Universal Pictures

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Yeagee Jung

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608

www.universalstudios.com

HISTORY

Universal Studios was founded by Carl Laemmle, Mark Dintenfass, Charles O. Baumann, Adam Kessel, Pat Powers, William Swanson, David Horsley, Robert H. Cochrane and Jules Brulatour. Following the boom of film studios of the time, Universal Studios became a vertically integrated company, linking movie production, exhibition, and distribution all into one corporate entity. Universal ranks among the “Big Six” film studios and is a subsidiary of NBC Universal who indirectly belong to Comcast, a huge media conglomerate. They’ve produced films such as Jurassic World which grossed at $651,926,506 making it the fourth highest grossing film of all time domestically and worldwide [15].

KEY EXECUTIVES

—Donna Langley, Chairman, Universal Pictures – Source: Forbes [16]

—Jeff Shell, Chairman (Filmed Entertainment), Universal Pictures – Source: BBG [17]

FINANCIALS

While Universal Studios is a privately traded company, Comcast is its parent company and they are publicly traded. In the most recent quarterly report, Universal cited a revenue increase of 25.8% to $1.6 billion compared to $1.3 billion in the previous year. There was a 74.9% increase in home entertainment revenue drive by the strong performances of Jurassic World and the Minions and Universal has cited an upward trend of revenue into the 2016 year. Earnings per share increased 6.8% with the value being held at $0.79 compared to the $0.74 reported in the fourth quarter of the previous year [7].Universal Studios is currently 5th place in terms of top grossing film companies with a market share of 7.7% and a total gross of $252.4 billion [12]. They hold an average of $36,054,255 per release for its 7 releases so far in 2016. Their top grossing release is Ride Along 2 which cited a total gross of $90,862,685 which exceeded their budget of $40 million [11]. Universal Studios is planning 15 releases for the rest of the 2016 year with the genres being split roughly in half between comedy and horror [13].

IN THEATERS

—The Boss (2016) [19]

The Boss

The Boss is another one of Melissa McCarthy’s slapstick style comedy movies and was released on April 8th, 2016. The opening weekend of The Boss beat out Batman V Superman by a mere $45,000 proving McCarthy’s star power as a movie she stars in tops another $20+ million opener. The movie opened its weekend with a total gross of $23.48 million with a reported budget of $29 million [1]. The second weekend saw a larger-than-expected 57.8% drop, but still remained in the top five grossing movies that week. The longevity of the movie may extend a little more seeing as the next R-rated comedy doesn’t release until around late May with Neighbors 2 [3].

—The Huntsman: Winter’s War (2016) [20]

The Huntsman: Winter’s War

The sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman, which grossed a total of $396.6 billion, called The Huntsman: Winter’s War was released on April 22, 2016. It charted at number 2 behind Jungle Book, even though Jungle Book was in its second week of circulation [2]. The Huntsman: Winter’s War earned a total of $20,080,000 in its opening weekend domestically and $80,200,000 internationally, proving the series popularity in the foreign market. With an estimated budget of $20 million, it brought in approximately 36% of the opening weekend total of its predecessor. The audience skewed 61% female and 39% male with 47% of the audience being over the age of 30. Comparatively, Snow White and the Huntsman attracted a much more evenly distributed gendered audience with about 53% of them being female [14]. Looking forward, it’s unlikely that the movie will reach an overall domestic cume of $55-60 million off their reported budget of $115 million.

SPRING/SUMMER 2016 RELEASES

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is an R-rated comedy sequel to the popular Neighbors movie starring Zac Efron and Seth Rogen. Director Nicholas Stoller has said that the sequel was actually inspired by “Toy Story 2“. The film has a bigger budget than the previous one and is expected to focus of different aspects of college greek life. The movie is slated for release on May 20, 2016 [23].

The Purge: Election Year

The Purge: Election Year is also another movie in the series of Purge movies slated for release on July 1, 2016. The movie is third in the series and will follow Senator Charlene Roan played by Elizabeth Mitchell and her head of security Leo Barnes played by Frank Grillo as they escape those looking to kill them for the night. Director of the first two films, James DeMonaco, has agreed to return to direct this third installment [22].

FUTURE FOR UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Following competition from other big name companies like Paramount and Warner Bros, Universal Pictures has invested into turning a selection of its movies in 4K Ultra HD this summer. The upcoming Warcraft and Jason Bourne movies will pioneer the format along with UHD versions of Everest, Lucy, and Lone Survivor [6]. The home entertainment movie sector will offer an enhanced selection of new release and catalog titles mastered in Dolby Vision™ and plans to makes all titles available in 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray and 4K Ultra HD digital formats by the end of 2016 [8].

—Jurassic World 2 teaser poster [18]

In terms of future releases, Universal will be continuing on the success of Jurassic World, the movie that brought in $1.6 billion dollars, and produce the sequel which has a release date of June 22, 2018. The director for the sequel was just announced on April 18th, 2016, to be J.A. Bayona, a Spanish filmmaker who make a name for himself through his tsunami drama The Impossible [5]. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, the stars of Jurassic World, are expected to reprise their roles for the follow-up film.

The Chinese media company, Perfect World Pictures, announced their plan to co-finance up to 50 movies, or movies for a time span of five years, for $500 million with Universal Pictures in an effort to diversify into the English-language film sector [4]. The president, Rong Chen, stated that an even larger phase of investment into Hollywood will follow the deal with Universal this year. Sources familiar with the deal states that Perfect World’s investment would get it a 25% share of most, but not all, of the films released by Universal [9]. This marks the first time a non-state-owned enterprise entertainment company from China will be working directly with a major U.S. studio. In addition, this will be the first time a Chinese company will invest in a multi-year deal with a major U.S. studio [10].

SOURCES

[1] Brevet, Brad (April 10, 2016) Melissa McCarthy’s ‘The Boss’ Narrowly Tops ‘Batman V Superman’ for Weekend #1. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 23rd, 2016.

[2] Mendelson, Scott (April 24, 2016) Weekend Box Office: ‘The Huntsman’Opens 64% Lower Than ‘Snow White And The Huntsman.’ Forbes. Retrieved April 25rd, 2016.

[3] Brevet, Brad (April 21, 2016) ‘Jungle Book’ To Repeat at #1 Over ‘The Huntsman: Winter’s War.’ Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 23rd, 2016.

[4] Brzeski, Patrick (April 21, 2016) China Exec Who Put $500M Into Universal Pictures Says “More To Come.” The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 23rd, 2016.

[5] Kit, Borys (April 18th, 2016) ‘Jurassic World’ Sequel Finds Its Director. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 23rd, 2016.

[6] Palladino, Valentina (April 20th, 2016) Universal Pictures to release 4K Blu-ray movies, starting with Jason Bourne. ArsTechnica. Retrieved April 23rd, 2016.

[7] Comcast Fourth Quarter 2015. Comcast. Retrieved April 23rd, 2016.

[8] Unknown (April 19th, 2016) Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Unveils First 4K Ultra High Definition Offerings. PR Newswire. Retrieved April 23rd, 2016.

[9] Faughnder, Ryan (February 17, 2016) China’s Perfect World invest up to $450 million in Universal film slate. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 23rd, 2016.

[10] Petski, Denise (February 17th, 2016) Universal & China’s Perfect World Confirm 50 Film Funding Deal. Deadline. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[11] Ride Along 2. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[12] Studio Market Share. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[13] Box Office by Studio: Universal. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[14] Brevet, Brad (April 24, 2016) ‘Jungle Book’ Repeats, ‘Huntsman’ Falls On His Axe and ‘Zootopia’ Tops $900M Worldwide. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[15] Universal Studios. Comcast. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[16] Donna Langley. Forbes. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[17] Jeff Shell. BBG. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[18] Jurassic World Sequel Teaser. Twitter. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[19] The Boss. IMDB. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[20] The Huntsman: Winters War. IMDB. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[21] Youtube: Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising. Youtube. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[22] Youtube: The Purge: Election Year. Youtube. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

[23] Jogwar, Sangati (April 13, 2016) ‘NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING’ INSPIRED FROM ‘TOY STORY 2’ AND ‘MAD MAX.’ Movienewsguide. Retrieved April 25th, 2016.

