By Losa Amara Meru
- Photo Courtesy of collider.com [a]
CBS Films was established in 2007. Located in Brentwood, Los Angeles, the feature film studio is dedicated to managing the development, financing, production, and marketing of quality motion pictures that span all genres. Currently, they release 4 – 6 movies each year. Their reach includes global distribution with partners as well as self-distributed titles in the US.
What sets CBS Films apart is the budget size of the movies they produce and acquire. The pictures they release cost under $50 million each; they aim to reach the middle ground in between expensive franchise films, low-budget experimental art films, and “genre” films.
Their tagline is “A feature film studio releasing quality films in all genres.”
To date, the studio currently has nine released pictures. [1] [2]
Social Media Contact
Key Executives
Wolfgang Hammer, Co-President
Photo Courtesy of 5dinstitute.org [b]
Terry Press, Co-President
Photo Courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com [c]
Financial Information
As CBS Films is a division of its parent company, CBS Corporation, there is no specific financial information available for the studio. However, financial information regarding CBS Corporation’s Entertainment division is available, which encompasses CBS Television Network, CBS Interactive, CBS Global Distribution, CBS Television Studios, and CBS Films.
Third Quarter Revenue (2013): $1.88 Billion
Third Quarter Revenue (2011): $1.63 Billion
Percent Increase (over 2 years): 15.3%
The growth in revenue from the Entertainment division has been positive due to the result of higher domestic licensing revenues, growth in network affiliation fees, the first-cycle availabilities of The Good Wife and NCIS: Los Angeles, and an increase in advertising revenues driven by the CBS Television Network. This positive growth allows CBS Films to have sufficient funds and resources to continue its quality film releases.
The chart below is indicative of CBS Corporation’s financial status as a whole (not just the Entertainment division). [5]
Photo Courtesy of money.cnn.com [d]
Current Film News
Last Vegas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvK3m0wJutI
[e]
On the weekend of November 1st, the movie “Last Vegas” starring Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, and Michael Douglas finished in 3rd place at the box office garnering $16,334,566 on a budget of $28 million. Currently, it is still doing well and has stayed in the top 5 weekend grossing movies since its release. To date, it has earned $46 million domestically.
“Last Vegas” has been received fondly by a wide audience. It received an “A-” on Cinemascore and has received nothing but compliments on how entertaining it was via CBS Film’s Twitter account. [5] [6]
Photo Courtesy of mrmovietimes.com [f]
According to a Huffington Post article, “Last Vegas” ranks as one of the “7 of the Best Movies for Grownups.” The article pointed out the fact that audiences over 50 accounted for 25% of all moviegoers and that that number continues to grow because “the boomer generation still really likes to go to theaters and see movies on the big screen.” According to data from the Motion Picture Association of America, the amount of post 50s adults watching movies increased by 1.6 million, a 25% increase from 2009-2012. This data points to the conclusion that CBS Films made a very smart move in creating a film with great star power, a good sized audience, and a timely release (near Thanksgiving). [7]
Inside Llewyn Davis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuQ8pz-5WLY
Photo Courtesy of impawards.com [h]
September 10th, 2013 – CBS Films recently acquired “The F Word,” an independent romantic comedy directed by Michael Dowse and starring Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, and Adam Driver. It was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and received mostly positive reviews. [5]
Sources
[1] http://cbsfilms.com/about/
[2] http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/11/business/la-fi-ct-cbsfilms11-2010jan11
[3] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1931533/
[4] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/terry-press-397478
[5] http://investors.cbscorporation.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99462&p=quarterlyearnings
[6] http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?view=&yr=2013&wknd=44&p=.htm
[8] http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/inside-llewyn-davis-cbs-films-acquisition-coen-brothers/
[9] http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5793044/nickel-creek-reunites-new-album-inside-llewyn-davis
[10] http://www.npr.org/2013/11/03/242103173/first-listen-soundtrack-inside-llewyn-davis
Multimedia Sources
[a] http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/cbs-films-slice.jpg
[b] http://5dinstitute.org/images/made/u/people/_web_optimized/WH-Headshot_sm_565_330_85_sha_s_c1.jpg
[c] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/2012/11/Terry_Press_a_p.jpg
[d] http://money.cnn.com/quote/quote.html?symb=CBS
[e] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvK3m0wJutI
[f] http://movietimes.s3.amazonaws.com/posters/las%20vegas%20movie%20times.jpg
[g] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuQ8pz-5WLY
[h] http://www.impawards.com/2013/posters/inside_llewyn_davis.jpg
