Universal Pictures

Posted on October 5, 2014 by jprooney

by John Rooney

Universal Pictures logo [17]

Location: 100 Universal Plaza, Universal City, California 91608

Web: http://www.universalpictures.com

History

Universal Pictures, Inc. was founded in 1912 by filmmaking partners Carl Laemmle and Robert Cochrane. As the oldest American film studio, Universal maintains its status as a powerhouse in the world of movie production and distribution. The studio is part of NBCUniversal, which is altogether owned by Comcast. [1] In its over one-hundred years of history, the studio has produced dozens of beloved classics such as Jurassic Park, E.T. and Jaws.

Key Executives [2]

Donna Langley, Chairman, Universal Pictures

Donna Langley, Chairman Universal Pictures [2]

Promoted to chairman in September of 2013, Langley has the task of overseeing all film production for Universal Pictures and Focus Features.

Jeff Shell, Chairman, Universal Filmed Entertainment

Jeff Shell, Chairman,
Universal Filmed Entertainment [2]

Shell took over in September of 2013. He came from Comcast, where he previously was the head of Universal International. He is in charge of worldwide operations for the film studio.

Ron Meyer, Vice Chairman, NBCUniversal

Ron Meyer – www.nbcumv.com [2]

Also appointed in September of 2013, Meyer’s job is to oversee all operations and planning for the company from films to theme parks.

Finances

Universal finished 2013 in third place in terms of revenue, just behind Warner Brothers and Disney. The studio also saw its largest worldwide revenue ever, $3.67 billion ($1.42 billion domestic, $2.25 billion international). This was a considerable increase from the $3.13 billion the studio made in 2012. Films such as Identity Thief, The Purge, and Mama helped the studio achieve such success. [3]

In 2013, Universal broke the $2 billion revenue mark in the international market for the first time ever. Fast & Furious 6, another huge film for Universal, opened at number one in 65 international territories and gave the studio it biggest opening weekend ever. Other films such as Despicable Me 2 and Oblivion helped throw Universal into the global spotlight. [4]

Competition

For years, some of Universal’s main competition has been other large film studios such as Disney, Warner Brothers, Fox, and CBS. [5] However, another large area of competition for Universal and other film companies is movie and TV streaming software such as Netflix and Hulu. A consumers ability to stream content online from a subscribed service is sure to hurt DVD sales. Additionally, online streaming companies have been making all sorts of business ventures in order to create and sell their own original content. [6]

Recent Film Releases

Neighbors

Neighbors [7]

An R-rated comedy from Good Universe, Neighbors is a hilarious account of a young husband and father’s struggles to peacefully coexist with a reckless group of fraternity brothers. The film stars Seth Rogen and Zac Efron, with Rose Byrne and Dave Franco in supporting roles. It was directed by Nicholas Stoller, who is famous for other projects such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to The Greek. The film received positive reviews for the most part, earning a 73% from the top critics at “Rotten Tomatoes”. [7]

The movie opened on May 9, 2014. It saw a successful first weekend with opening revenue at about $49 million. The film raked in about $150 million domestically and $180 million internationally, with a total gross of over $286 million. [8]

The Purge: Anarchy

The Purge: Anarchy [9]

A sequel to the 2013 thriller The Purge, The Purge: Anarchy follows a group of diner employees as they fight to survive the annual “Purge”, a night where all crime is legal across America. Written and directed by James DeMonaco, the film stars Frank Grillo, Kiele Sanchez, and Zach Gilford. The film received mixed reviews, with critic’s complaints focused mainly on flaws in the writing. [9]

The film was released on July 18, 2014 and saw an opening weekend revenue of nearly $30 million. It earned nearly $72 million domestically and about $38 million internationally, for a total of almost $111 million in revenue. In comparison to its predecessor, The Purge: Anarchy did not open as strongly, but earned about $22 million more in total revenue. [10]

Dumb and Dumber To

Dumb Dumber To [11]

The long awaited sequel to the 1994 Farrelly Brothers comedy Dumb and Dumber, Dumb and Dumber To presents the mindless antics of Harry and Lloyd once again as they set out on a mission to find Harry’s daughter. The film stars the comedy duo of Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels and was directed by J.B. Rodgers and Bobby Farrelly. The movie has not fared very well with critics in its first two weeks, with many saying that its brand of humor is not as fun and fresh as it used to be. [11]