Focus Features

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Tianjia Zhang

Focus Features

[21] Focus Features Logo

Corporate Offices

LOS ANGELES OFFICE

1540 2nd St #200

Santa Monica, CA 90401

NEW YORK CITY OFFICE

c/o NBCUniversal

30 Rockefeller Plaza

Building 5TS – 10th Floor

New York, NY 10112Phone: (818) 777-8738
Fax: (818) 866-4579

http://www.focusfeatures.com

Key Executives

[19] Peter Kujawski, Chairman

[20] Robert Walak, President

About

Focus Features is an art film production and distribution subsidiary of Universal Pictures/NBCUniversal under Comcast Corporation. Focus and Universal Pictures together compose the film department of Universal Studios. [1] Merged of Universal Focus, USA Films and Good Machine on 2002, the company is moving forward with diverse ranges of film genres as well as releasing appealing to filmmakers. [2] Some of the most successful films of Focus includes Brokeback Mountain (2005), which earns $83 million domestically and $95 million from foreign markets, Burn After Reading (2008), which earns $163.7 million in worldwide film revenue, and the recent hit London has Fallen (2016) with a worldwide gross $182 million is one of the most selling features of Focus. Focus also participates in other good-reviewing features like The Danish Girl (2015), The Theory of Everything (2014), Pride and Prejudice (2003) and etc. [3]

Financials

Although Focus Features does not have a separate financial report from its parent company, the first quarter of 2016 is not a bad start for Focus. With four new 2016 releases and two 2015 ones (Suffragette and The Danish Girl still in theaters), Focus earned $120.2 million and bumped up the ranking on the top grossing film studios to the sixth place with a 3.7% market share up dated to April 17. [4] Focus Features and Universal together earned $372.8 million for their parent company with a market shared of 11.4%. Focus has already made up the gap comparing to 2015 with 728.1% more grossing this time. [5]

Leadership Changes

Focus Features has some breaking news in its major management shakeup this year.

Universal Pictures International Production (UPIP) is merging with Focus Features under Focus’ banner. The company’s former CEO Peter Schlessel, who replaced founder James Schamus in 2013, exited his position on April 1 as part of a drastic housecleaning by Universal Pictures. Current Focus COO Adrian Alperovich, Marketing President Christine Birch and President of Acquisitions Lia Buman will also be exiting Focus Features in April.[6] This merging is an attempt to make the unit more global and artistically relevant after a couple of awards-season pictures such as “The Danish Girl” and “Suffragette” collapsed at the box office. Universal depicted the move as “combining the resources of Universal Pictures International Productions with the highly respected creative legacy of Focus Features,” in order to “grow the specialty film sector both domestically and around the world.” The announcement came from Universal Pictures Chairman Donna Langley. [7] “Peter Schlemiel of Focus Features to Exit as CEO After Universal Pictures International Merger”

Peter Schlessel oversaw the release of the division’s upcoming releases of Race, London Has Fallen and The Young Messiah before his departure. Peter Kujawski, the formal managing director of Universal Pictures International Productions, became the chairman of of Focus Features that combined UPIP and Focus. Under his leadership, UPIP acquired rights to hugely successful films, including The Wolf of Wall Street, Room, which Universal released in select territories. UPIP Co-Managing Director Robert Walak, who came to Universal after serving as Managing Director Europe/President Production, Acquisitions and Television at The Weinstein Company, Alliance Films, where he led some great acquisitions, including Carol, The King’s Speech, Paddington and The Imitation Game, became Universal Pictures’ Executive Vice President of Film Strategy. Abhijay Prakash, joined Focus as Chief Operating Officer. [6][8]

Last year, only four Focus releases took in more than $10 million at the box office, while other studios began to play in the specialty film space. Focus is losing audience to its competitors like STX Entertainment, armed with financial backing from Chinese private-equity firm Hony Capital, Broad Green, fueled by mutual fund billionaire Gabriel Hammond, Fox Searchlight, intended in making films that can cross over beyond the art and international borders.[6]

“The independent world has been squeezed in the last ten years,” said Jason Squire, a professor at USC. “The question is whether Focus will continue to be an independent-style studio or will it fade?” [6]

Current News & Releases

Focus has released four new films during this semester time, including the second film of London vs Olympus series London has Fallen, horror movie The Forest, sports drama Race, and a Christian film The Young Messiah. The four new films together earned $113 million domestically. [10]

[9] London Has Fallen’ image courtesy of Focus Features

London Has Fallen, on a $60 budget, opened with just $22 million and bumped to $62m domestically. With the help from strong overseas which has made 66% of its box office, especially from China (where it has earned $45m and is still in theaters), the film’s worldwide total is now $182m. [9]

While London has Fallen brings Focus great possibilities, The Forest (closed with $26.6m) earned $16m more than its budget, The Young Messiah (closed on April 21, $6.4 million), Race (closed on April 21, $19 million) are doing ok under the studio’s expectation. [10]

[11] Alicia Vikander Winning Oscar for Best Supporting Actress

During the Award season, Alicia Vikander wins Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in Focus’s The Danish Girl, a remarkable love story inspired by the real lives of Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener (Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne [“The Theory of Everything”] and Alicia Vikander [“Ex Machina”]), directed by Academy Award winner Tom Hooper (“The King’s Speech,” “Les Misérables”). [11]

Focus Future Releases

Following the upcoming release of an animation Ratchet & Clark on April 29, Focus has six new films in 2016. [12]

[17] Kubo and the Two Strings Poster

Laika and Focus Features are teaming again on Kubo And The Two Strings after their Oscar-nominated animation The Boxtrolls. the first film under Laika and the studio’s three-picture deal.[13] Focus Features has also announced a theatrical release for “Loving” on November 4 after paying a $9 million for the film directed by Jeff Nichols, which depicts the real-life story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple living in the state of Virginia in the 1960s, at the time that interracial coupling was illegal. [14]

[14] Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton as Mildred and Richard Loving, on the set of the movie “Loving,” being shot in Richmond, Va.

Following the success of The Forest, the two years direction journey of Juan Antonio Bayona’s A Monster Calls finally will be in theaters on October 14. With Felicity Jones to star and Liam Neeson to voice the Monster. [15]

[18] A Monster Calls Poster

A Monster Calls Official International Teaser Trailer #1 (2016) – Liam Neeson Drama HD

Focus Features also partners with Time Inc. and The Advocate to display the new digital short film documentary series We’ve Been Around. The series tells previously untold histories of transgender pioneers, will premiere exclusively across three Time Inc. websites – People.com, EW.com, Essence.com. [16]

[1] Focus Features, About. Retrieved April 23, 2016. focusfeatures.com
[2] Focus Features, LLC. Retrieved December 2, 2015. focusfeatures.com
[3] Focus Features All Time Box Office Results. Retrieved April 23, 2016. Boxofficemojo.com
[4] Studio Market Share January 1-April 17. Retrieved April 23, 2016. Boxofficemojo.com
[5] Yearly Comparison. Retrieved April 23, 2016. Boxofficemojo.com

[6] “Why focus features is again getting a drastic reboot”. Retrieved April 23, 2016. Variety.

[7] “Peter Schlemiel of Focus Features to Exit as CEO After Universal Pictures International Merger”. Retrieved April 24, 2016. Variety.

[8] “Peter Schlemiel Out At Focus Features In Universal Shake-Up”. Retrieved April 24, 2016. Deadline.

[9] “Box Office: ‘London Has Fallen’ Tops’ Olympus Has Fallen,’ Triples Its Budget”. Retrieved April 24, 2016. Forbes.

[10] Box Office by Studios January 1-April 17. Retrieved April 23, 2016. Boxofficemojo.com.

[11] “‘Danish Girl’s Alicia Vikander Wins Oscar For Best Supporting Actress”. Retrieved April 24, 2016. Deadline.

[12] Focus Features Future Releases. Retrieved April 23, 2016. Boxofficemojo.com.

[13] “‘Kubo And The Two Strings’ Trailer: Laika Takes On Japanese Folklore”Retrieved March 20, 2016, Deadline.

