million. Their fiscal fourth quarter results are as follows:

From June to September, DreamWorks increased their annual revenue from $162.8 million to $186.3 million. Following the month of October, profitability increased much more rapidly – with the most likely cause being related to the marketing of their newest movie at the time: Rise of the Guardians. By December 31st, the studio’s revenue stream for the quarter was capped off at $264.66 million, slightly over a third of their annual earnings. Overall, DreamWorks incurred a $36.4 million loss over the course of the entire year in comparison to their overall revenue of the previous year.

In The News

Dreamworks’ fourth quarter holiday release, Rise of the Guardians, proved successful at the box office: being largely responsible for just over one-third of the animation studio’s overall revenue for that year. Centering around an evil spirit named Pitch, the character archetypes of imagination (The Sandman, The Tooth Fairy, Santa Clause, etc.) are given no choice but to join forces in order to defeat a looming enemy that threatens childrens’ beliefs. Starring heavyweights Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman and Jude Law, the film was described by one critic as being “one for the kids, [but] fun enough to put a smile on parents’ faces.” Domestically, Rise of the Guardians grossed $103 million, which was surprisingly only 34% of its $303.5 million worldwide gross. In the weeks that followed its release, the film was rewarded with a 74% fresh tomato overall.

Released just last week on March 22, DreamWorks Animations’ The Croods grossed a total $72.8 million its opening weekend. When a prehistoric family’s home is destroyed, they are forced to embark on a journey across an unfamiliar land in search of a new home. Written-and-directed by Chris Sanders (Lilo and Stitch, The Lion King) and Kirk de Micco, the feature film boasts a talented cast starring Nicholas Cage, Emma Stone and actor Clark Duke, who is best-known from roles in the ABC series GREEK and the acclaimed superhero movie Kick-Ass. The film is currently the highest-grossing film at the box office – concluding the weekend at $43.6 million. The Croods also holds a 67% fresh rating on rottentomatoes.com and a 7.5/10 on imdb.com. After just two weeks at the box office, Dreamworks first animated feature film of 2013 has grossed $227 million in total and is currently the number one ranked movie worldwide. So far, The Croods is in position to exceed studio’s 2012 revenue profitability – with two other feature-length theatrical releases later this year.

Upcoming Animations

July 19, 2013: Turbo

Following the story of a snail who gains superior speed after a freak-accident, Turbo aspires to escape his slow-paced world to compete in the Indy500. Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamotti and Ken Jeong are all attached to the project set to be the studio’s primary summer release.

November 1, 2013: Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Mr. Peabody & Sherman is DreamWorks’ adaptation of the well-known Rocky and Bullwinkle side-cartoon about an exceptionally smart dog who owns a human as a pet. When they travel back in time, they are tested when they realize they could potentially unravel the fabric of their universe. The feature film is set to be directed by Rob Minkoff (The Lion King) and will star Ty Burrel (Modern Family) and Max Charles (The Amazing Spiderman) voicing Mr. Peabody and Sherman, respectively.

March 14, 2014: Me and My Shadow

Lesser-known than DreamWorks’ two previously-mentioned feature films, Me and My Shadow follows the story of a seemingly boring man’s shadow that craves for a more exciting lifestyle.

Other Projects Currently In Production

June 20, 2014: How To Train Your Dragon 2

November 26, 2014: Happy Smekday!

March 27, 2015: The Penguins of Madagascar

June 5, 2015: Trolls (working title)

November 6, 2015: B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations

[Seth Rogan supposedly attached]

December 19, 2015: Mumbai Musical (working title)

[Kevin Lima (Tarzan, Enchanted) will be directing with music composed by A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)]

March 18, 2016: Kung Fu Panda 3

June 18, 2016: How To Train Your Dragon 3

Sources

[1] http://dreamworksanimation.com

[2] http://ycharts.com/companies/DWA/revenues

[3] http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=dwa

[4] http://ir.dreamworksanimation.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=743403

[5] http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/best-companies/2012/snapshots/14.html

[6] http://screenrant.com/dreamworks-animation-lineup-2013-2016/all/1/

[7] http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the-croods/

[8] http://www.imdb.com

[9] http://boxofficemojo.com

Warner Bros. Pictures

Posted on March 31, 2013 by Jacob Fleischman

by Jacob Everest Fleischman

Warner Bros. Pictures

Courtesy of thefilmstage.com

Warner Bros Pictures has produced and distributed thousands of titles since 1923 when it was founded by Albert, Sam, Harry and Jack Warner. WB is responsible for many iconic moments and accomplishments in the entertainment industry. To start, they are responsible for the first film with sound, The Jazz Singer. Following this Warner Bros had decades of success, even producing up to 40 movies a year during the 1940s. Jumping forward to the 1990s, Time Inc. and Warner Bros intertwined and became Time Warner, one of the powerhouses of todays entertainment industry. Warner Bros Pictures, as a subsidiary of Time Warner, produces between 18 and 22 movies a year and currently grosses over $4 billion a year. That brings us to our current place in time, post “The Dark Knight” and “Harry Potter” era, when Warner Bros Pictures was in charge of two of the most successful movie series of all time. [1] [2]

Conglomerate: Time Warner Inc.

Courtesy of financial-report.info

Parent Company: Warner Bros. Entertainment

CEO: Kevin Tsujihara

Chairman of the Board: Barry Meyer

Warner Bros Pictures Officers

President: Jeff Robinov

Courtesy of http://www.aceshowbiz.com/

Mr. Robinov is in charge of it all. He oversees actual filming and production, distribution and the post-production. All of the other presidents report to him and he has the final say before it is passed to the Warner Bros Entertainment CEO Kevin Tsujihara and Chairman of the Board Barry Meyer. [3]

President, Domestic Distribution- Dan Fellman

Courtesy of http://ia.media-imdb.com/

Mr. Fellman has been in his position at Warner Bros Pictures since 1999 and worked there for 21 years before that. Fellman is widely known for his success with movies such as The Dark Knight, Superman Returns, The Hangover and The Blind Side. Among these, he has produced 57 movies that have grossed over $100 million. [4]

President, Worldwide Marketing- Sue Kroll

Courtesy of Variety.com

Ms. Kroll has been in her position since 2008. She oversees all marketing worldwide, both creative and business aspects of the job. She is in-charge of advertising, research, finding target audiences and bringing attention to the film. She most famously ran the marketing division for The Dark Knight which grossed over $1 billion worldwide. [5]

Most Recent Time Warner Inc. Quarterly Report

In Time Warner’s final quarterly report of 2012, it explains Warner Bros Pictures grossed $4.3 billion worldwide; this was predominantly led by The Dark Knight Rises and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Warner Bros Pictures also received two Golden Globes this year, which included Best Motion Picture- Drama for Argo. Along with the Golden Globe achievements, Warner Bros. Picture’s movies were nominated for 10 Academy Awards this year. [6]

Courtesy of imdb.com

“Right Here, Right Now” Semester News From the Studio

New Commander-in-Chief

Courtesy of www.trbimg.com/

The biggest thing to happen during this Spring to affect Warner Bros. Pictures actually was not a change made in the company. Warner Bros Entertainment, WB Pictures parent company, appointed a new CEO. Kevin Tsujihara announced he would be taking control of the mega-entertainment company as of March on January 28^th, 2013. [7]

The Hobbit is not really that short!

Courtesy of www.dezineguide.com

It is announced that the first Hobbit movie hit its $1 billion mark and the rest of the trilogy has already been planned out. The final Hobbit Movie will be released in December of 2014, after the second installment of the series is released in December of 2013. Tacking on to the end of the Lord of the Rings series this spin-off proved to be just what the world wanted to see grossing $301.4 domestically and over $700 million internationally to date. [8]

The man with the Billion Dollar Brain is Preparing for his Next Epic

Courtesy of http://www.comicbookmovie.com/

On March 8^th, Warner Bros Pictures and Paramount announced that together they would co-produce and distribute, Academy Award nominee and billion-dollar movie maker Christopher Nolan’s next film. The Film, titled “Interstellar”, is sci-fi and will entail Nolan’s customary heroic story line. The fact that these two powerhouse studios are teaming up to produce and distribute this film together is extremely rare because the two do not normally work together on major releases. [9]

“RUN ITS GODZILLA”

Courtesy of www.badassoftheweek.com

While not much has been released yet, it is now public knowledge that a new Godzilla is in the works and will be released and distributed in 3D by Warner Bros. on May 16^th, 2014. The film has Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen and Juliette Binoche starring in the film. [10]

Recent Marketing

Courtesy of themovieblog.com/

Warner Bros Pictures is currently ramping up for a very busy spring and early summer with summer blockbusters that many people are looking forward to and could possibly define a top box office summer. Starting in early April we see the true life story of Jackie Robinson in 42 and following this we see our first summer blockbuster the re-make of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless classic The Great Gatsby. Then directly following this, just two weeks later we see the next installment of our favorite party-crazed drunks in The Hangover 3. Finally, most likely the most anticipated superhero movie of the summer, Man of Steel, the next Superman movie is released in June.

See the Man of Steel trailer here

Most Recently Warner Bros Pictures shined as a main attraction at WonderCon

With the upcoming release of Pacific Rim, Warner Bros decided to use this time with a huge collection of its target audience (at WonderCon) to debut a clip from the scene and hear from director, Guillermo del Toro. The scene creates enough suspense and confusion to make every nerd and non-nerd alike in the room anxious to run to the theaters on its opening weekend (July 12, 2013) to see the film. [11]

This has been a very busy late-winter and spring for Warner Bros Pictures with a number of huge films debuting at the beginning of this summer and a lot of films released during this time period. With all this in mind, it makes sense that there are so many presidents under Jeff Robinov to break up all of the executive work that keeps this studio at the top of its game.