The first Dumb and Dumber was wildly successful for Universal, snagging over $247 million worldwide. It’s prequel Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd was a huge box office flop, earning just over $39 million. Universal has commonly found success in sequels and film franchises. Dumb and Dumber To opened on November 14, 2014 in 3,154 theaters with an opening revenue of just over $36 million, giving it the #1 spot for the weekend. Thus far the film has made $67 million in the U.S. and $20 million in the international box office, adding up for a total of almost $88 million. [12]

What’s Next From Universal Pictures

Fifty Shades of Grey

50 Shades of Grey [13]

Based on the wildly popular romance novel of the same name, Fifty Shades of Grey tells the story of the masochistic relationship between a wealthy business man and one of his young female employees. The movie stars James Dornan and Dakota Johnson and is directed by Sam Taylor-Wood. The Focus Features film has completed production, and it set to make its wide release on February 13, 2015. [13]

Jurassic World

Jurassic World [14]

Universal hopes to continue its trend of successful sequels and film franchises with Jurassic World, the fourth installment of the Jurassic Park series. It will be starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, with Colin Trevorrow as director and Steven Spielberg as executive producer. The film has been in development since 2001, and was originally set to be called Jurassic Park IV. Shooting began last April in locations such as Hawaii and New Orleans. The movie is currently in post-production and editing, and is set to release on June 12, 2015. [14]

Warcraft

Warcraft Poster [15]

In 2016, Universal will be adapting a video game to film for the first time in its history. Based on World of Warcraft, an immensely popular online gaming program, Warcraft is set to be an epic fantasy tale of good versus evil. The film has been in development since 2006 and is currently in production. British film star Toby Kebbel and Paula Patton have been casted as two of the lead roles. The movie will have its wide release on March 11, 2016. [15]

Steve Jobs Biography Film

On November 25, 2014, Universal bought the rights from Sony Corporation to produce a biography film on Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs. It all be based on a biography by author Walter Isaacson entitled “Steve Jobs”. [16]

References

[1] http://www.history.com/news/the-renegade-roots-of-hollywood-studios

[2] http://deadline.com/2013/09/shocker-adam-fogelson-out-in-universal-shakeup-582309/

[3]http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/studio-smackdown-2013-warner-bros-668302

[4] http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/109124-universal-pictures-crosses-2b-mark-at-the-overseas-box-office-for-the-first-time

[5] http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/competition.Universal_Studios_Inc.7a0e7231fca927ed.html

[6] http://money.cnn.com/2011/07/08/technology/netflix_starz_contract/

[7] http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/neighbors_2014/

[8] http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=townies.htm

[9] http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_purge_anarchy_2014/?search=the%20purge%20anarchy

[10] http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=purge2.htm

[11] http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dumb_and_dumber_to/

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

[13] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2322441/

[14] http://www.jurassicworld.org

[15] http://www.warcraft-themovie.com

[16] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-25/universal-pictures-acquires-jobs-film-from-sony-corp.html

[17] http://www.universalpictures.com

Focus Features

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Daniel Fabi

By Dan Fabi

Focus Features Logo courtesy of FocusFeatures.com

Locations

LOS ANGELES OFFICE

100 Universal City Plaza

Universal City, CA 91608

NEW YORK OFFICE

65 Bleecker Street – 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10012

INTERNATIONAL OFFICE

26 Aybrook Street

London W1U 4AN

United Kingdom

History

Focus Features is a subdivision of NBCUniversal, which primarily specializes in art films aimed at niche markets rather than mass market audiences [1]. Focus Features allows the directors of the films they produce to have a final say in the editing room to produce the film that they had initially envisioned, creating a successful brand of art house films [2]. Last year, the company celebrated its ten-year anniversary after being established in May 2002 through the merger of USA Films and Good Machine. Focus’s first widely released film was The Pianist, which received three Academy Awards for best actor, best director, and best adapted screenplay [3].