[14] “Focus Features Picks Up Ruth Negga/Joel Edgerton ‘Loving’ Story”. Retrieved April 16, 2016. Blogs.indiewire.com

[15] “‘A Monster Calls’ Trailer: Felicity Jones & Liam Neeson Branch Out”.Retrieved April 23, 2016. Deadline.
[16] Focus Features Debuts Docuseries “We’ve Been Around”. MovieGeeks. Retrieved April 23, 2016. MovieGeeks.com

[17] Kubo and the Two Strings Movie Poster. Retrieved April 23, 2016. Focus Features.

[18] A Monster Calls Poster. Retrieved April 23, 2016. Focus Features.

[19] Peter Kujawski Profile. Retrieved April 23, 2016. Variety.

[20] Robert Walak Profile. Retrieved April 23, 2016. Variety.

[21] Focus Features Logo. Retrieved April 23, 2016. Deadline.

(Sorry, I tried to fix the format of my sources but failed.)

Amblin Partners

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Paul Honnick

image sourced from AmblinPartners.com

by Paul Honnick

Amblin Partners

100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608

amblinpartners.com

Key Executives at Amblin Partners

Michael Wright – CEO

Steven Spielberg – Chairman

Holly Bario – President of Production

Jeff Small – President and Co-CEO

Kristie Macosko – Executive

Images sourced from AmblinPartners.com

Amblin Partners: A New Company Led by a Hollywood Legend

Amblin Partners, is a new film, television, and digital content creation company that develops and produces films using the Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks Pictures, and Participant brands to leverage their power and board awareness to tell stories that appeal to a wide range of audiences. The partnership was officially formed on December, 15, 2015, by Steven Spielberg of DreamWorks Studios, Jeff Skoll of Participant Media, Anil Ambani of Reliance Group, and Darren Throop of Entertainment One (eOne). [1]

Legendary director Steven Spielberg is the chairman of Amblin Partners, having invested $50 million of his own money into the venture. This is the first time Spielberg has invested his own funds into his brands since founding DreamWorks more than two decades ago, in 1994. [2]

Tech billionaire Jeff Skoll, former eBay executive and founder of Participant Media, made the single largest reported contribution, investing $200 million in the partnership. [2]

Reliance Group of India was a previous equity partner of DreamWorks Pictures and is continuing its seven-year relationship with Spielberg. [2] [5]

The fourth partner, Entertainment One (eOne) of Canada, initially discussed a $50 million investment, however, the final contribution was not disclosed. [2] eOne handles the direct distribution of Amblin Partners films in multiple territories outside of the U.S., including Australia, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the Benelux. [1]

The partnership also secured a $500 million line of credit through half a dozen lenders arranged by J.P. Morgan Chase and Comerica Bank. J.P. Morgan Chase has financed DreamWorks Studios since its inception in 1994. [1] [2]

Amblin Partners is led by CEO Michael Wright, and President and Co-CEO Jeff Small, who previously served as CEO and COO of DreamWorks respectively. Wright joined DreamWorks Pictures in 2014 and signed a four-year contract extension in February. [8] Small, who has been with DreamWorks for the past nine years, was originally named COO when the partnership was formed in December, but was quickly promoted to President and Co-CEO in February. Small also signed a contract extension. [9]

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Spielberg and Skoll said that the partnership will produce films appealing to adults through the DreamWorks label, while focusing more on family entertainment through the Amblin label, and Participant will focus on projects with socially relevant themes and messages. While the partnership will release some Participant branded films, Participant Media will remain a separate company and continue making documentaries and some scripted films on its own. [1] [4]

Amblin Partners also struck a multi-year deal with Universal Pictures to market and distribute their films produced domestically and in select international territories. Under this agreement, Universal Pictures and Focus Features will handle four to seven films per year, the first film being “The Girl on the Train,” scheduled to be released in October 2016. [3] The Universal deal also represents a chance for director Steven Spielberg to continue doing business with the company where he launched his Hollywood career and defined the modern blockbuster with such films as “E.T.” and “Jurassic Park.” [3] [7] Spielberg has also maintained offices on the Universal Studios lot throughout his career. However, the deal with Universal is strictly for marketing and distribution. Universal did not invest in Amblin Partners, and reportedly charges a commission of more than 7% per film under the terms of the deal. [3] [4]

Amblin Partners’ distribution deal with Universal effectively ends Spielberg’s and DreamWorks Pictures’ previous partnership with Disney, which is set to expire in August. However, under the legacy deal, Disney will distribute two Amblin Partners productions, “The BFG,” and “The Light Between Oceans.” [1] [6] At the conclusion of the partnership, Disney will retain the library of films produced by Spielberg during his tenure with Disney, including the upcoming “The BFG.” [2]

Upcoming Films

Films in various stages of production include “The BFG,” “The Light Between Oceans,” “The Girl on the Train,” “A Dog’s Purpose,” which is scheduled to be released in the first quarter of 2017, and “Ready Player One,” a co-production between Amblin Partners and Warner Bros. Pictures that is scheduled to be released in December 2017. [1]

“The Girl on the Train,” scheduled to be released on October 7, is to be the first film distributed under Amblin Partner’s new deal with Universal. The film is based on the New York Times best seller novel by Paula Hawkins and stars Emily Blunt (Sicario), Rebecca Ferguson (Mission:Impossible – Rogue Nation), Haley Bennett (The Equalizer), Justin Theroux (The Leftovers), Luke Evens (Furious 7), Allison Janney (Mom), Edgar Ramirez (Zero Dark Thirty), Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback) and Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie). The film is about a recently divorced woman who spends her daily commute fantasizing about the seemingly perfect couple who live in a house that her train passes every day, until one morning she witnesses something shocking and becomes entangled in a mystery. [10]

Principal photography began on “Thank You For Your Service” in February. It is based on a novel by David Finkel and stars Miles Teller (Whiplash), Haley Bennett (The Girl on the Train), Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders), Amy Schumer (Trainwreck), Beulah Koale (The Last Saint), Scott Haze (Child of God), Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider), Brad Beyer (42), Omar Dorsey (Selma) and Jayson Warner Smith (The Birth of a Nation). The film revolves around a group of soldiers returning from Iraq who struggle to integrate back into family and civilian life while dealing with the traumas of war. The film also marks the directorial debut of Jason Hall. [11]

Shooting is expected to commence this Spring for the upcoming holiday comedy “Office Christmas Party,” starring Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, TJ Miller, and Kate McKinnon. Will Speck and Josh Gordon are set to direct the film about a group of people who have to deal with a holiday office party gone awry. The film is expected to be released in December through Paramount. [12]

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/notes/paramount-pictures/paramount-pictures-and-dreamworks-pictures-ghost-in-the-shell-is-in-production-i/10154147848862072/

Scarlett Johansson in “Ghost in the Shell.” Image sourced from Paramount Pictures official Facebook page

Production began in April on a live-action adaptation of the famous Japanese manga series “Ghost in the Shell” in Wellington, New Zealand. The film stars Scarlett Johansson (Avengers: Age of Ultron), and is directed by Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman). The film will also star Japanese actor Takeshi “Beat” Kitano in his first U.S. role since 1995’s “Johnny Mnemonic.” Johansson plays a special-ops, human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9 devoted to stopping dangerous criminals and extremists in the sci-fi adventure. The film, scheduled to be released March 31, 2017, is a co-production between Amblin Partners’ DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures, with Paramount distributing the film. [13] [14]