Sources:

[1] Warner Bros. History http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/about/company-history.html

[2] Warner Bros. Overview http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/about/company-overview.html

[3] Jeff Robinov Bio http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/executives/operation-officers/jeff-robinov.html

[4] Dan Fellman Bio http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/executives/divisional-executives/dan-fellman.html

[5] Sue Kroll Bio http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/executives/divisional-executives/sue-kroll.html

[6] Time Warner Quarterly Report http://ir.timewarner.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=70972&p=quarterlyearnings

[7] Kevin Tsujihara Bio http://www.warnerbros.com/studio/executives/kevin-tsujihara.html

[8] The Hobbit Press Release http://www2.warnerbros.com/web/corpcomm/portal/press_release.jsp?id=WBPTheHobbitAnUnexpectedJourney1BillionDollarRev_03.03.13

[9] Christopher Nolan New Movie http://www2.warnerbros.com/web/corpcomm/portal/press_release.jsp?id=WBPInterstellarNov7ReleaseDate_03.08.13

[10] Godzilla Press Release http://www2.warnerbros.com/web/corpcomm/portal/press_release.jsp?id=WBPLegendaryPicturesGodzillaStartofProduction_03.18.13

[11] Pacific Rim Publicity http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/wondercon-pacific-rim-mortal-instruments-431926

20th Century Fox

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Bria Holness

by Bria Holness

Photo courtesy of fanpop.com

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp

10201 West Pico Boulevard,

Los Angeles, California 90035

www.foxmovies.com

A Brief History

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, also known as 20th Century Fox, was established on May 31, 1935 when the founders of Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures decided to merge into one. It is now one of the major American film studios that produces, acquires, and distributes motion pictures. Based in Los Angeles, California, it operates as a subsidiary of Fox Entertainment Group Inc. and is responsible for some of the top grossing movies, including Avatar and Titanic. [1] [2]

Quick Financials

During the first quarter, which encompasses the months of January, February, and March, 20th Century Fox brought in a gross income of $256.9 million, a 13.7% decrease in comparison to the first quarter of 2012; however, this is also an 123.7% increase in comparison to 2011. [19]

Key Executives

Keith Rupert Murdoch

Photo courtesy of biography.com

Murdoch is the founder of News Corporation, in which 20th Century Fox is a subsidiary of, and has been its Chairman since 1991. Since 1992, Murdoch has been the Chairman of Fox Entertainment Group Inc. and its Chief Executive Officer since 1995. He operates as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. [2]

Eduardo Echeverria

Photo courtesy of variety.com

Echeverria is Senior Vice President of Latin America at Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation and has served as so since 2001. [2] Echeverria manages the sales and marketing operations and theatrical distribution for all Fox Filmed Entertainment product in Latin America. [2]

Michael Peikoff

Since July 1, 2007, Peikoff has been Senior Vice President of Licensing and Merchandising of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. His duties include managing internal and external communication for the licensing division and managing retail marketing and licensed promotion initiatives in the U.S. [2]

Robert Marick

Photo courtesy of licensing.biz

As Executive Vice President since July of 2010, Marick manages the global licensing of Fox’s television and film assets across different platforms including television promotions, interactive gaming, literary publishing, themed entertainment, and consumer products. [2]

Ricardo Crespo

Photo courtesy of centralpa.aiga.org

Crespo has served as Senior Vice President of Global Creative at Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation since July 2010. [2] Prior to joining the 20th Century Fox team, Crespo held several leadership positions at Saatchi & Saatchi, Mattel Inc., Bozell Worldwide, and McCANN ERICKSON. [4]

In The News

Broken City

Photo courtesy of radionowindy.com

20th Century Fox Films released its first film of the year, Broken City, starring Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, and Catherine Zeta Jones, on January 18th. The film told the story of a New York City cop, who one night gets involved in a scandalous shooting. He’s stripped of his badge but kept out of jail by the works of New York’s Mayor, who offers him a lump sum of money to investigate his wife. While doing so he finds himself in the middle of a much larger scandal as he realizes that the Mayor isn’t who he seems to be.

During its opening weekend, the film made about $9 million and $4 million the weekend after. With an estimated budget of $55 million, it has made an overall gross of $19,667,601 up to date. It has received mixed reviews ranging from being called a complete mess to being considered an entertaining thriller. Nonetheless, there seems to be a majority consensus—the cast and the numerous twists are great but can only keep the “weak” storyline going but so far, causing it to receive a B- from Entertainment Weekly. [5] [6]

20th Century Fox employed an interesting marketing strategy for the movie. Instead of featuring promotional quotes from legitimate movie critics, they chose to use tweets from the hashtag, #BrokenCity, in which basically anyone could be a critic.

Photo courtesy of cultureblues.com

The studio believed it was a way to be more personable and interactive and to get fans more excited for the upcoming film. However, the tactic raised many questions about the weight of movie critics’ opinions and whether or not they carry the same weight as the opinions of the fans. [7]

Wahlberg also held a special, early screening of the film as a fundraiser for the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation . He offered a chance to win tickets at Celebrities for Charity. [8]

A Good Day to Die Hard

Photo courtesy of movies.wikia.com

20th Century Fox released the fifth movie of the Die Hard franchise, A Good Day to Die Hard, starring Bruce Willis and Jai Courtney, on February 14^th. This is the first of the franchise to not be released during the blockbuster summer months and instead in the cold month of February. [9] The film tells the story of a cop, John McClane, who travels to Moscow to help his unruly son Jack, unaware that Jack is really a CIA agent attempting to stop a nuclear weapons robbery. Despite their differences, they are forced to work together to keep each other and the world safe. [5]

The film was produced for about $92 million. During its opening weekend, it made $24,834,845 domestically and $45,301,894 oversees, giving it the number one spot of films newly released that weekend. [10] However, this is over $70 million less than what the last movie of the Die Hard franchise made in the summer of 2007. With this comparison, it could be considered disappointing. [11]

Very unlike the previous films of the series, the film has been largely slated by various critics. Based on 40 “generally unfavorable” reviews, Metacritic has given the movie a 28 out of 100 and based on 184 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes has given it a score of 4 out of 10. On both sites, several reasons for such low scores have been cited but the majority seems to agree on a muddling plotline with too many holes and twists as the movie’s downfall. [12] [13]

The Croods

Photo courtesy of filmofilia.com

20th Century Fox teamed up with DreamWorks Animation for the first time in the production and release of The Croods, a prehistoric comedy for the family, starring Nicholas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, and Catherine Keener. It officially premiered worldwide on March 22nd and brought in $43,639,736 during its opening weekend. [18]

The film follows the story of a caveman, Crug, who must lead his family across an unstable and dangerous landscape after an earthquake destroys their home. While doing so they come across a nomad who charms everyone but Crug with his revolutionary modern ways. [14] As of April 1st, with a budget of about $135 million, the film has made $93,893,394 domestically and $148,802,379 from foreign theaters, amounting to $242,695,773 worldwide. [18]

To build up anticipation of the release of the movie, DreamWorks made a deal with Rovio to create a mobile game based on The Croods, an impressive marketing strategy. In the game, the Croods, a family of cave men, find their way out of the Stone Age through the use of a new tool, the idea. They hunt and gather their way through new landscapes as they tame creatures they’ve never seen before.

Rovio released the game for Apple and Android devices on March 14, just about a week before the official release of the film. [15]

What’s Next for 20th Century Fox?

20th Century Fox plans to release another 3-D animated family film, Epic, which is based on the children’s book, The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs. From the creators of Ice Age and Rio, Epic follows the story of a teenage girl, who finds herself magically transported into a secret universe. While there, she must team up with a group of capricious characters in order to save their world and her own from Queen Tara, the evil spider. [16]

Starring the voices of Amanda Seyfried, Josh Hutcherson, Colin Farrell, Aziz Ansari, Steven Tyler, Johnny Knoxville, Beyonce Knowles, and Pitbull, the film is scheduled to be released on May 24^th. [17]

Sources

[1] http://www.thestudiotour.com/fox/chronology.shtml

[2]http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=35867

[3] http://www.screendaily.com/echeverria-promoted-to-evp-latin-america-at-fox/4030307.article‘

[4] http://centralpa.aiga.org/previous-events/ricardo-crespo-creative-ronin

[5] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1235522/

[6] http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20483133_20657927,00.html

[7] http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Broken-City-TV-Spot-Turns-Podium-Over-Twitter-Fans-34876.html

[8]http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/mass_roundup/2013/01/mark-wahlberg-broken-city-hingham.html

[9] http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/02/13/3852964/its-a-good-day-for-john-mcclane.html

[10] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/17/weekend-box-office-a-good-day-to-die-hard_n_2707284.html

[11] http://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchises/chart/?id=diehard.htm

[12] http://www.metacritic.com/movie/a-good-day-to-die-hard

[13] http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_good_day_to_die_hard/

[14] http://www.movieinsider.com/m2646/the-croods/

[15] http://variety.com/2013/digital/games/the-croods-go-mobile-with-angry-birds-creator-1200001701/

[16] http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/283733/cbb/20th-century-fox-presents-family-and-kiddie-films-in-2013

[17] http://www.movieinsider.com/m3739/epic/credits/

[18] http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=croods.htm

[19] http://boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?view=company&view2=ytd&compare=Q1&studio=fox.htm

Columbia/TriStar Pictures

Posted on December 7, 2012 by David Jocson

by [David Jocson]

— Courtesy of Flavorwire.com

— Courtesy of Google Images

Columbia/TriStar Pictures

10202 W Washington Blvd [1]

Culver City, CA 90232

Telephone: 310-224-4000

Website: www.sonypictures.com

Executives

Michael Lynton: Co-Chairman & CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment [2]

Amy Pascal: Co-Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment | Chairman, Sony Pictures

Entertainment Motion Picture Group

Doug Belgrad: President, Columbia Pictures [3]

Holdings

Sony Pictures Entertainment [4]:

Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group:

Columbia Pictures

TriStar Pictures

Locations

Headquarters: Culver City, CA [1]

Columbia Pictures Production Asia [5]: Hong Kong

Columbia Pictures Producciones Espanolas: Madrid, Spain

Columbia Pictures Producciones Mexico: Mexico City

Additional operations in: Japan, Brazil and the UK

Competition

Warner Bros. Pictures [1]

The Walt Disney Studios

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Company Description

Columbia and TriStar Pictures operate as divisions under the Columbia TriStar Motion Pictures Group of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) [5]. Columbia Pictures produces Sony Pictures’ commercial feature films [1]. TriStar Pictures distributes and markets SPE’s films, delivering entertainment to over 150 countries [6] [7].