Adrien Brody wins the Oscar for best Actor in "The Pianist" (2002)

Photo Courtesy of the Associatedv Press

Key Executives

James Schamus
Photo Courtesy of news.uchicago.edu

James Schamus, Founder and Outgoing CEO

Prior to forming Focus Features, James Schamus was the co-president of production company Good Machine, which he founded in 1991. Eleven years later, Schamus merged with USA Films to create Focus Features. Schamus is also an Academy Award nominee, receiving screenwriting and original score nominations for his work on Good Machine’s Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon [4].

Peter Schlessel
Photo Courtesy of Deadline.com

Peter Schlessel, Incoming CEO

Formerly, Schlessel had founded FilmDistrict and was President for GK Films. GK has produced films such as Argo, Hugo, and World War Z. In January 2014, Schlessel’s term as Focus Features’ CEO will commence [5].

Andrew Karpen
Photo Courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com

Andrew Karpen, Outgoing Co-CEO

Karpen joined the Focus Features executive team over a year after it formed as the company’s COO. In May 2013, he was promoted to co-CEO. As Co-CEO, Karpen controlled Focus’s domestic and international activities. Before joining Focus Features, Karpen was Senior Vice President, finance of Oxygen Media, another subsidiary of NBCUniversal [6].

Adrian Alperovich
Photo Courtesy of homemediamagazine.com

Adrian Alperovich, Incoming COO

In May 2012, Alperovich was appointed Chief Operating Officer of FilmDistrict. Alperovich has been appointed to retain the title as his production company is absorbed by Focus. In January 2014, Alperovich’s term as Focus Features’ COO will commence [7].

Robert T. Gibson
Photo Courtesy of stage.nbcuni.com

Robert T. Gibson, CFO and Senior VP, Finance

In Mid-2004, Gibson joined Focus Features as Director, Finance and Strategic Planning. In 2009, he was appointed the company’s CFO. Gibson will follow the relocating of Focus Features headquarters to Los Angeles after previously being based in the company’s east coast offices [8].

Financials

In 2005, Focus Features released its highest grossing film, Brokeback Mountain. The film grossed over $83 million and received Oscars for best director, best adapted screenplay, and best original score [9]. In 2013 thus far, Focus has released six films, gaining a gross profit of $86.4 million. In 2012, the company received a gross profit of $131.2 million from eight films. By November of 2012, the company’s total gross from the six films they released was $109.1 million, most of which came from animated blockbuster film, Paranorman, with a total gross of over $56 million. From November 2012 to November 2013, Focus Features has seen a 21% drop in total gross [10].

Restructure

On October 1^st, 2013, Universal Pictures announced a restructuring of Focus Features caused by the production company’s owner, Comcast. Focus absorbed FilmDistrict and appointed many of the members of FilmDistrict’s production team. Peter Schlessel will replace James Schamus as the new CEO. Other transferring executives include Adrian Alperovich, former COO of FilmDistrict and incoming COO for Focus. After given the opportunity to relocate to Focus Features’ new headquarters in Los Angeles, former co-CEO of Focus, Andrew Karpen, chose to remain in New York City with his family [11].

Photo Courtesy of FilmDistrict

The reconstruction of Focus Features was meant to strengthen the company’s commercial competition with their rivals, some of which include DreamWorks Studios, Lions Gate Entertainment, and The Independent Film Channel LLC. By restructuring the company, Focus Features will begin producing films with more commercial potential [12].

Alison Thompson, head of Focus Features International

Alison Thompson
Photo Courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com

Along with the reconstruction of the executive team, the New York offices of Focus Features will be closed at an unspecified date and business will continue on the west coast [13]. On December 31^st, 2013, Focus Features International is set to close its headquarters. Alison Thompson, co-president of Focus International, will continue to run the department of Focus Features from outside of its London headquarters. The announcement has jolted the American Film Market, a major buyer of Focus International [14] [15].

Recent Film Releases

Dallas Buyers Club

Photo courtesy of critic.de

On November 1^st, Focus Features released the film Dallas Buyers Club to several select cities. The film tells the true story of a severely homophobic man, Ron Woodroof whom in 1985 is diagnosed with HIV, a disease he believed only homosexuals could catch. He then teams up with a group to form a “buyers club;” a group dedicated to purchasing medicines that they could not obtain in the United States. The film is rated R for profanity, violence, and nudity [17].