Sources

Amblin Partners. Dreamworks Studios, Participant Media, Reliance Entertainment and Entertainment One Form Amblin Partners, A New Film, Television and Digital Content Creation Company. Retrieved April 23, 2016. http://www.amblinpartners.com/dreamworks-studios-participant-media-reliance-entertainemt-one-amblin-partners/
Rainey, James. Variety. December 30, 2015. Steven Spielberg Puts His Own Big Bucks Into the New Amblin Partners (Exclusive). Retrieved April 23, 2016. http://variety.com/2015/film/news/steven-spielberg-amblin-investment-1201669720/
Lang, Brent and Rainey, James. Variety. December 16, 2015. Steven Spielberg, Jeff Skoll Bring Amblin Partners to Universal. Retrieved April 23, 2016. http://variety.com/2015/film/news/steven-spiellberg-universal-1201662956/
Masters, Kim. Hollywood Reporter. Steven Speilberg, Jeff Skoll Talk Amblin Partners Deal: “We Are Hitting the Ground Running” (Exclusive). Retrieved April 24, 2016. https://edit.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steven-spielberg-jeff-skoll-talk-849554
Lang, Brent and Rainey, James. Variety. December 10, 2015. Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks to Reboot with $200 Million From Participant and Universal Deal. Retrieved April 23, 2016. http://variety.com/2015/film/news/participant-dreamworks-universal-200-million-deal-1201658060/
Masters, Kim. Hollywood Reporter. September 2, 2015. Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks to Split From Disney, In Talks With Universal (Exclusive). Retrieved April 23, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steven-spielbergs-dreamworks-split-disney-819594
McClintock, Pamela. Hollywood Reporter. Steven Spielberg, Jeff Skoll Team to Form Amblin Partners, Strike Distribution Deal With Universal. Retrieved April 23, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steven-spielberg-jeff-skoll-team-849249
Rainy, James. Variety. February 2, 2016. Michael Wright Re-Ups as CEO of Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners. Retrieved April 24, 2016. http://variety.com/2016/film/news/michael-wright-amblin-partners-deal-1201694796/
Busch, Anita. Deadline. February 3, 2016. Amblin Promotes Jeff Small To President & Co-CEO. Retrieved April 24, 2016. http://deadline.com/2016/02/amblin-jeff-small-president-co-ceo-promotion-steven-spielberg-1201695827/
DreamWorks Pictures. November 11, 2015. Principal Photography Begins for New York Times Best Seller ‘The Girl on the Train’. Retrieved April 24, 2016. https://dreamworkspictures.com/news/principal-photography-begins-for-new-york-times-best-seller-the-girl-on-the-train
DreamWorks Pictures. February 9, 2016. Principal Photography Begins on ‘Thank You For Your Service’. Retrieved April 24, 2016. https://dreamworkspictures.com/news/principal-photography-begins-on-thank-you-for-your-service
Kit, Borys. Hollywood Reporter. February 19, 2016. Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman to Star in ‘Office Christmas Party’ (Exclusive). Retrieved April 24, 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jennifer-aniston-jason-bateman-star-867614
Paramount Pictures. April 14, 2016. Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures’ “Ghost in the Shell” is in Production in New Zealand. Retrieved April 24, 2016. https://www.facebook.com/notes/paramount-pictures/paramount-pictures-and-dreamworks-pictures-ghost-in-the-shell-is-in-production-i/10154147848862072
DreamWorks Pictures. March 3, 2016. Japanese Icon Takeshi ‘Beat’ Kitano Boards ‘Ghost in the Shell’. Retrieved April 24, 2016. https://dreamworkspictures.com/news/japanese-icon-takeshi-beat-kitano-boards-ghost-in-the-shell

Universal Pictures #1

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Samantha Selby

Sam Selby

Universal Logo – Source: Deadline [17]

Universal Pictures
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, California, 91608
(818) 777-1000
http://www.universalpictures.com [23]

Facebook: Universal Studios Entertainment
Twitter: @UniversalPics

ABOUT
Universal Pictures (Universal), a subsidiary of NBCUniversal (NBCU), indirectly belongs to the media conglomerate, Comcast. Universal ranks as one of the “Big Six” film studios. Universal Studios has two main film divisions, Universal Pictures and Focus Features. Universal, which is the primary motion picture and distribution arm for Universal Studios, has numerous partnerships for co-productions, acquisitions, and films. Universal possesses an extensive film catalog ranging from Jurassic Park to Bridesmaids, and owns many popular film franchises, including Back to the Future and Fast and Furious [29].

Universal Pictures Iconic Moments and Memories – Source: Inside the Magic [12]

HISTORY
In 1912, Carl Laemmle founded Universal Film Manufacturing Company by merging with five other film companies [28]. Emigrating from Germany to the United States, Mr. Laemmle became a leading film distributor. Unfortunately, the financial setback from a streak of unsuccessful films forced Mr. Laemmle to sell the company. It was not until the 1960s that Universal returned to prominence [18].

KEY EXECUTIVES

Ronald Meyer, Vice Chairman, NBCUniversal – Source: Comcast [16]

Donna Langley, Chairman, Universal Pictures – Source: The Hollywood Reporter [26]

FINANCES
Comcast is a publicly traded company with two publicly traded classes of stock, CMCSA and CMCSK. With the release of its third quarter earnings, Universal was the first studio to have three film releases exceed $1 billion in worldwide box office receipts in the same year. In third quarter 2015, revenue from films increased from $1,186,000,000 to $1,946,000,000 compared to third quarter 2014 [15]. Executives attribute this success to the strong box office receipts of its billion-dollar blockbusters, Jurassic World and Minions [19].

NBCU increased its operating cash flow for its filmed entertainment by 149.5%, from $151 million in its 2014 third quarter to $376 million in its 2015 third quarter. This higher revenue was partially affected by increasing marketing and promotional costs, and larger amortization costs. For the nine-month period ending September 30th, 2015, NBCU reported a 52.4% increase in film revenues to $5,658,000,000 in 2015 [15].

Executives reported that despite fewer theatrical releases during the fourth quarter, NBCU’s film division will continue to perform well as its films are released to home entertainment and content licensing windows [35].

FALL 2015 RELEASES

The Visit – Source: Business Insider [21]

M. Night Shyamalan’s The Visit was released on September 11th, 2015. The Visit is a found footage horror film about two siblings who visit their grandparents and notice strange things about them. Shyamalan self-funded the film’s budget of $5 million [2]. Opening weekend, The Visit made approximately $25 million and overall the film earned $65 million domestically [11]. This film marks Shyamalan’s return after multiple flops for several years.

Jem and the Holograms – Source: Entertainment Weekly [25]

Based on the 1980s cartoon, Jem and the Holograms, was Universal’s biggest flop of the year. The film, directed by Jon M. Chu, is about a small-town girl who rises to fame. Despite a production budget of $5 million, it grossed only $2 million domestically. The film did even worse internationally, only making $70,571 [4]. The film opened in 2,413 theaters and made $1,375,320, which averages $570 per theater making it the third worst opening weekend for a widely released feature film [4][31]. The creative decision for the film backfired as the target audience was unfamiliar with Jem, and it did not connect with past fans. After two weeks, Universal pulled Jem from theaters to mitigate losses [31]. Given the film’s low budget, the impact is nominal.

Steve Jobs – Source: Screen Rant [1]

Steve Jobs was another flop for Universal. The biopic film of the late Steve Jobs had a limited released on October 9th, 2015 followed by a wide release two weeks later. Its production budget was $30 million, but the film only grossed $17.5 million domestically [7]. Steve Jobs featured a star-studded cast including Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet, but even this star power did not help the box office gross [22]. Given disappointing performance, Steve Jobs was pulled from over 2,000 theaters [33]. Some critics attribute the film’s failure to not opening wide from the start [22]. There is slim hope that Steve Jobs will be an Oscar contender [33].

By the Sea – Source: Los Angeles Times [40]

Angelina Jolie Pitt wrote, directed, produced, and stars in By the Sea along with Brad Pitt. The film follows a couple whose relationship is falling apart. This is Jolie Pitt’s third feature film [38]. On November 5th, there was a world premiere at the American Film Institute Festival [14]. A week later, it opened in ten theaters and earned $96,250. To date, the film has earned $364,584 domestically due to its limited release. Even accounting for worldwide revenue, the film is not close to recovering its $10 million budget [3]. Although Universal is unlikely to recover its budget, it is likely betting that Jolie Pitt will star in Bride of Frankenstein given the studio’s backing of her film [32].

COMING SOON

2015 Year End Releases
The final films of 2015 for Universal are Krampus on December 4th and Sisters on December 18th [39]. Krampus is a horror-comedy starring Adam Scott and Toni Collette. Krampus is about a demonic force that punishes non-believers [37]. Contrarily, Sisters is a comedy starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. The film is about two sisters who throw a final party at their childhood home [36]. Both films are being heavily marketed as the holiday season brings competition.