Columbia TriStar Motion Pictures Group has released many notable franchises such as the James Bond and The Amazing Spider-Man franchises [8]. Its movies make up the bulk of the Sony Pictures’ library that includes over 3,500 films, 12 of which are Best Picture Academy Award winners [5].

The “Columbia Lady” precedes every feature film by Columbia Pictures [9]. It is the studio’s iconic trademark, having appeared in its motion pictures since the very beginning of the company.

History

Columbia Pictures began in 1918 when Jack Cohn, Joe Brandt and Harry Cohn began making short films [10]. CBC Films, as it was named after its founders back then, produced its first feature film, More to Be Pitied Than Scorned, in 1922 with great success. Two years later, the founders changed the name of CBC Films to Columbia Pictures Corporation.

The company rose to fame after signing legendary director Frank Capra to direct its feature films in 1927 [10]. Capra won Columbia Pictures its first Best Picture Academy Award for his film, It Happened One Night, in 1934. He also directed the studio’s first complete “talkie” motion picture.

In 1982, The Coca-Cola Company purchased Columbia Pictures [10]. (reuters)

In 1983, Columbia together with CBS and HBO, formed TriStar Pictures [10]. It was the newest production studio in decades. It quickly emerged as a major contender in the industry by releasing major blockbusters such as Rambo: First Blood Part II.

Sony Corporation purchased Columbia Pictures from Coca-Cola in 1989 [10]. The new owner placed Columbia under its new division, Sony Pictures Entertainment. Sony also moved the Columbia Pictures studio from Burbank to Culver City, CA. The studio operated on the former MGM lot where classics such as Citizen Kane and Gone With The Wind were produced.

In 2000, Sony created Sony Pictures Digital [10]. Sony Pictures Digital comprised of Sony Pictures Imageworks and Sony Pictures Animation. Imageworks developed CGI and VFX for Columbia TriStar Motion Pictures Group and the animation division. The animation division produced Sony Pictures’ animated feature films.

Today, the Columbia TriStar Motion Pictures Group releases Sony Pictures’ biggest films such as The Amazing Spider-Man, 21 Jump Street and Men In Black 3 [8].

Fall-Winter 2012

Looper [11]

Action | Sci-fi | Crime

Budget [12]: $30 million

Worldwide Gross: $165 million

U.S. Release Date [11]: Sep. 28

— Courtesy of IMDb.com

Directed by Rian Johnson

Featuring:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Joe

Bruce Willis as Old Joe

Emily Blunt as Sara

Looper tells the story of Joe, an assassin for the mob, who is sent back in time to kill himself in order to “tie a loose end [11].”

Hotel Transylvania [13]

Family | Animation | Comedy

Budget [14]: $85 million

Worldwide Gross: $296 million

U.S. Release Date [13]: Sep. 28

— Courtesy of IMDb.com

Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky

Featuring:

Adam Sandler as Dracula

Andy Samberg as Jonathan

Selena Gomez as Mavin

Kevin James as Frankenstein

Hotel Transylvania is about Count Dracula overprotecting his teenage daughter from falling in love with a human boy who stumbles upon Dracula’s “monster resort [13].”

The film is Genndy Tartakovsky’s first feature motion picture. Tartakovsy is a three-time Emmy Award winner known for creating famous cartoons such as Samurai Jack and Dexter’s Laboratory [15].

Hotel Transylvania became the best opening movie of all-time for September. It also became Sony Pictures’ most successful animated feature at the box office [16].

Skyfall [17]

Action | Crime | Adventure

Budget [18]: $200 million

Worldwide Gross: $872 million

U.S. Release Date [17]: Nov. 9

— Courtesy of IMDb.com

Directed by Sam Mendes

Featuring:

Daniel Craig as James Bond

Javier Bardem as Silva

Judi Dench as M

Skyfall is the 23rd installment of the Bond franchise. It is about a former agent of M who comes back to seek vengeance upon her while terrorizing MI6 and battling agent 007 [17].

In early December, Skyfall became the highest grossing film ever in the UK [19].

The movie also marked Judi Dench’s final role as M [20].

Zero Dark Thirty [21]

Action | Drama | History

Budget [22]: n/a

Worldwide Gross: n/a

U.S. Release Date [21]: Dec. 19

— Courtesy of IMDb.com

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

Featuring:

Chris Pratt as Justin, a member of Navy SEAL Team 6

Jason Clarke as Dan

Jessica Chastain as Maya

Zero Dark Thirty recounts the hunt for Osama bin Laden that began after 9/11 and culminated in his death by SEAL Team 6 in May 2011, after a decade of searching for the “world’s most wanted man [21].”

Zero Dark Thirty was the last feature film Sony Pictures Entertainment was going to release before the end of 2012 [23].

Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal, the minds behind The Hurt Locker, collaborated again to produce the widely-anticipated movie [23].

News

Sony Pictures Entertainment became the highest grossing movie studio of the year, having earned $1.7 billion in the U.S. alone [24]. Internationally, it earned over $4 billion, beating its previous record of $3.5 billion in 2009 [23]. The new record was achieved in large part to Skyfall, the highest grossing Bond film ever. The film received a cumulative $669.2 million during its opening weekend alone. However, other blockbusters helped too. The Amazing Spider-Man earned $754 million, Men In Black 3 earned $624 million, Hotel Transylvania earned $283 million and 21 Jump Street earned $201 million. Sony Pictures Entertainment released a total of 9 No. 1 movies at the domestic box office in 2012.

Kazuo Hirai, CEO of Sony Corporation, told The Hollywood Reporter that Sony was not going to sell Sony Pictures Entertainment amidst rumors that Sony was going to sell the film division due to financial losses [25]. The Hollywood Reporter quoted him saying, “There is no reason to sell these industry-dealing businesses and no consideration is being given to the idea.” Hirai made it clear that Sony Pictures Entertainment was not going to be sold anytime soon.

Sony Pictures Entertainment joined video game company Electronic Arts to raise $1 million in donations for American troops [26]. EA planned to release its new game, Medal of Honor Warfighter, on Dec. 17th after its rival, Activision, released its game Call of Duty: Black Ops II. The release date was also planned to coincide with Columbia Picture’s Zero Dark Thirty that premieres on Dec. 19th. EA prepared exclusive maps that featured locations from the feature film available for purchase. The company said it would take a portion of the proceeds to donate a minimum of $1 million to nonprofit veterans organizations.

On October 5th, Columbia Pictures joined MGM Pictures, Passion Pictures and Red Box Films in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Bond franchise by releasing Everything Or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 [27]. The documentary chronicles the lives of the franchise’s author Ian Fleming and producers Harry Saltzman and Albert Broccoli.

October 5th also became Global James Bond Day [28]. The worldwide event included an online and live auction charity event in London, a franchise exhibit in the Museum of Modern Art in New York and an evening of Bond music hosted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles.

Works Cited

[1]: http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.Columbia_TriStar_Motion_Picture_Group.9a3fb312ea9f08a6.html

[2]: http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/management.html

[3]: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=8033824

[4]: http://www.cjr.org/resources/?c=sony

[5]: http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html

[6]: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=7913345

[7]: http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/aboutsonypictures.html

[8]: http://www.imdb.com/company/co0071509/

[9]: http://www.sonypicturesmuseum.com/studio/history/columbia

[10]: http://www.sonypicturesmuseum.com/studio/history

[11]: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1276104/

[12]: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=loopers.htm

[13]: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0837562/

[14]: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=hoteltransylvania.htm

[15]: http://www.wired.com/underwire/2012/10/hotel-transylvania-genndy-tartakovsky/

[16]: http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/press_releases/2012/10_12/102612_goodnight.html

[17]: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1074638/

[18]: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bond23.htm

[19]: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-quick-20121206,0,7595314.story

[20]: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/judi-dench-skyfall-007-bond_n_2102516.html

[21]: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1790885/

[22]: http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=binladen.htm

[23]: http://www.deadline.com/2012/11/skyfalls-669-2m-global-helps-sony-pictures-post-best-ever-4b-worldwide/

[24]: http://boxofficemojo.com/studio/

[25]: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sony-chief-kaz-hirai-film-384605

[26]: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/electronic-arts-sony-medal-of-honor-warfighter-donation-soldiers-370401

[27]: http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/press_releases/2012/08_12/082912_anniversary.html

[28]: http://www.007.com/global-james-bond-day-announced/

Paramount Pictures

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Anthony Mormile

By, Anthony Mormile

[30]

Company Description

Paramount Pictures Corporation is subsidiary of Viacom. It is a production and distribution company for film and television. Paramount is famed for continuously producing top-grossing motion pictures.