Photo Courtesy of UPI/Christine Chew

Due to it’s limited release, the film opened in nine theaters and gained $350,000 in its first week. As of November 17^th, the film has made about $3 million domestically. The film is directed by Jean-Marc Vallee and is starring Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner [18]. The film has gained much attention for its informational portrayal of the HIV virus as well as its groundbreaking performances by the lead actors. Lead actors McConaughey and Leto have been predicted for Oscar nominations by some of the industry’s top critics.[19].

The World’s End

Photo Courtesy of reggiestake.com

On August 23^rd, 2013, Focus released one of its highest grossing films of the 2013 fiscal year thus far called The World’s End. In it, a team of friends retries their “pub crawl” attempt, which they had failed 20 years earlier. The crawl involves twelve pubs in which each member must complete a pint of beer before they can move onto the next. The final pub, “The World’s End,” is the ultimate destination and one that the group failed to reach 20 years ago. Gary King, played by Simon Pegg, leads his team to the ultimate goal until they find that humankind is at stake [20].

Blu-Ray package Edgar Wright's Cornetto Trilogy box set

Photo Courtesy of edgarwrighthere.com

The film was largely anticipated largely due to the reunion of the famed team of Director Edgar Wright and actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. The three have worked together on two previous films, Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007) [21]. The World’s End is the final installment of what’s known as the “Cornetto trilogy” due to the films’ ever-present color schemes that relate to some of the company’s ice cream flavors.

Upcoming Film Releases

Fifty Shades of Grey

Photo Courtesy of Amazon.com

In May 2011, the novel Fifty Shades of Grey was released and immediately became a widespread smash. Focus Features subsequently picked up the movie rights to the series for $5 million. The film has an estimated budget of around $40 million [22].

The film (and book) is about literature student Anastasia Steele who through a business interview meets billionaire entrepreneur Christian Grey. The man, who is tormented by his inner demons, explores an intimate relationship with Steele. The two launch into graphic and descriptive bouts of sexual fantasy [23].

Entertainment Weekly cover for the stars of "Fifty Shades of Grey," Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson

Photo Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly

Fifty Shades of Grey has been a large topic of conversation in the media and one whose details have been kept hidden. There have been numerous rumors of casting and some announcements of cast dropouts. Pacific Rim actor Charlie Hunnam announced that he was dropping out from being the title character, Christian Grey. Since then, Jamie Dornan has been hired, an actor who has appeared in Marie Antoinette and the ABC show Once Upon a Time [24].

Sources

[1] Focus Features Description

[2] Ten Years of Focus Features Anniversary Video

[3] The Pianist Film Awards

[4] James Schamus Bio

[5] Focus Features to Absorb FilmDistrict

[6] Andrew Karpen Bio

[7] FilmDistrict Names Three New Marketing Executives

[8] Robert T. Gibson Bio

[9] Brokeback Mountain Film Awards

[10] Box Office Mojo – Focus Features All Time

[11] Focus Features Brings in Majority of FilmDistrict Team Post Shake-Up

[12] Focus Features Hoovers Profile

[13] Focus Features New York Office to Close

[14] Focus Features International Will Close Doors Dec. 31

[15] AFM Adjusts to Life After Focus Features Int’l

[16] Box Office Mojo – Focus Features Future Releases

[17] IMDb – Dallas Buyers Club

[18] Box Office Mojo – Dallas Buyers Club

[19] Rotten Tomatoes – Dallas Buyers Club

[20] IMDb – The World’s End Plot Summary

[21] IMDb – Edgar Wright

[22] Fifty Shades of Grey Film Facts

[23] Fifty Shades of Grey Plot Summary

[24] Fifty Shades of Grey Casting

Universal Pictures

Aside

by [Bobby O'Brien]

Universal Pictures Logo [1]