2016 Preview

Ride Along 2 starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart will be Universal’s first release of 2016 [39]. The first film grossed over $100 million in revenue domestically justifying the green light for this sequel [6].

Fourteen years after the release of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Universal is set to release My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 on March 22nd [39]. All the stars from the first movie returned for the sequel. The first film was extremely successful, given a budget of $5 million and a domestic gross exceeding $240 million [5].

The Huntsman: Winter’s War is the sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman. Charlize Theron reprises her role as the evil Queen Ravenna, and Chris Hemsworth as the huntsman. Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain also star [27]. Set for release on April 22nd, the film is directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan [39].

LOOK OUT FOR

Split
Universal has announced M. Night Shyamalan’s new suspense thriller, Split, starring James McAvoy. The film, which is another collaboration with Blumhouse Productions, is set for release on January 20th, 2017 [34].

The Franchises
In 2017, Universal plans to release sequels for its many franchises, including Despicable Me 3, Fifty Shades Darker, Furious 8, Pitch Perfect 3, and The Mummy [24].

F. Gary Gray, director of Straight Outta Compton, has signed on to direct Furious 8 [13]. Preproduction has already commenced, and production will begin in April 2016. The entire cast is expected to return. Fast and Furious has been one of Universal’s most successful franchises with Furious 7 grossing over $1 billion worldwide [15].

Following her directorial debut with Pitch Perfect 2, Elizabeth Banks will direct Pitch Perfect 3 featuring some of the original cast. The franchise has been a success globally with the second film grossing $286 million worldwide [30].

The Mummy was remade in 1999 [8] and followed by sequels in 2001 [9] and 2008 [10]. All three films grossed over $400 million worldwide [8][9][10]. However, the third film was largely panned. Currently, Tom Cruise is rumored to star in the 2017 reboot of The Mummy [20]. Universal is hoping to use The Mummy to relaunch a new era of monster films.

With its library and continued production, Universal will remain a major studio.

SOURCES

[1] Agar, C. (2015, September 6). Steve Jobs: Steve Wozniak Praises Michael Fassbender’s Performance. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Screen Rant.

[2] Bishop, B. (2015, September 10). The Visit review: the most shocking M. Night Shyamalan twist is a good movie. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from The Verge.

[3] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). By the Sea. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[4] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). Jem and the Holograms. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[5] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[6] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). Ride Along. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[7] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). Steve Jobs. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[8] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). The Mummy. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[9] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). The Mummy Returns. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[10] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[11] Box Office Mojo. (n.d.). The Visit. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Box Office Mojo.

[12] Brigante, R. (2012, January 10). Universal Orlando to announce ‘entertainment experience’ (lagoon show?) for Studios 100th anniversary, Hollywood to update Studio Tour. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Inside the Magic.

[13] Busch, A. (2015, October 8). F. Gary Gray Confirms He Will Direct ‘Furious 8’. Retrieved November 21, 2015, from Deadline.

[14] Busch, A. (2015, October 30). Inside The Curious Marketing Of Angelina Jolie’s ‘By The Sea’. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Deadline.

[15] Comcast. (n.d.). Comcast Reports 3rd Quarter 2015 Results. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Comcast.

[16] Comcast. (n.d.). RON MEYER, VICE CHAIRMAN, NBCUNIVERSAL. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Comcast.

[17] Deadline. (2014, June 2). Universal Dates Trio Of Blumhouse Pics. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Deadline.

[18] Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. (2015, September 7). Carl Laemmle, American Film Producer. Retrieved November 20, 2015, from Encyclopædia Britannica.

[19] Fernandez, B. (2015, October 28). ‘Minions,’ ‘Jurassic World’ boost Comcast earnings. Retrieved November 20, 2015, from Philly.com.

[20] Gajanan, M. (2015, November 24). Tom Cruise ‘in talks’ for reboot of The Mummy. Retrieved November 25, 2015, from The Guardian.

[21] Guerrasio, J. (2015, September 9). M. Night Shyamalan explains how he makes grandparents so creepy in his new thriller ‘The Visit. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Business Insider.

[22] Han, A. (2015, November 16). Danny Boyle on Why ‘Steve Jobs’ Flopped: It Went “Too Wide Too Soon”. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from /FILM.

[23] Hoover’s Inc. (n.d.). Universal Pictures Company Information. Retrieved November 7, 2015, from Hoovers.

[24] IMDb. (n.d.). Universal Pictures [us]. Retrieved November 5, 2015, from Internet Movie Database.

[25] Maas, J. (2015, February 26). Jem and the Holograms movie: Check out the first photo. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Entertainment Weekly.

[26] McClintock, P. (2014, January 26). Universal Re-ups Chairman Donna Langley: More Duties, Oversight. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from The Hollywood Reporter.

[27] McNary, D. (2015, November 18). The Huntsman Winter’s War’ Trailer: Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron Face Off Again. Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Variety.

[28] NBCUniversal. (n.d.). Our History. Retrieved November 20, 2015, from NBCUniversal.

[29] NBCUniversal. (n.d.). Universal Pictures. Retrieved November 5, 2015, from NBCUniversal Careers.

[30] Raissa Marfil, H. (2015, October 28). ‘Pitch Perfect 3’ To Be Directed Again By Elizabeth Banks. Retrieved November 25, 2015, from International Business Times.

[31] Schwerdtfeger, C. (2015, November 10). Jem and the Holograms Pulled After Bombing in Theaters. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Screen Rant.

[32] Siegel, T. (2015, November 23). Will ‘By the Sea’ Kill Hollywood “Favor” Movies? Retrieved November 23, 2015, from The Hollywood Reporter.

[33] Silver, S. (2015, November 9). Universal Pulls Steve Jobs After Box Office Bomb. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from Screen Rant.

[34] Sneider, J. (2015, October 27). M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Split’ Lands 2017 Release Date From Universal, Blumhouse. Retrieved November 25, 2015, from The Wrap.

[35] TheStreet. (2015, October 27). Comcast Corp (CMCSA) Earnings Report: Q3 2015 Conference Call Transcript. Retrieved November 20, 2015, from TheStreet.

[36] Universal Studios. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Sisters.

[37] Universal Studios. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2015, from Krampus.

[38] Universal Studios. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2015, from By the Sea.

[39] Universal Studios. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2015, from Universal Pictures.

[40] Zeitchik, S. (2015, November 6). ‘By the Sea’: Angelina Jolie Pitt has filmmaking weaknesses, but they don’t involve directing. Retrieved November 29, 2015, from Los Angeles Times.

Focus Features

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Jacob Greenfeld

Jacob Greenfeld

[1] Focus Features Logo

Focus Features, LLC
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608
Phone: (818) 777-8738
Fax: (818) 866-4579
http://www.focusfeatures.com

About

Founded in 2002, the film production and distribution company known as Focus Features serves under the NBCUniversal brand in its art house film department. Some of Focus Features’ blockbuster titles include Brokeback Mountain (2005), Coraline (2009), and Burn After Reading (2008) as well as a recent hit with Insidious Chapter 3 (2015) [2][3]. As a subsidiary of NBCUniversal’s larger and more dominant film studio, Universal Pictures, Focus Features tends to be utilized more for speciality films, and after signing Laika Studios (a small stop-motion animation studio based out of Oregon) to a three film deal in October of last year as well as reviving Gramercy Pictures on May 20 of this year, it is likely that the trend of horror and animation will continue [23][28].

Executives

[4] Peter Schlessel, Chief Executive Officer

[5] Jim Burke, President of Production

[6] Josh McLaughlin, Executive VP

Financials

Focus Features is a privately traded company and its financials are not public. 2015 has been a mildly successful year for Focus Features. It increased its total box office gross to $112.7 million (as of December 2, 2015, with Suffragette and The Danish Girl still in theaters), up 2% from last year’s $110.5 million. This increase bumped up its ranking on the top grossing film studios list to ninth place with 1.1% of the market share (ranked twelfth in 2014), however it is still eclipsed by its big brother Universal Pictures which holds the number one rank with $2.35 billion along with 23.9% of the market share [7][8].
Focus Features broke its record for the number of movies produced in one year at twelve in 2014, and this year the film studio was able to match it [7]. It also generated some revenue from DVD sales, with a little over $3 million coming in from Insidious Chapter 3, $1.1 million from Black Sea, and $400,00 from 5 Flights Up along with others whose revenues have not yet been listed [25][26][27].