Paramount Executives

BRAD GREY Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Paramount Pictures Corporation

FREDERICK HUNTSBERRY Chief Operating Officer, Paramount Pictures

ROB MOORE Vice Chairman, Paramount Pictures

ADAM GOODMAN President, Paramount Film Group

Paramount Pictures Public Relations

Official Website: http://www.paramount.com

Twitter Handle: @ParamountPics

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Paramount?fref=ts

Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/paramount

A Brief History

Paramount was the byproduct of Adolph Zukor’s Famous Players Film Company merging with Jesse L Lasky’s Lasky Feature Play Company in 1916. Paramount Pictures recognizes Zukor’s company’s establishment date as their own (1912).

Throughout the the 20^th century, Paramount went through its ups and downs, inventing and re-inventing itself while changing hands of ownership many times over. It entered new prosperity under Gulf + Western thanks to Robert Evans‘ leadership. This lasted through the 70’s into the 90’s. In 1994, Paramount Communications (the parent company for Paramount Pictures, at the time) merged with Viacom, putting it under its ownership. In 2005, Brad Grey was appointed Chairman and CEO. Grey has continued the quarter century long tradition of unwavering success. In 2011, Paramount produced six-consecutive films that broke the 100 million dollar box office gross mark; an unrivaled achievement. They are now, in 2012, celebrating Paramount’s centennial. [29]

Paramount Activity

In the fiscal third quarter, parent company, Viacom was down from 2011. Paramount’s theatrical revenue being down by 52% – as a result of fewer summer releases – did not help matters. Several of these releases during the summer reflect partnerships that no longer will exist with Paramount moving forward. These include the Marvel (now Disney IP) and DreamWorks Animation (20th Century Fox IP) films. This demonstrates Paramount’s dire need to find new, fresh content and put out more theatrical releases. The only other Paramount summer releases included one original film Sacha Baron Cohen‘s The Dictator. The rest were re-releases of films like Titanic. [28]

Now in the fourth fiscal quarter, Viacom reports a stronger quarter, but is still not doing as well as they should be. Paramount has reportedly done better but is expected to report losses in the upcoming year’s fiscal first quarter. It is anticipated it will gradually improve thereafter. [27]

With the success of the Paranormal Activity franchise, Paramount Pictures created a new company called Insurge Pictures in 2010. The goal of the company is to duplicate that franchise’s success by producing a series of micro-budget films and giving them wide-releases. It’s a low risk, but potential for high-reward venture. To this sub-divisions credit are the succeeding Paranormal Activity pictures, The Devil Inside, and both the Katy Perry and Justin Beiber movies (Part of Me and Never Say Never respectively). [26]

See Insurge Pictures’ website here: http://www.insurgepictures.com/

Recent News

December 4, 2012

A new international trailer is released of Paramount’s upcoming film Jack Reacher starring Tom Cruise. This trailer reveals more characters than previous ones. [25]

November 20, 2012

Paramount sets Paranormal Activity 5 release date for October 15, 2013. There is also discussion of developing a spin-off franchise. [24]

November 15, 2012

The highly anticipated Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away premieres December 21^st in 3D.

November 14, 2012

The first 9-minutes of Star Trek: Into Darkness to air before the IMAX theatrical showing of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. [23]

November 13, 2012

Joel Silver has been given a deal by Paramount to produce his next horror flick, Sanctuary. The story centers around a fictitious, secret Vatican-run program that aims to train the demonically possessed to use their powers against evil. [22]

November 8, 2012

Michael Bay cast Mark Wahlberg in Transformers 4 slated for release June 27, 2014. Wahlberg also stars in Bay’s upcoming film Pain and Gain, another Paramount release, on April 23, 2013. [21]

November 7, 2012

Paramount is producing Brett Ratner‘s Hercules alongside MGM. It will begin production in 2013 and is based on Radical Studio’s graphic novel. [20]

November 5, 2012

Anheuser-Busch, a brewing company, has asked Paramount to hide or remove the Budweiser logos from the newly released Denzel Washington film, Flight – a movie about an alcoholic pilot. Legally, Paramount is not obligated to. [19]

John Singleton settles in his lawsuit against Paramount Pictures and MTV Films. [18]

October 29, 2012

Paramount gets Nia Vardalos‘ Leftovers, an “anti-romantic comedy.” It is still in-development. [17]

October 25, 2012

Paramount pledges to put Adam Sandler‘s new western comedy, The Ridiculous 6 into production in April 2013. [16]

Insurge Pictures and Yahoo! announce the 2-season renewal of Burning Love, a comedy series which plays on Yahoo! Screen and is produced in part by Ben Stiller’s company, Red Hour Digital. [15]

October 24, 2012

Paramount Insurge acquires Jayson Rothwell‘s script, Patrol. A story about Marines met by an unexpected twist after chasing drug smugglers to a remote island. [14]

Paramount closes a deal to acquire Our Name is Adam; a project that already has Tom Cruise attached to it. Cruise, as an astronaut, goes back in time to work with his younger self. [13]

October 19, 2012

Paramount acquires Wayne Kramer‘s pitch for a new movie called, The Circuit. He will write and direct the picture. [12]

October 11, 2012

Fans vote worldwide on where Paramount Pictures will pre-release the fourth installment of Paranormal Activity prior to the overall theatrical release. The contest was held through a voting application integrated in Facebook. The application is called “Want It” which plays into the franchises long-standing PR “demand it” campaign. [11]

October 5, 2012

Melrose Investors 2 amends a lawsuit it has against Paramount for holding out on profit-sharing by mis-reporting film earnings. They now are going after parent company Viacom and holding them responsible. [10]

Paramount picks up Michael Bay-produced “found-footage” movie called, Almanac. The project is “top secret” and being kept under wrap for the time being. Dean Israelite makes his directorial debut with this film. [9]

October 4, 2012

Sacha Baron Cohen, once again, teams up with Paramount for a follow up to The Dictator. This new comedy, The Lesbian, will center around the Hong Kong billionaire’s reward to marry off his lesbian daughter to any male suitor. [8]

John Singelton‘s suit against a contract breach with Paramount is given a court date. The case is Singelton’s grievance with Paramount Pictures and MTV Films for rescinding on a two-picture deal he alleges he was promised after allowing them to acquire 2005’s Hustle & Flow. [7]

October 3, 2012

Trailer released for The Guilt Trip starring Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand. Christmas Day theatrical release. [6]

Also in the news today…

Paramount acquires the rights to the Clark Baker‘s sci-fi horror short Vessel. Stephen Susco is on board to adapt it for the big screen. [5]

September 4, 2012

Amazon.com reached a deal with Epix to gain high-profile films for its instant-streaming service. Included in the deal are many films from the Paramount catalogue. [4]

September 3, 2012

Paramount celebrates 100 years of movies and music by hosting an event at the Hollywood Bowl. Paramount played clips from its vault of classic and contemporary films. These clips were accompanied by a live orchestra which played pieces from some of their most famous films’ soundtracks. [3]

August 20, 2012

DreamWorks Animation no longer to distribute through Paramount. They move to a 5-year deal with Twentieth Century Fox in pursuit of “more favorable economics overall for DreamWorks Animation…” [2]

August 16, 2012

Paramount pictures gears up to develop its animation department. Following the success of Rango, their first animated project since separating from a brief DreamWorks affiliation, the company will make a second Spongebob Squarepants movie and other movies based off of Nickelodeon IP. Paramount, prior to this, had not had its own animation division officially since 1967. [1]

“To start filling a pipeline, Paramount chief Brad Grey is turning to sister division Nickelodeon to supply much of the IP. Though development has not begun yet, possible Nickelodeon products that could be turned into films include Dora the Explorer, The Legend of Korra and Monkey Quest. Company boasts a strong consumer products, travel and resorts biz to boost future pics’ earnings potential.” – published in Variety

References

[1] Paramount Ramping Up Animation Slate. Graser, Marc. 16 August 2012. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118057934

[2] DreamWorks Animation Enters Into New Five-Year Distribution Agreement With Twentieth Century Fox. 20 August 2012. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dreamworks-animation-enters-into-new-five-year-distribution-agreement-with-twentieth-century-fox-166798526.html

[3] Paramount Celebrates 100 Years of Movie Music at Hollywood Bowl. Belloni, Matthew. 3 Sepetember 2012. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/paramount-hollywood-bowl-jason-alexander-star-trek-367508

[4] Amazon Adds Movies to Streaming Service in New Challenge to Netflix. 4 September 2012. http://adage.com/article/media/amazon-adds-epix-movies-streaming-service/237003/

[5] Par abducts Sci-Fi short ‘Vessel’ for Feature. Sneider, Jeff. Variety. 3 October 2012. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118060235/

[6] Barbara Streisand and Seth Rogen Hit the Road in ‘The Guilt Trip.’ Anderton, Ethan. 3 October 2012. http://www.firstshowing.net/2012/barbra-streisand-seth-rogen-hit-the-road-in-the-guilt-trip-trailer/

[7] John Singleton ‘Hustle & Flow’ Lawsuit Set for Trial. Greeves, Natasha. 4 October 2012. http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/john-singleton-lawsuit-set-for-trial