Overview & History

Universal Pictures, a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is considered one of the planet’s most renowned film studios. For nearly a century the company has produced academy award winning films and culture shaping content. Over the past 6 months, Universal Picture’s tradition of excellence has continued. Since June 29th 2012, Universal Pictures has released 5 major motion pictures. Of these films, 4 have placed within the top 70 grossing films of 2012, and 3 have placed within the top 50. These five films have accumulated a combined gross product of $442, 317, 963. [2]

Carl Laemmle [4]

In 1915, German-American Film pioneer, Carl Laemmle, founded Universal Studios with the help of Abe and Julius Stern. The trio constructed two movie sets on a former chicken farm in Los Angeles California. Ninety-eight years later, 100 Universal City Plaza Drive in Los Angeles California remains the home of Universal Studios. [3] Today Universal Pictures is spearheaded by several accomplished and capable leaders, including James Schamus, Jimmy Horowitz, Cindy Gardner, Adam Fogelson, and Rick Finkelstein.

Executives

James Schamus [6]

James Schamus is the Chief Executive Officer of Universal Pictures. He has held the position since May of 2006. Schamus also serves as the Co-President of Focus Features, a sister company of Universal Pictures. [5]

In May of 2010, Jimmy Horowitz was named president of Universal Pictures. Horowitz manages day to day business operations for the studio and serves as a key member for Universal’s senior management team. He has worked for Universal for more than 18 years. [7]

Cindy Gardner has served as Universal Studio’s Senior Vice President since September 2005. Gardner is responsible for the company’s media relations, issues management, philanthropy, and special events. [8]

Adam Fogelson has held the title of Chairman of Universal Pictures since October of 2009. He oversees worldwide operations for the motion pictures group. Projects that Fogelson has worked on include American Pie, Knocked Up, and Erin Brockovich. [9]

Rick Finkelstein serves as Universal Pictures Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer. This Jerry Seinfeld-look-alike oversees Universal Picture’s worldwide home entertainment and television distribution. [10]

Recent News

September:

September 7th, 2012

The Street has recently informed the public of Universal Pictures plans to release Pitch Perfect, a musical comedy staring Anna Kendrick, on Friday September 28th, one week earlier than its scheduled premiere on October 5th. The film’s wide release is set to remain on its prior date, however select theaters in North America will have an opportunity to see it ahead of time. The limited release was constructed following positive feedback from early screening moviegoers. Universal Pictures feels that Pitch Perfect has a reliable and sturdy target audience that is eager for the film’s release. To some surprise, Universal Pictures has promoted Pitch Perfect with “the most extensive screening campaign in the studios history.” [11]

September 25th, 2012

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Universal Pictures has set a record for the “highest grossing-year domestically in the studio’s 100 year history”. On Monday September 24th, the studio surpassed the previous record of $1.27 billion set in 2008. More than a third of the studio’s gross product came from The Lorax and Ted, acquiring a combined $432 million. This ground-breaking news comes before the release of four major Universal Pictures’ films, including Pitch Perfect, The Man WIth the Iron Fists, This is 40, and Les Miserables. Universal Pictures is on track to shatter its 2008 record. Perhaps it will be far more than four years before the record of 2012 will be broken. [12]

October:

October 29th, 2012

According to Variety, Universal Pictures has alas acquired the rights to Subdivision. The sci-fi comedy written by Morgan Jugerson and Alex Ankeles will be produced by Justin Lin and Elaine Chin. All involved in the deal have been sure to keep the

Fast Five [16]

premise under wraps. Lin may be remembered for his recent success associated with Fast Five, a film he produced that was released in April of 2011. Universal’s VP of production, Kristin Lowe, will oversee the project. Unfortunately, a feasible release date for the film has yet to be determined. [13]

October 31st, 2012

PR Newswire has reported that Universal Pictures will release its Despicable Me 2, trailer on iTunes today. The occurrence marks the first time that the studio has released a trailer on iTunes with international versions available within the same 24 hour period. This development perhaps illustrates the studio’s continued technological and global advancements. Despicable Me 2 hits theaters on July 3rd 2013. [14] Universal will attempt to play off of the success of Despicable Me, which raked in a total domestic gross of $251,513,985 in the summer of 2010. [15] Look for Despicable Me 2 to make a big splash this summer.