Recent Releases

Insidious Chapter 3

[9] Insidious Chapter 3 Poster

Written and directed by Leigh Whannell, Insidious Chapter 3 is the prequel and third installment in the supernatural horror film series. Set prior to the eerie events that surrounded the Lambert family, Insidious Chapter 3 chronicles Elise Rainier’s struggle to help a young girl who is in grave danger by using her psychic abilities to talk to the dead [15]. Released in theaters on June 5, 2015, Whannell’s horror film was an instant hit, generating a $10.5 million box office gross on its premiere alone. By the time it was taken out of theaters in August 13, 2015, Insidious Chapter 3 had made over $52 million, cementing itself as the fifth highest grossing film produced by Focus Features of all time [3][14]. Leigh Whannell was nominated for a “Directors to Watch” award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival for this film, which he won [16].

Sinister 2

MV5BMjQ2NTM5NzU3MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDAwMTQyNTE@._V1_SX640_SY720_

[10] Sinister 2 Poster

Sinister 2, another addition to a supernatural horror film series, was directed by Ciaran Foy and premiered in theaters on August 21, 2015. The film follows the story of a young mother whose twin boys are haunted by ghosts [17]. While it didn’t quite match the success of Insidious Chapter 3, Sinister 2 did pretty well for itself, grossing $4.67 million in the box office on opening night, almost $28 million in total, and generating the second highest Focus Features box office gross of 2015 (behind Insidious Chapter 3) and twentieth of all time [3][17].

Suffragette

[11] Suffragette Poster

Suffragette, which stars big names such as Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, and Meryl Streep is a historical drama set in Britain that tells the story of the early feminist movement and their fight against their barbaric State [19]. Directed by Sarah Gavron, Suffragette was released on October 23, 2015 and grossed $22,618 despite premiering in only four theaters. It is now in its sixth week and has made over $4 million at the box office [20]. It has won multiple awards, including “Mind the Gap” at the Mill Valley Film Festival (Sarah Gavron), “Actress of the Year” at the Hollywood Film Awards (Carey Mulligan), and the “Tangerine Entertainment Juice Award” at the Hamptons International Film Festival (Sarah Gavron), along with nominations for “Best Actress” (Carey Mulligan), “Best Supporting Actor” (Brendan Gleeson), “Best Supporting Actress” (Anne-Marie Duff), and “Best Supporting Actress” (Helena Bonham Carter) at the British Independent Film Awards [21].

Upcoming Releases

The Forest

[12] The Forest Poster

The Forest, which is yet another supernatural horror film, is set to be released in early January of 2016. It is directed by Jason Zada and stars Natalie Dormer. The Forest is based on the Aokigahara Forest, which is an actual Japanese forest where people go to commit harakiri. Focus Features purchased the rights to distribute the film domestically in May of 2014 [22]. When the film studio revived Gramercy Pictures last May, The Forest was one of the films listed on their slate [23].

Ratchet & Clank

[13] Ratchet and Clank Poster

Co-directed by Jericca Cleland and Kevin Munroe, Ratchet & Clank is a comedy/action/ sci-fi film that is based on the Ratchet & Clank video game series and is computer animated. Sticking to its roots, Insomniac Games, the creators of the series, have had a major influence over the film from the story and character development to the animation and film production. Some of the voice-over artists from the original game series have returned to give their characters life once again. Also adding to the nostalgia is the utilization of elements specific to the video games in the film. Ratchet & Clank is set to be released in the US on April 29, 2016.

Future

With the recent revival of Gramercy Pictures, the three film deal Focus Features signed Laika Studios to last year following the success of The Boxtrolls, and this new partnership with Insomniac Games, expect to see a slew of horror (i.e. The Forest, A Monster Calls) and animated films (i.e. Ratchet & Clank, Kubo and the Two Strings) in the not-so-distant future [28]. While it may seem like Focus Features is pigeon-holing itself, that may not be the worst thing. Because Focus Features is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, and they are both subsidiaries of NBCUniversal, there is not too much pressure on Focus Features to consistently have blockbusters. Not to say that there would not be any repercussions if Focus Features didn’t have a big box office draw ever again, just as long as they have one or two films each year that keeps the competition on its toes (i.e. The Boxtrolls in 2014 and Insidious Chapter 3 in 2015) they will continue to thrive and produce the specialty films that they are known for.

[1] Focus Features Logo. Retrieved December 2, 2015. cdn.collider.com
[2] Focus Features, LLC. Retrieved December 2, 2015. focusfeatures.com
[3] All-Time Box Office by Studio: Focus Features. Retrieved December 2, 2015. boxofficemojo.com
[4] SHOCKER! Peter Schlessel Takes Over Focus Features. Retrieved December 2, 2015. deadline.com
[5] Quotes by Jim Burke. Retrieved December 2, 2015. likesuccess.com
[6] LAFF Opening Night Screening of Focus Features’ “Talk to Me” – Arrivals (Josh McLaughlin). Retrieved December 2, 2015. zimbio.com
[7] Yearly Comparisons of Total Box Office Gross: Focus Features. Retrieved December 2, 2015. boxofficemojo.com
[8] 2015 Box Office Gross and Studio Market Share. Retrieved December 2, 2015. boxofficemojo.com
[9] Insidious Chapter 3 Poster. Retrieved December 2, 2015. upload.wikimedia.org
[10] Sinister 2 Poster. Retrieved December 2, 2015. ia.media-imdb.com
[11] Suffragette Poster. Retrieved December 2, 2015. img2.timeinc.net
[12] The Forest Poster. Retrieved December 2, 2015. s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com
[13] Ratchet and Clank Poster. Retrieved December 2, 2015. c2.staticflickr.com
[14] Daily Domestic Gross: Insidious Chapter 3. Retrieved December 2, 2015. boxofficemojo.com
[15] Insidious Chapter 3. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[16] Palm Springs International Film Festival. Retrieved December 2, 2015. psfilmfest.org
[17] Sinister 2. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[18] Daily Domestic Gross: Sinister 2. Retrieved December 2, 2015. boxofficemojo.com
[19] Suffragette. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[20] Daily Domestic Gross: Suffragette. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[21] Suffragette Awards. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[22] The Forest. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[23] Focus Revives Gramercy Pictures Label for Genre Films. Retrieved December 2, 2015. deadline.com
[24] Ratchet & Clank. Retrieved December 2, 2015. imdb.com
[25] Insidious Chapter 3 Home Market Performance. Retrieved December 2, 2015. the-numbers.com
[26] Black Sea Home Market Performance. Retrieved December 2, 2015. the-numbers.com
[27] 5 Flights Up Home Market Performance. Retrieved December 2, 2015. the-numbers.com
[28] Focus Features, Laika Ink Three-Film Pact. Retrieved December 2, 2015. hollywoodreporter.com

Focus Features

Posted on December 1, 2014 by jepflieg

by John Pflieger

[21] Focus Features Logo

Focus Features is a film production and distribution company that serves at the art house film department of the NBCUniversal brand. Started in 2002, Focus Features is currently run by CEO Peter Schlessel, who took the helm in late 2013 after Focus and the FilmDistrict merged in 2013 [1]. Focus Features has had great success over the last 12 years with critically acclaimed releases like Brokeback Mountain, Dallas Buyers Club, and Lost in Translation just to name a few. The former being the most successful Focus Feature production to date, grossing $83 million and receiving 3 Academy Awards and receive nominations for 5 more along with a slue of other awards [2][3].

Financials

Catering usually to more specific audiences then some of the major production house, Focus Features is currently ranked 12^th for top grossing production companies in the 2014 year, with a total gross of $104 million, which puts them in control of 1.1% of the current market share [4]. Though falling short to its 5^th ranked older brother Universal Pictures, the smaller production company has managed to sustain an average gross of $8.7 million per release over the course of its 11 releases in 2014 [4][5]. With award season approaching, Focus has the potential to see continued growth in revenue through the beginning of 2015. With Oscar buzz surrounding actor Eddie Redmayne of Focus Features most recent release The Theory of Everything, a nomination for best actor has the potential to increase revenue by about $600,000, where a win in the category could yield nearly $6 million in increased revenue[6][7]. Though Focus is only responsible for a small portion of NBCUniversal’s $1.4 billion filmed entertainment revenue, the small production house continues to boast impressive figures[8].