[8] Sacha Baron Cohen Courting ‘The Lesbian.’ Kroll, Justin. Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118060301

[9] Paramount Picks Up Top-Secret ‘Almanac’ Project With Michael Bay Producing. 5 October 2012. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/paramount-almanac-michael-bay-376450

[10] Paramount Investors Target Viacom in Amended Lawsuit. Gardner, Eriq. 5 October 2012. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/paramount-investors-viacom-revenue-lawsuit-376712

[11] Paranormal Activity Fans Around the World Have Wanted It! Paramount Pictures. 11 October 2012. http://www.paramount.com/news-and-social-media/news-and-press-releases/paranormal-activity-fans-around-world-have-wanted-it

[12] Wayne Kramer Does ‘Circuit’ at Par. Kroll, Justin. Variety. 19 October 2012. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118061023/

[13] Paramount, Skydance Close Deal For Tom Cruise-Attached Script, ‘Our Name is Adam.’ Fleming, Mike Jr. 24 October 2012. http://www.deadline.com/2012/10/paramount-skydance-close-deal-for-tom-cruise-attached-script-our-name-is-adam//

[14] Paramount Insurge Lands Jayson Rothwell Spec, ‘Patrol.’ Fleming, Mike Jr. 24 October 2012. http://www.deadline.com/2012/10/paramount-insurge-lands-jayson-rothwell-spec-patrol//

[15] Paramount’s Insurge Pictures and Yahoo! Announce Hit Comedy Series ‘Burning Love’ will return to Yahoo! Screen For Two More Seasons. Paramount. 30 October 2012. http://www.paramount.com/news-and-social-media/news-and-press-releases/paramount-s-insurge-pictures-and-yahoo-announce-hit

[16] Adam Sandler’s Next: Ridiculous 6. Fleming, Mike Jr. 25 October 2012. http://www.deadline.com/2012/10/adam-sandlers-next-ridiculous-6//

[17] Par Gets ‘Leftovers.’ McNary, Dave. Variety. 25 October 2012. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118061362?refCatId=13/

[18] John Singleton Settles ‘Hustle & Flow’ Lawsuit Against Paramount, MTV Films. The Wrap.05 November 2012. http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/john-singleton-settles-hustle-flow-lawsuit-against-paramount-mtv-films-63816

[19] Anheuser-Busch Asks Paramount Pictures to Remove Budweiser from Denzel Washington Movie ‘Flight.’ McCartney, Anthony. 05 November 2012. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/05/budweiser-flight-removal-paramount_n_2080328.html

[20] Paramount Producing Brett Ratner’s ‘Herecules’ with MGM. Miller, Daniel. 07 November 2012. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/risky-business/hercules-dwayne-johnson-brett-ratner-387516

[21] Mark Wahlberg Confirmed as the New Lead in Transformers 4, Plus a New Logo for the Film. Trumbore, David. 08 November 2012. http://collider.com/mark-wahlberg-transformers-4/209779/

[22] Joel Silver Finds ‘Sanctuary’ at Paramount. Fleming, Mike Jr. http://www.deadline.com/2012/11/joel-silver-finds-sanctuary-at-paramount/

[23] ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ Will Sneak Before ‘The Hobbit.’ McClintock, Pamela. 14 November 2012. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/star-trek-footage-will-sneak-390690

[24] ‘Paranormal Activity 5’ Confirmed for Halloween 2013; Latino Spin-Off Next Spring. Schaefer, Sandy. http://screenrant.com/paranormal-activity-5-latino-spinoff-confirmed/

[25] ‘Jack Reacher’ International Trailer Introduces New Characters; Grittier Plot Info. Nailon, Buffy. 05 December 2012. http://www.examiner.com/article/jack-reacher-international-trailer-introduces-new-characters-grittier-plot-info

[26] Para(mount’s Ab)normal Activity: $1MM Yearly for Microbudget Films. Miller, Scott. ScreenRant. http://screenrant.com/paramount-microbudget-films-paranormal-activity-scottm-37762/

[27] Viacom Earnings Plummet; Paramount Revenue Down 29%. James, Meg. LA Times. 03 August 2012. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/aug/03/entertainment/la-et-ct-viacom-earnings-20120803

[28] Viacom Earnings Climb, But Paramount Weaker, Ads Light. Harlin, Kevin. Investors.com. 15 November 2012. http://news.investors.com/business/111512-633555-viacom-fourth-quarter-earnings-beat.htm

[29] The Paramount Story. 2012. http://www.paramount.com/100-years-paramount/paramount-story

[30] Paramount logo. http://www.hollywoodbowl.com/sites/default/files/styles/performance_slideshow/public/program_photos/paramount_685x250.jpg

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Posted on December 2, 2012 by jwu17

By Jimena Wu

Official 20th Century Fox 2012 Logo – Courtesy of Google Images

Company Information [2]

10201 W. Pico Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA, 90064 United States

(310) 369-1000

http://www.foxmovies.com

Brief Overview

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation is a subsidiary of Fox Inc., owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. 20^th Century Fox Film Corporation’s motion pictures are produced or acquired by the company’s smaller units, including: Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios [1].

The company has had major success with motion pictures, including the huge hits Star Wars, Titanic, and it’s most successful in the box office yet, Avatar, released in 2009. Avatar recorded up to a gross of $749,766,139, including nine Academy Awards nominations and three wins. [23]

Top 3 Competitors [2]

The Walt Disney Studios

MGM Studios, Inc.

Columbia Tristar Motion Picture Group

Key Executives [3]

Keith Rupert Murdoch – Chairman of Board & CEO

Ricardo Crespo – Senior Vice President of Global Creative

Eduardo Echeverria – Senior Vice President of Latin America

Pam Kunick-Cohen – Senior Vice President of Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products

Robert Marick – Executive Vice President

Brief History: The Formation of Twentieth Century Fox [5]

20th Century Fox was funded in 1935 with the merging of the Fox Film Corporation and Twentieth Century Pictures. It was co-founded by Joseph Schenck, president of United Artists, and Darryl F. Zanuck, former head of production at the Warner Bros. Studio.

Elaboration & Transformation of Company Logo after Fox Film-20th Century merged in 1935 [4]

The company separated itself from others, as the productions of The Grapes of Wrath in 1940 and How Green Was My Valley in 1941 won Academy Awards. However, by the 1950’s, movie attendance dropped, bringing film productions down as well. Consequently, studios couldn’t afford to keep contracts with directors and actors. This event of disappointment led to Zanuck leaving to Paris in 1956, striving to become an independent film producer. The company lost huge amounts of money in between the years of 1959-1962.

In 1962, Zanuck returned as president, and his film The Longest Day, released through 20th Century Fox, got an Academy Award nomination and earned enough revenue for the company to start producing again in 1963. During the 1960’s, Zanuck used the “blockbuster strategy”, consisting of releasing expensive productions. The Sound of Music, released in 1964, brought more than $79 million in revenues.

The 1980’s were hard times since many productions didn’t compensate for their production costs. However, with the entrance of Rupert Murdoch, owner of News Corporation, in 1985, the company made it to the top spot among studios, gaining more than 18% of the box-office share in 1991.

Right Here, Right Now

20th Century Fox at the Box Office

The company began the Fall of 2012 with the release of Won’t Back Down in September 28, 2012, starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis. However, despite its notorious casting, this movie was ranked as the worst saturated release ever, bringing only $2,603,370 in the opening weekend. The movie made a total of $5,310,554. [6]

Taken 2 Movie Poster – Courtesy of Google Images

In October 5, 2012, the awaited Taken 2, starring Liam Neeson, was released, making $49,514,769 in its opening weekend [8]. Despite all of the critics, Taken 2 was the reason the overall box office was up more than 40 percent over the same weekend last year [7]. The movie scored $361,060,485 worldwide, showing strong results for a $45 million production [8].

Following Taken 2, Chasing Mavericks, starring Gerard Butler, was released October 26th, disappointing with a $2,268,274 debut. The movie made a total domestic gross of $5,843,722, barely one-fourth of its $20 million production budget [9]. However, Hurricane Sandy could have affected this result, as it”may have suppressed business by about 10 percent.” [10]

Wreck-It Ralph Poster – Courtesy of Google Images

As the storm passes, Wreck-It Ralph came to the #1 spot in its opening weekend with $49,038,712 [11]. This movie has actually become the biggest box office ever for Disney Animations [12]. After five weeks in theaters, it still maintains itself in the top ten, recording a total domestic gross of $159,213,887 and a worldwide gross of $203,213,887 (as of December 5, 2012) [11].

Lincoln opened in limited theaters in November 9, 2012 and released worldwide November 16, recording $944,308 for the opening weekend, and $21,049,406 in its second place, getting into the box office’s top 3. Lincoln, a film produced by Steven Spielberg, remained at #3 for two weekends, including Thanksgiving weekend. As of December 5, 2012, the movie earned a total domestic gross of $87,088,719, already compensating its production costs of $65 million. [13]

Next up for 20th Century Fox was Life of Pi, released November 21, which was considered to be “tough to sell” and a “gamble” for the company [14]. This film’s production budget will definitely be hard to compensate as it cost $120 million to produce, mainly because of its unbelievable graphic effects. The movie did pretty good in the opening weekend, earning $22,451,514, and also performed fairly well during the Thanksgiving weekend in the 5th spot, behind Twilight, Skyfall, Lincoln, and Rise of The Guardians. However, it is still at half its production budget, reporting $51,676,132 in total domestic gross as of Dec. 5, 2012. [15]

Life of Pi – Movie Poster – Courtesy of Google Images

The next movie for Fox is called Parental Guidance, which was supposed to be released during the Thanksgiving weekend but will now be released December 25th, 2012. The movie has high expectancies as it has less competition during Christmas than what it would’ve had during Thanksgiving [16].