November:

November 12th, 2012

The Hartford Courant has recently reminded us that, November 15th, 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking premiere of To Kill a Mocking Bird. Universal

To Kill A Mockingbird [18]

Pictures’ adaptation of Harper Lee‘s novel will be re-released on Thursday, November 15th in select theaters. The 1962 film won Gregory Peck an Oscar for his portrayal of Atticus Finch. It will forever be remembered as an American classic. [17]

November 13th, 2012

At 9 a.m. pacific standard time, the Los Angeles Times reported a story that is sure to shake up the film industry. According to the newspaper, Michael Eisner‘s Tornante Co. has finalized a distribution deal with Universal Pictures. The multiyear deal will lead Universal Pictures to market and distribute movies financed by Tornante. Eisner is the former Chief Executive Officer of the Walt Disney Company. In an attempt to “return to his roots” of moviemaking Eisner looks to take advantage of the industry’s lack of original stories. He hopes that the first of Tornante’s feature films will be released no later than early 2014. In a time when the film industry is cluttered with sequels and remakes, it is encouraging to hear of an opportunity for new and original content. With the money and support of Universal Pictures, Tornante Co., is likely to become a household name in Hollywood. [19]

November 29th 2012

In March of 2012 Universal Pictures Spent $5 million to acquire the movie rights of Fifty Shades of Grey, the best selling novel written by E.L. James. The Hollywood Reporter has released a story stating that Universal pictures has recently filed a lawsuit against Smash Pictures and director James Lane, who have recently finished producing Fifty Shades of Grey: A XXX Adaptation. Luv Moves a distribution company that packaged and allocated DVD’s of the porn parody has also been targeted in the lawsuit. Universal Picture’s and Fifty Shades Ltd. are requesting an injunction and further monetary damage. [20]

December

December 4th 2012

Universal Picture’s Les Miserables, is one of the most highly anticipated films of 2012. Set to be released on Christmas day, the musical starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathawayis due for a strong opening weekend and perhaps some

Les Miserables [21]

recognition from the academy. The Sacramento Bee has reported an announcement from Universal Pictures, stating that the film will be “digitally remastered into the immersive IMAX format” and released in IMAX theaters worldwide. The film will be released in IMAX theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Montreal on December 25th. Those abroad will have to wait until January 10th for the film’s IMAX release. Greg Foster, the President of IMAX entertainment, stated that Les Miserables “lends itself perfectly to the IMAX Experience”. The IMAX release of Les Miserables is sure to amplify the buzz surrounding the movie and its premiere. The second format option and increase in screens may lead to a tremendous financial success. [22]

Future

The upcoming winter and remainder of 2012 appears to be promising for Universal Pictures. On December 21st 2012, This is 40, a film written and directed by Judd Apatow, will be widely released in North America. The highly anticipated Les Miserables, will premiere on Christmas day and the Osama Bin Laden murder thriller, Zero Dark Thirty, will be released two and a half weeks later. A fitting end to a record-setting year seems to be in store for Universal Pictures.

Sources:

[1] Universal Pictures’ Twitter Account; https://twitter.com/UniversalEnt

[2] Box Office Mojo; 2012; http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2012&p=.htm

[3] U.S. History: Universal Studios; http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h3086.html

[4] Silent Hollywood; http://silenthollywood.com/carllaemmle.html

[5] Bloomberg Business Week; http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=2144227&privcapId=2092219&previousCapId=804881&previousTitle=Universal%20Studios,%20Inc.

[6] IMBD; James Schamus; http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0770005/

[7] NBC Universal Website; Executives; Jimmy Horowitz; http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/executive/universal-pictures/jimmy-horowitz/

[8] NBC Universal Website; Executives; Cindy Gardner http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/communication-lead/universal-pictures/cindy-gardner/

[9] NBC Universal Website; Executives; Adam Fogelson http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/senior-corporate-executives/universal-pictures/adam-fogelson/

[10] NBC Universal Website; Executives; Rick Finkelstein http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/executive/universal-pictures/rick-finkelstein/

[11] PR Newswire; The Street; http://www.thestreet.com/story/11689878/1/universal-pictures-to-release-pitch-perfect-in-select-theaters-on-friday-september-28-2012.html