Recent Releases

“The Theory of Everything “

[22] The Theory of Everything Poster

The biographical film chronicles the life of astrophysicist Stephen Hawking as he fell in love with his wife Jane, explored the science of universal time, and struggled with the debilitating neurological disease of ALS [9]. Eddie Redmayne, who plays Steven Hawking, has already been labeled by Variety as one of the main contenders for the Best Actor Academy Award[6]. The film, which opened November 7^th in a limited release to 5 theaters grossed $208,763 and continued to succeed as it hit a wide release November 26^th in 802 theaters and grossed slightly over $5 million in its wide release opening[10]. As of December 1^st the film has grossed $9.6 million and has the potential to see continued success as the holidays and award season approaches[10].

“Kill The Messenger”

[23] Kill The Messenger Poster

A political thriller starring Academy Award nominated actor Jeremy Renner, tells the story of journalist Gary Webb, who stumbles across a dark story that involves drugs and government cover-ups[11]. The film opened October 10^th in 374 theaters and grossed $941,809 in its opening weekend. At its widest relapse the film was only in 427 theaters and to date has only grossed $2.4 million, having been stifled by the Buena Vista release of “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” which was release the same day and saw far greater success[12][13].

“The Boxtrolls”

[24] The Boxtrolls Poster

This family film tells the tail of an adventure of a group of unique creatures as they raise an orphan and fight for their lives in an effort to thwart their local town villain[14]. This film has been the most successful release for Focus Features this year having grossed nearly $50 million. The feature opened September 26^th 3,464 theaters and gross $17.2 million, which accounted for 34.9% of the films total gross domestically[15]. The film went on to gross $56.2 million worldwide, making a total of $105.7 million, which is a huge success not only for Focus Films, but also for the small Oregon based stop-motion animation house Laika Studios, which carried out the animation for “The Boxtrolls.”[15][16] The small animation studio also produced “ParaNorman” and “Coraline” for Focus Features, which are both in Focus Feature’s top 5 for most successful domestic grossing films[5]. Only days after the opening of “The Boxtrolls”, Focus Features signed an agreement with Laika to work with them on 3 more feature length films[17]. This agreement proves to be especially wise when looking at the fact that all three of the films that Laika and Focus have teamed up on have grossed over $100 million world wide, making them highly profitable[17]. There is still room for more success in the coming months, seeing that “The Boxtrolls” received 13 nominations in this years Annie Awards, and is only expected to receive more nods as award season get underway[18].

Upcoming

Focus Features consistently releases 10-12 films a year, making them a highly productive production house for the scale of their operation[5]. As of now, Focus has announced a few new projects that will be coming up in 2015 which will have the potential to make quite a splash in the market place in the upcoming year.

[25] 50 Shades of Grey Poster

One of the more anticipated Focus Features releases of 2015 is the adaptation of the novel 50 Shades of Grey. The popular 3 part book series will be treated as a trilogy by focus and will follow the saga of the novels quite closely. The film is scheduled to be released on Valentines Day, offering an interesting option for holiday viewing[19].

[26] Black Sea Poster

Another highly anticipated 2015 Focus release is the upcoming release starring Jude Law, “Black Sea”. The apparent action movie casts Law as a submarine captain who is working with a team of Russian and English crew members to salvage Nazi gold in a sunken U-boat. The film is scheduled to be released January 23 of 2015[20].

Future of Focus Features

The future for Focus Features appears to be very bright. With a recent 3 film deal with Laika Studios, this is a air of optimism, because with the success of the studio’s earlier films, we can only assume that with the proper marketing and distribution the next 3 should be just as successful. Also with the “50 Shades of Grey” series on the horizon, there are multiple prospects for continued growth. As we see the success of Comcast and NBCUniversal and their continued growth, the potential for the expansion of Focus Features is exponentially increased.

Citations:

1. Focus Features Announces More Key Senior Hires, hollywoodreporter.com, RT; 12/01/14

2. Brokeback Mountain, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

3. Brokeback Mountain Awards, imdb.com, RT: 12/01/14

4. Studio Market Share, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

5. Focus Features, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

6. Contender: Lead Actor Preview, Variety.com, RT: 12/01/14

7. How Oscar Nominations Affect the Box Office, Businessinsider.com, RT: 12/01/14

8. Comcast Earnings Release, cmcsk.com, RT: 12/01/14

9. The Theory of Everything, Rottentomatos.com, RT: 12/01/14

10. The Theory of Everything, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

11. Kill the Messenger, Rottentomatos.com, RT: 12/01/14

12. Kill the Messenger, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

13. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

14. The Boxtrolls, Rottentomatos.com, RT: 12/01/14

15. The Boxtrolls, Boxofficemojo.com, RT: 12/01/14

16. Laika Studios, Laikastudios.com, RT: 12/01/14

17. Focus Features, Laika Ink Three-Film Pact, hollywoodreporter.com, RT; 12/01/14

18. Boxtrolls leads Annie Award nominations, bbc.com, RT; 12/01/14

19. 50 Shades of Grey, fiftyshadesmovie.com, RT; 12/01/14

20. Black Sea, focusfeatures.com, RT; 12/01/14

21. Focus Features Logo, thewrap.com, RT; 12/01/14

22. The Theory of Everything Poster, imdb.com, RT; 12/01/14

23. Kill the Messenger Poster, imdb.com, RT; 12/01/14

24. The Boxtrolls Poster, imdb.com, RT; 12/01/14

25. 50 Shades of Grey Poster, imdb.com, RT; 12/01/14

26. Black Sea Poster, imdb.com, RT; 12/01/14

Universal Pictures

Aside

By Jamie Savarese

Universal Pictures

Photo Courtesy of myfilmviews.com [1]

Contact Information: [2]
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608

Phone: 818-777-1000

Fax: 818-777-6431

URL: http://www.universalpictures.com/
Twitter Handle: @UniversalPics
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/universalstudiosentertainment

Key Executives:

Donna, Langley, Chairman [3]

Peter Levinsohn, President and Chief Distribution [4]

Jeff Shell, Chairman [5]

Company Overview:
Universal Pictures is one of Hollywood’s “Big Six” film studios and is owned by Comcast through its subordinate company, NBCUniversal. The company distributes filmed entertainment for a growing global marketplace. They develop films internally, co-produce and distribute films developed by outside partners. Universal produces and distributes direct-to-DVD titles. The company has partners with a variety of leading international film companies in order to make and distribute films for wide commercial release. Their content is available through pay and free television, cinematic exhibition and subscription on-demand services. Universal has a diverse film pool and has showcased numerous classics including Jaws, E.T., Back to the Future and the Jurassic Park series. [6]

Brief History

Universal Logos Through the Years, Photos Courtesy of myfilmviews.com [7]

In 1912 Carl Laemmle, a film exhibitor turned producer, founded Universal Pictures. Universal is the world’s third oldest major film studio, and the second oldest in Hollywood. [8] In the early years of the studio it was a top producer of popular low-budget serials. It took the name of Universal-International for a while. In the early 1970s the Music Corporation of America purchased Universal. In 2004 Universal Pictures (as part of Vivendi Universal Entertainment) merged with the National Broadcasting Co., Inc., to form NBC Universal. [9]

Financials:
Box office wise, currently Universal is ranked 5^th with 11.2% of the market share, grossing $1,023.9 million from its 17 films. This marks a 26% decrease from the prior year. In 2013 Universal was ranked 3^rd with 13.1% of market share, grossing $1,433.3 million from its 17 films. The gross difference between 2013 and 2014 is -$358,971,454. [10]

Right Here, Right Now
In 2014, Universal Pictures released thirteen films and two are currently still in theatres: Dumb and Dumber To and Ouija. This fall Universal released six of its thirteen 2014 films: Get On Up, As Above/So Below, A Walk Among the Tombstones, Dracula Untold, Ouija and Dumb and Dumber To.