First-Quarter Earnings (Quarter ended Sept. 30) – See full News Corp. Earnings Release

Rupert Murdoch led the company to more strong results as the fiscal quarterly earnings for the first quarter, ending in September 30, 2012, reported earnings of $2.23 billion, compared with $738 million made last year. Revenue also rose in large amounts, from $7.96 billion to $8.14 billion. As for the role Twentieth Century Fox plays in this increase in earnings, filmed entertainment reported quarterly segment operating income of $400 million, $53 million higher than a year ago, when the segment operating income was $347 million. This is majorly due to the huge success Ice Age: Continental Drift had in box offices back in July. As of December 5, the $95 million film has earned a total worldwide gross of $874,920,192 [24]. Also, Fox made a licensing deal with Netflix back in May 2012, which contributed enormously to the rise in profit [17]. Through this licensing agreement, Fox classic films were distributed to Latin America. “Our alliance with Twentieth Century Fox continues to get stronger and benefit Netflix’s members across the globe,” said Jason Ropell, VP of content acquisitions at Netflix. [25]

Deals/News

August 2012

Fox to Distribute DreamWorks Animation Movies [18]

DreamWorks has decided to shift from Paramount Pictures to 20th Century Fox looking for a 5-year distribution deal. This deal will place DreamWorks’ animated titles in Fox’s animation division, Blue Sky Studios. This deal will go into effect in 2013.

DreamWorks Logo – Courtesy of Google Images

Company Perspective: “DreamWorks Animation is a great company that makes terrific films and everyone here feels privileged and honored to have been chosen to distribute their marvelous work throughout the world,” stated Fox Filmed Entertainment CEOs and Chairmen, Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman. “We are particularly excited to add DreamWorks Animation’s films to the strong and growing slate of movies from our outstanding Blue Sky Studios division, which is coming off another global blockbuster with Ice Age: Continental Drift, and has Epic and Rio 2in advanced production. Together we will be a dominant force in animated entertainment for years to come.” [19]

September 2012

Fox Hoped To Boost Movie Downloads By Offering Titles Ahead of Discs [20]

In order to increase movie downloads, Fox has decided to offer the option to downnload movies through Amazon, CinemaNow (Best Buy), iTunes, PlayStation, VUDU (Walmart), and Xbox, before the home video or DVR formats are available.

November 2012

Sony, Fox, and Universal Sign On For PGA’s Producers’ Mark Credit [21]

Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, and Universal Pictures signed on to apply the ‘Producer’s Mark’ Certification. This is a huge advancement in the industry and a step forward to protecting the right of producers and the ‘produced by’ credit.

Independence Day ‘3D’ Cancelled [22]

Independence Day (1996) – Movie Poster – Courtesy of Google Images

Plans had been made by 20th Century Fox to produce a 3D adaptation of the 1996 blockbuster, Independence Day. However, due to difficulties in reuniting the original cast, the company has decided to cancel it. The movie was due for July 2, 2013, which was perfectly timed for it to be released during the Independence weekend. This would’ve potentially help the movie top the box office during the opening weekend and gain high revenue for the company.

Coming Soon (Click to see the trailers)

Broken City

Parental Guidance

EPIC

A Good Day To Die Hard

The Heat

References

[1] News Corporation: http://www.newscorp.com/management/20film.html

[2] Hoovers: http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.Twentieth_Century_Fox_Television.ff69d030bb3d82da.html

[3] Bloomberg BusinessWeek: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/people.asp?privcapId=35867

[4] Logo Images: http://www.closinglogos.com/page/20th+Century+Fox+Film+Corporation

[5] History: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/66/Twentieth-Century-Fox-Film-Corporation.html#ixzz2EFVbd3Ul

[6] Box Office Mojo – Won’t Back Down: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=learningtofly.htm

[7] Yahoo Movies – Taken 2: http://movies.yahoo.com/news/taken-2-blows-away-box-office-critics-50-163212681.html

[8] Box Office Mojo – Taken 2: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=taken2.htm

[9] Box Office Mojo – Chasing Mavericks: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=ofmenandmavericks.htm

[10] The Week – Hurricane Sandy: http://theweek.com/article/index/235648/6-ways-hurricane-sandy-affected-the-entertainment-world

[11] Box Office Mojo – Wreck It Ralph: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=rebootralph.htm

[12] Wreck It Ralph: http://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Latest-News-Wires/2012/1105/Wreck-it-Ralph-Biggest-box-office-opening-ever-for-Disney-animation

[13] Box Office Mojo – Lincoln: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lincoln.htm

[14] Company Town – Life of Pi: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-life-of-pi-tough-sell-20121119,0,5088507.story

[15] Box Office Mojo – Life of Pi: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lifeofpi.htm

[16] Parental Guidance: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118052479

[17] Hollywood Reporter – Quarterly Profit: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/news-corp-reports-huge-rise-387027

[18] Fox to distribute DreamWorks: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-08-20/fox-to-distribute-dreamworks-animation-movies

[19] Company Perspective – DreamWorks deal: http://www.deadline.com/2012/08/exclusive-dreamworks-animation-to-fox/

[20] Movie Downloads: http://www.deadline.com/2012/09/fox-digital-hd-movie-download/

[21] Sign for PGA: http://www.deadline.com/2012/11/producers-mark-credit-program-pga-sony-fox-universal/

[22] Independence Day 3D: http://www.nme.com/filmandtv/news/independence-day-3d-cancelled/291343

[23] Box Office Mojo – Avatar: http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=avatar.htm

[24] Box Office Mojo – Ice Age: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=iceage4.htm

[25] Netflix and Fox Licensing Agreement: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/netflix-fox-agreement-latin-america-brazil-323988

Lionsgate Entertainment

Posted on December 1, 2012 by careiff

By Charles Reiff

Lionsgate production logo, courtesy of www.hollywoodreporter.com

Founded in 1997, Lionsgate is now a global entertainment corporation that handles film production and distribution, as well as television programming and syndication. Lionsgate also has a strong presence in home entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution, and new channel platforms.

Once known as Lions Gate Entertainment, the corporation changed its name to “Lionsgate” in 2005. The company stated in a release: “The simplification of Lions Gate into the single word ‘Lionsgate’ represents the ongoing unification of the company’s diversified motion picture, television, home entertainment, family entertainment, documentary film, music publishing and video-on-demand businesses into a single, highly recognizable brand” [13].

Lionsgate has grown immensely in the past few years. In the past decade alone, it has increased revenues eightfold, from $180 million to almost $1.6 billion, its theatrical box office market share tenfold, the size of its library by a multiple of 15, and its television revenues are now 50 times what they once were, from $8 million in 2000 to $351 million in 2011 [1].

The Hunger Games, courtesy of imdb.com

Lionsgate enjoyed unprecedented success with its film The Hunger Games, which has earned $686.5 million around the world in the few months since its March 23rd premier, grossing $408 million at the North American box office. This puts it at the 3rd largest U.S. film of the year and the 13th highest grossing film of all time [12].

Key Executives [2]

Jon Feltheimer: Chief Executive Officer and Director

James Keegan: Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administration Officer

Dr. Mark H. Rachesky, M.D.: Chairman of the Board

Michael Burns: Vice Chairman and Director

Wayne Levin: General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Corporate Operations

Brian Goldsmith: Co-Chief Operating Oficer

Steven Beeks: Co-Chief Operating Officer and President, Motion Picture Group

Recent News

September

The Possession, courtesy of imdb.com

September 3rd, 2012

Lionsgate’s The Possession, a terrifying horror film about a young girl who’s body has been taken over by an evil spirit, was the top ticket seller at the box office over Labor Day weekend. The horror film grossed $21.3 million over the four day-weekend, making it the second-highest Labor Day opening ever, behind only Halloween, which opened with $30.6 million during 2007’s Labor Day weekend. The film was produced by Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures with a budget of only $14 million, and stars Jeffery Dean Morgan and Kyra Sedgwick.

To read the full LA Times article on 2012’s labor day weekend ticket sales, click here [11].

September 17th, 2012

Celestial Tiger Entertainment, one of the largest independent entertainment companies in Asia, announced that it has expanded its content distribution deal with Lionsgate to cover all of East Asia. Now Lionsgate will be represented by Celestial Tiger Entertainment in Greater China and Southeast Asia, and CTE will be distributing all Lionsgate television content and feature films to Japan and Korea [8].

To read the full article by Yahoo! Finance, click here [8].

October

October 5th, 2012

Brian Goldsmith, after serving as executive vice president of corporate development and strategy since 2008, was promoted to co-chief operating officer, alongside Steve Beeks, to handle corporate development for the studio’s platform of channels and digital projects [7]. Goldsmith was recognized for his work in Lionsgate’s acquisition of Summit Entertainment in January, as well as the partnerships with Viacom and MGM in the Epix channel, Sony and Comcast in the FEARnet channel, as well as the output deal with Celestial Tiger Entertainment in Asia [7]. “Brian played a leadership role in many of the initiatives that made 2012 a transformative year for us,” said Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer and vice chairman Michael Burns [7].

For the full article from Variety, click here [7].

October 30th, 2012

Domino’s, a leading pizza franchise that specializes in lightning-fast delivery, made a video-on-demand deal with Lionsgate U.K., in which customers who order pizza from the Domino’s website will also be able to instantly watch Lionsgate titles online. Domino’s sales and marketing director Simon Wallis is excited about their move with the video-on-demand service, as he described pizza and film as “a match made in heaven” [9]. Touching on the service’s universal appeal, Wallis said: “we pride ourselves on offering a vast choice when it comes to pizza, and the same is true of Domino’s Pizza Box Office–whether you’re into action, horror, or romantic comedies, there’s something for every pizza-eating occasion” [9]

Domino’s “Pizza Box Office” venture with Lionsgate, courtesy of tqs.com

To read the full Variety article, click here [9].

November

November 1st, 2012

Lionsgate has made a strong active effort to sign output deals with major distributors. On November 1st the company announced a partnership with Belgium’s Belga Films for release of the studio’s titles in the Benelux. Jerome de Bethune, COO of Belga Films, said “this output agreement provides us with a consistent pipeline of some of the most commercially exiting films in the world, including the next three installments of the blockbuster Hunger Games franchise” [4].

Lionsgate has forged output deals with StudioCanal in Germany, Nordisk Films in Scandanavia, Alliance’s Aurum Producciones in Spain, Roadshow Pictures in Australia and Metropolitan Filmworks in France.

To read the full Hollywood Reporter article on the deal with Belga Films, click here [4].

To read the full Hollywood Reporter article on the deal with Metropolitan Filmworks, click here [5].

Michael Burns, courtesy of www.hollywoodreporter.com

November 5th, 2012

Lionsgate vice chairman, Michael Burns, announced the extension of his contract through October 2017. Burns, after acquiring Summit Entertainment and having such great success with The Hunger Games, is maintaining his position as vice chairman for another five years. “We’re delighted that Michael will continue to help guide Lionsgate’s growth through 2017,” said Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer [6].

To read the full article from The Hollywood Reporter, click here [6].

November 28th, 2012

Lionsgate, in an attempt to further create an international distribution network with top partners around the world, announced yet another output deal, this time with Russia’s West Company. The deal will allow Lionsgate films and television shows to be distributed in Russia and other nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region.”Our Lionsgate and Summit labels have both successfully partnered with West Company on numerous films in the past, including the blockbusterTwlight franchise,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-Chairs Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachberger [11]. “This new output agreement for Lionsgate titles is a natural evolution of our alliance that promises significant benefits for both our companies for many years to come” [11].

To read the full press release from Yahoo! Finance, click here.

December

December 3rd, 2012

The weekend from Friday, November 30th to Sunday, December 2nd was the third weekend in a row that Breaking Dawn – Part 2–the final installment of the teen vampire Twilight saga from Lionsgate–led U.S. and Canadian ticket sales, outselling both the James Bond film Skyfall and Lincoln. As of December 3rd, according to Bloomberg’s website, this fifth film in the series has taken in $254.6 million in domestic sales, exploiting a post-Thanksgiving lull in big releases to stay on top of the box-office standings. The five Twilight films have taken in $1.33 billion in domestic theaters, according to Box Office Mojo, making it the eighth most successful film franchise of all time [10].

Works Cited

[1] Lionsgate http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-homeprofile

[2] Daily Finance http://www.dailyfinance.com/quote/nyse/lions-gate-entertainment-corp-usa/lgf/key-executives?source=esadlfltnal0001

[3] Paul Bond http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hunger-games-boosts-lionsgate-stock-388322

[4] Etan Vlessing http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-inks-output-deal-belgiums-385221

[5] Etan Vlessing http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-signs-output-deal-frances-384726

[6] Etan Vlessing http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-vice-chair-michael-burns-contract-2017-386348

[7] Jill Goldsmith http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118060342

[8] Yahoo! Finance http://finance.yahoo.com/news/celestial-tiger-entertainment-expands-content-130000096.html

[9] Variety Newsroom http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118061416

[10] Box Office Mojo http://boxofficemojo.com/search/?q=twilight

[11] Amy Kaufman http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/03/entertainment/la-et-ct-box-office-possession-oogieloves-lawless-20120903

[12] Yahoo! Finance http://finance.yahoo.com/news/epix-kicks-off-2013-worldwide-150000018.html

[13] Brian Brooks http://www.indiewire.com/article/film_company_lions_gate_is_now_lionsgate

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Posted on November 28, 2012 by wjmcdona

by Will McDonald

MGM Studios
10250 Constellation Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 449-3000
www.mgm.com

MGM’s Logo

[1]

About:

MGM Studios Inc. is a privately held entertainment company that produces motion pictures and television programs worldwide. It has won over 175 Oscars, including 14 Best Picture wins. Leo the Lion is MGM’s mascot, who appears at the beginning of all of the films. Above the lion on the mascot is MGM’s logo “Ars gratia artis,” which is Latin for “Art for art’s sake.”
[2]

Major Competition:

Lions Gate Entertainment
Sony Pictures
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
[3]

Key Executives:

Gary Barber-Chairman and CEO
Ken Schapiro-Chief Operating Officer
Jonathan Glickman-President of the Motion Pictures Group
[4]

In October, Chairman and CEO Gary Barber announced that Jonathan Glickman will continue his role as president of the Motion Pictures Group until 2017.
[5]

Jonathan Glickman

[6]

Brief History of MGM:

In 1924, MGM came to be when Marcus Loew arranged a merge between Goldwyn Pictures, Metro Pictures Corp, and eventually Louis B. Mayer Pictures, creating Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The studio dominated the Hollywood industry for many years, discovering many new stars and producing award winning movies, such as Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz.
[2]

In 2010, MGM filed for bankruptcy, hindering their ability to make new movies. Fortunately, that same year, MGM emerged from this crisis and began to produce movies again.
[7]

Finances:

In November 2012, MGM reported a $23.4 million net profit for the the third quarter in 2012, increasing from the $15.2 million net profit from the third quarter in 2011. MGM had a $4.3 million loss in operating income, as opposed to its $32.8 million gain in the third quarter of 2011. CEO Gary Barber claimed that the results were hurt by distribution and marketing costs of the films, which MGM spent more money on this year than the previous year. Yet, he remains optimistic, as MGM expects to have a substantial increase in revenue in the fourth quarter results with the succesful release of Skyfall and the highly anticipated The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
[8]

Recent News:

In October 2012, MGM won appeals court in a long battle against the financial backers of the movie Madison, starring Jim Caviezel. In 2009, the backers of the 2005 film sued MGM, claiming that MGM’s failure to distribute the film cost them millions of dollars. The backers of the film sued the studio in Illinois, but the court ruled in favor of MGM, deciding that MGM did not have enough contact with this state as a basis for the lawsuit.
[9]

Roger Birnbaum, who became co-CEO with Barber in December 2010, recently stepped down in November to become one of MGM’s producers. He wanted to focus more on movies and talent, instead of working on the business side of the film industry. He will begin his new role as the executive producer of RoboCop, set to release in 2014. RoboCop is a remake of the 1987 film.
[10]

Relevant Movies:

Co-produced by MGM and Time Warner, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit, will be released in the United States on December 14, 2012. This film is expected to break box office records, contributing to an annual box office increase, which hasn’t happened since 2009. Media analysts predict that this film will help draw viewers into the movie theaters again, despite the growing competition of the television and the Internet. This film has been widely anticipated, ever since the release and success of the Rings trilogy. This film will also be released in 3D and IMAX. The director of the film, Peter Jackson, shot the film in 48 frames per second, compared to the 24 frames per second of standard films. His goal was to make the audience feel more engaged and part of the journey. Some fear that this will make them feel sick, but scientists assure audiences that this won’t be an issue.
[11][12]
[13]

According to the movie’s twitter handle, @TheHobbitMovie, audience members can buy their tickets ahead of time through Fandago, an online service that sells movie tickets via the internet, and get a free song from the soundtrack in exchange.
[14]

Skyfall, MGM’s latest James Bond movie, has brought in $869 million worldwide. MGM co-produced this movie with Eon Productions and Sony Pictures. This latest chapter in the franchise is the highest grossing James Bond movie of all time, starring Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem. This film was released on the 50th anniversary of the series, directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes. Skyfall came very close to the #1 spot at the box office the first weekend of December, with Summit Entertainment’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2 barely edging it out. Skyfall helped break the domestic box office record for Thanksgiving weekend, raking in $290 million. The previous record was $273 million in 2009. This was also the first Bond film to ever appear in IMAX.
[15][16]

In addition to the US market, Skyfall was a sensation in foreign markets, not only as the most succesful film of 2012 at the UK box office, surpassing Dark Knight Rises, but also as the highest grossing film in the UK box office history, surpassing Avatar. On its opening weekend in various foreign markets, it debuted as number one in 25 different countries.
[17] [18]

[19]

On November 21, MGM released a remake of the 1984 film Red Dawn, grossing a domestic total of $38.4 million as of December 5, yet with an estimated $65 million production budget. Despite the famous stars of the movie, such as Josh Hutcherson, Josh Peck, and Chris Hemsworth, this action remake has received negative ratings amongst the critics, with a small 12% score from Rotten Tomatoes, a popular website that reviews films. Filming of Red Dawn was completed in 2009, and was set to be released in November 2010, but MGM’s financial troubles made this difficult, therefore the film was not released until two years later.
[20][21]

“Red Dawn” (2012) movie poster

[22]

International deals:

In September 2012, pay TV company C More Entertainment renewed a multi-year licensing agreement with MGM, giving this Nordic region TV channel provider the rights to air a large selection MGM’s movie library on linear and on-demand channels. This gives C More the right to air both movies that have already been released, such as Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and movies that have yet to be released, such as The Hobbit trilogy. This deal also ensures that C More subscribers can watch all the movies on different platforms, such as computers and mobile devices via their internet service, C More Play.
[23]

This is the logo for C More Entertainment, a pay TV company for the Nordic region.

[24]

MGM renewed partnership with Sky Italia, a new Italian satellite platform, enlarging MGM’s library on Sky Cinema. Starting in September, Sky Cinema Classics began hosting the best of MGM catalogue in high definition, with almost 200 titles per year. These films will also appear on Sky On-Demand, a new innovation from Sky Italia.
[25]

Sky Italia’s logo

[26]

Upcoming projects:

MGM and Paramount Pictures will co-produce Hercules, a famous fiction movie about a heroic man. MGM was initially the only studio involved in the project, but Paramount recently signed on to produce as well. The film is set to start filming in the beginning of 2013, with Brett Ratner as the director. The film has confirmed Dwayne Johnson to star in the film. Ryan Condal wrote the script, which he adapted from the novel, Hercules: The Tharacian War.
[27]

To keep updated with all of MGM’s other projects, follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook.

References

1. MGM Logo courtesy of Google Images

2. http://www.mgm.com/#/about/mgm-history

3. http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/104/104990.html

4. http://www.mgm.com/#/about/mgm-today

5. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jonathan-glickman-as-president-mgm-378957

6. Jonathan Glickman courtesy of Google Images

7. http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2010/12/20/mgm-out-of-bankruptcy/

8. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/james-bond-hobbit-raise-hopes-391209

9. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/mgm-wins-appeals-court-ruling-377720

10. http://www.deadline.com/2012/10/mgm-co-chairman-ceo-roger-birnbaum-steps-down-will-become-producer-gary-barber-to-become-sole-chairman-ceo/

11. http://www.timeslive.co.za/entertainment/2012/12/03/hobbit-may-bring-a-hollywood-ending-to-2012-box-office

12. http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/tech/The-hobbit-Coming-at-You-in-48-Frames-per-Second-182238431.html

13. http://youtu.be/G0k3kHtyoqc

14. https://twitter.com/thehobbitmovie

15. http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/2012/12/02/twilight-skyfall-remain-top-picks-for-fans/CNoybhjsUlxjedPQxHXfBI/story.html

16.http://www.sourcenewspapers.com/articles/2012/11/27/news/doc50b53b9e4574f390701931.txt

17. http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/nov/09/skyfall-biggest-seller-box-office

18. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/skyfall-becomes-biggest-uk-box-office-398138

19. http://youtu.be/bqGt3exPArA

20. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=reddawn10.htm

21. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1234719/trivia

22. Red Dawn poster courtesy of Google Images

23. http://www.telecompaper.com/news/c-more-entertainment-renews-deals-with-mgm-paramount–898595

24. C More Entertainment logo courtesy of Google Images

25. http://www.eutelsattvawards.com/a-new-agreement-for-a-stronger-partnership-between-sky-italia-and-mgm/

26. Sky Italia logo courtesy of Google Images

27. http://movies.yahoo.com/news/paramount-boards-mgms-hercules-dwayne-johnson-officially-attached-231316144.html

Weinstein Company

Posted on September 19, 2012 by ansegal

by [Annie Segal]

“The Weinstein Company” image courtesy of Google Images

The Weinstein Company is a privately owned film company headquartered in New York City and is active in film and television production.

Connect:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/weinsteinco

Twitter: http://twitter.com/WeinsteinFilms

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheWeinsteinCompany

Website: http://weinsteinco.com/

A Brief History:

Bob and Harvey Weinstein founded The Weinstein Company in October 2005 and still run the company today.

Bob and Harvey Weinstein photo courtesy of Google images

They had previously founded Miramax Film Corp. in 1979 which was associated with Disney. Bob Weinstein also founded Dimension Films in 1993 which has produced such films as Spy Kids, Scream, and Scary Movie. These companies have joined together to release films that have been critical and commercial successes. TWC’s film The King’s Speech took home the 2011 Academy Award for Best Picture. The Artist won Best Picture and Undefeated won Best Documentary Film at the 2012 Academy Awards along with six others for TWC. They also own

For The Weinstein Company’s full description click here [1]

Top Competitors:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, Inc.

Miramax Film Corp.

Sony Pictures Classics [3]

Finances:

TWC has 1.6% of the market share and is the 9th highest studio. Between January 1, 2012 and December 2, 2012 it has grossed over $162.9 million and has released 17 films. They were the 8th highest studio in 2011 with 2.9% of the market share and an annual gross of $296.1 million. TWC is a privately owned, limited liability company. It does not publicly release its annual net revenue and is not publicly traded. [2]

Movies Today:

The Weinstein Company has over 100 movie titles. Its top grossing movie of all time was The King’s Speech which grossed $135,453,143 in 2011 with Inglorious Basterds grossing $120,540,719 in 2010. TWC took home 8 Academy Awards in 2012. The Artist and Undefeated are currently sold on Blu-Ray and DVD. Their most successful film of the 2012 box office was Lawless which grossed $37,400,127. [4]

TWC currently has many new releases. Silver Linings Playbook is its current big release starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert De Niro. It was directed by David O. Russell. The film is set in Philadelphia as Cooper’s character is released from a mental hospital. He quickly meets Lawrence’s character who is a young, crazy widow. They develop a relationship while training for a dance competition. [5]

Killing Them Softly is also one of their big releases. It is starring Brad Pitt. Pitt plays an enforcer hired to track down three guys who try to rob a mob protected card game. It has already grossed $8,575,010 since its November 30th release after being pushed back from its October release to be an Oscar contender.

[6]

Neither film topped the box office due to MGM‘s release of the James Bond movie Skyfall and Summit Entertainment‘s Breaking Dawn Part 2. Both grossed over $200 million.

Movies to be released:

Django Unchained is TWC’s next big release by Quentin Tarantino. It is set in 19th century America when slavery was still legal. A slave (Jamie Foxx) and a German bounty hunter (Chistroph Waltz) team up to find and rescue Foxx’s character’s wife whom Leonardo DiCaprio‘s character has captured. The film is set two years before the Civil War takes place in the American south. Django (Foxx) and Schultz (Waltz) must rescue Django’s wife from the Candyland Plantation. There is a lot of controversy around the film as it sheds light on slavery and the darkness of the Civil War era. [8]

Tarantino on the film’s controversy:

“When slave narratives are done on film, they tend to be historical with a capital H, with an arms-length quality to them. I wanted to break that history-under-glass aspect, I wanted to throw a rock through that glass and shatter it for all times, and take you into it.” [7]

The studio is also looking forward to the release of Quartet starring Maggie Smith and Michael Gambon and directed by Dustin Hoffman. Smith plays a diva who interrupts the lives of retired opera singers at a retirement home. The release date for the film is January 11th. [9]

The Los Angeles Times Review:

“Quartet” is very much a performance piece, which plays to Hoffman’s strength – as an actor he knows when to allow this excellent ensemble breathing room and when to tighten the belt.” [12]

Oscar Buzz 2013:

Silver Linings Playbook premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to flying colors. It could have multiple Oscar nods including Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Jennifer Lawrence snagged most of the buzz for Best Supporting Actress. Winning at age 22 could make her the youngest woman to win Best Actress. Robert De Niro could also get his first Oscar in over 20 years.

Killing Them Softly could also be an Oscar contender. Harvey Weinstein originally pushed the release date from October 19, 2012 to November so it would be good competition come Oscar season.

The Master, a period drama, has already generated many awards for best film and best actors/actresses. It stars Joaquin Phoenix as a naval veteran unsure of his future. [11]

“The Master” photo courtesy of google images

TWC has acquired the The Butler. “”The Butler” focuses on Eugene Allen (played by Academy Award winner Forrest Whitaker), a service worker at the White House through eight administrations. Oprah Winfrey plays Allen’s wife, while actors John Cusack, Alan Rickman, Robin Williams and James Marsden portray, respectively, former U.S. presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy.” [10]. Although filming has not yet been finished, there is much Oscar buzz around this story.

Weinstein on director Lee Daniels:

“Lee tells stories in a way no one else does. What struck me most about this story is the perspective it comes from, which in this case is the butler- a man who was a fly on the wall for decades in the world’s most powerful home. It takes an unbelievable cast like the one that’s in place to do this story justice, and we are proud to be given the chance to share this story with the world.” [13]

TWC in 2012:

December 4, 2012: Weinstein Co. To Produce Short Films Series With Lexus.

November 6, 2012: ‘Any Day Now’ and ‘Quartet’ share Audience Choice Award

October 18, 2012: A Wonderful ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ to open Philadelphia Film Festival

July 27, 2012: Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘Master’ moved to Sept. 14 and ‘Killing Them Softly’ to Oct. 19.

May 7, 2012: Weinstein Co. picks up rights to Dustin Hoffman’s ‘Quartet’.

April 6, 2012: PG-13 Rating Granted for ‘BULLY’ by MPAA without crucial cutting scene.

January, 2012: ‘The Reader’ Author Bernard Schlink sues Weinstein Co. Over Movie Profits.

January 11, 2012: ‘The Artist’ takes top honors at Globes.

Sources:

[1] The Weinstein Company http://weinsteinco.com/

[2] Box Office Mojo http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/?view=company&view2=yearly&yr=2012&p=.htm