Ouija
This year marks the 120^th anniversary for the Ouija board. Writers Juliet Snowden and Stiles White devised Ouija, a terrifying horror film based on an unexpected death. A group of friends attempt to uncover the secret behind their best friends hanging, and end up awaking the dark powers of an ancient spirit board. [35]

Photo Courtesy of imbued.com [36]

Horror films are a great source of revenue for production companies because they are usually low budget projects. Ouija cost $5 million to make and left the studio with a worldwide profit of $67,840,000. This is a surprising profit considering sites like Rotten Tomatoes said only 29% of audiences liked it.[37]

Dracula Untold
Dracula Untold is a dark tale set to take place in Romania during the Turkish invasion. The main character Vlad (Luke Evans) sells his soul in an attempt to save his homeland. This choice forever dooms him as a creature of the night. Directed by Gary Shore and written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless. [16]

Photo Courtesy of imbued.com[15]

In its opening week (October 10-12), Dracula Untold topped the foreign box office, edging out Gone Girl and Annabelle overseas with a $33.9 million haul. [12] Universal spent $70 million on the movie, and worldwide it accumulated $86.1 million after two weeks of release. As of today, the movie’s worldwide total is $212,691,880 million. Rotten Tomatoes gave the Dracula Untold a 61% for audience acceptance, were critics only gave it 23%. [13][14]

The Years Success
Neighbors, Ride Along, Lucy and Non-Stop are ranked the top four movies of 2014 based on total gross. [11]

Lucy
This action-thriller Lucy tracks the story of a woman, Lucy (Scarlett Johansson), who is accidentally caught in a dark deal. The package that her kidnappers expect her to carry ends up empowering Lucy. With this new mental capacity she turns the tables on her captors and turns into an unstoppable warrior evolved beyond the human logic. Luc Besson directs the film.[17]

Photo Courtesy of onlinemoviz.com [18]

In its opening week, Lucy accumulated a total gross of 34.7%, making around $43 million. Its widest release was 3,202 theatres. It’s total profit worldwide is $458,863,600 million compared to its $40 million dollar production budget. Luc Besson had the best opening of his career with Lucy in Turkey, Hungary, the Philippines, French-Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates, where it also became Universal’s third-biggest opening of all time. [19][20]

In Other News:

Photo Courtesy of www.hollywoodreporter.com [21]

On 15 July 2014, Elevation Pictures’, a Canadian indie distributor, co-presidents Laurie May and Noah Segal announced that Universal will be releasing its home entertainment product locally. The deal permits Elevation Pictures to handle Blu-ray and DVD sales of current and upcoming films into the Canadian market. Mike Flanagan’s Oculus was the first film to be handled by Universal’s Canadian home entertainment arm.[22]

Photo Courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com[34]

On 17 November 2014, Universal Pictures and Comcast brass gathered for an opening ceremony in Beijing. This signaled Universal’s push into China with their new office. The company stated that this office was a sign of proof to establish the future investment they wish to have within the region. [23]

Photo Courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com[24]

On 24 November 2014, Universal stepped up to adopt the high-profile Steve Jobs movie from Sony. The Hollywood Reporter states that their sources have the deal between the two companies priced more than $30 million. The film is based on Walter Isaacson’s biography Steve Jobs, which hit stores in 2011. The script was written by Aaron Sorkin and is set to be directed by Danny Boyle. [32]

What’s To Come:
Universal will release its popular comedic sequel, Pitch Perfect 2, on 15 May 2015. The film revisits the Barden Bells as they progress past domestic competition, and prepare for the international acapella competition that no American team has ever won. The film is directed by Elizabeth Banks and written by Kay Cannon and based on the book by Mickey Rapkin. [25]

Photo Courtesy of imbd.com[26]

The newest hype in Universal has come from its recent release of the Jurassic World trailer. The Jurassic Park series comes with many fans, and much promise for a good opening week. The movie comes out in 3D on 12 June 2015. Steven Spielberg returns to executive produce, and Colin Trevorrow comes on as director. [27][28][29]

-Video Courtesy of YouTube.com[30]

Future of Universal
The future of Universal looks positive and optimistic. The sequel movies Pitch Perfect 2 and TED 2 will bring a lot of people into theatres. Along with these, the well-known Jurassic Park series, Jurassic World, will spike much commotion. Another big prospect is the release of the popular novel adapted movie 50 Shades of Grey. With such high-discussed movies on the horizon, it only looks like the company will go up from here. [31]

Sources:
[1] Universal Logo From 16 February 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[2] Contact Information From 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[3] Donna Langley Photo From 5 December 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[4] Peter Levinsohn Photo From 1 May 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[5] Jeff Shell Photo Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[6] Universal Pictures Description Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[7] Universal Logo Photos From 16 February 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[8] History of Universal Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[9] History of Universal Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[10] Studio Market Share From 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[11] Total Gross of 2014 From 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[12] Dracula Foreign Success From 12 October 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[13] Rotten Tomatoes Dracula Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[14] Dracula Box Office From 1 December 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[15] Dracula Untold Poster Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[16] Dracula Untold Synopsis Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[17] Lucy Synopsis Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[18] Lucy Poster Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[19] Lucy Profits From 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[20] Luc Besson Success for Universal From 13 August 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[21] Oculus Photo From 15 July 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[22] Universal DVD Deal From 15 July 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[23] Beijing Office Hollywood Reporter From 17 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[24] Steve Job’s Picture From 24 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[25] Pitch Perfect imbd Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[26] Pitch Perfect Poster Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[27] Jurassic World imbd Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[28] Jurassic World Rotten Tomatoes Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[29] Jurassic World Universal Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[30] Jurassic World Trailer 25 November 2014.
[31] Upcoming Movies From 24 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[32] Script About Steve Jobs From 24 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[33] Ride Along Poster Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[34] China Photo From 17 Novemver 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[35] Ouija imbd Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[36] Ouija Photo Retrieved 30 November 2014.
[37] Rotten Tomatoes Ouija Retrieved 30 November 2014.

Spotify

Posted on October 14, 2014 by hlu04

by Helen Lu

[1] Spotify’s Logo

KEY EXECUTIVES

[2] Spotify Founders- Martin Lorentzon & Daniel Ek

[3] Jeff Levick- Chief Business Officer

[4] Steve Savoca- Head of Content

[5] Ken Parks- Chief Content Officer & Managing Director USA

SPOTIFY OVERVIEW

[6] Spotify’s sleek interface layout for their multi-platform service.

Spotify is a privately-owned, digital music streaming service that provides on-demand access to tracks. It is available on multiple platforms, including computers, mobile, tablets, and home entertainment systems. Originally founded in Sweden in 2006, Spotify launched in the United States in 2011; it is now available in 58 markets. [7]

Spotify offers listeners the free model, “made possible by ads,” and the premium model for $9.99 monthly, which is ad-free, high-quality, and available offline. [8] With over 20 million songs, over 20,000 tracks added daily, and over 1.5 billion playlists, Spotify has accumulated 10 million active users and a total of 40 million active users. [9]

COMPETITORS

Rdio, Pandora, Rhapsody, Google Play Music, Beats, iTunes Radio, Music Unlimited, and Xbox Music are worthy contenders in this competitive space. Product reviews assess service quality with major factors include song catalog, user interface, support, and features. [10] Each racing for a market share, these top players in the market are making strategic ploys to stay afloat.

On November 12th, Youtube announced their own streaming service, Youtube Music Key for $9.99. It will be interesting to see how it will affect the music industry when it fully hits the market in 2015. [11]

[12] Spotify and The Echo Nest collaboration

In early March 2014, Spotify acquired The Echo Nest, a big data company to enhance the music discovery feature, forcing Rdio, Rhapsody, iHeartRadio, and Vevo to look elsewhere for a discovery algorithm. [13]

THE SPOTIFY STRATEGY

Spotify has successfully targeted college students, establishing a solid audience base and brand loyalty. With personal information confirming their status, Spotify offers students Spotify Premium for only $4.99. [13]

[13] Spotify engages their target audience: college students and 18-24 year-olds.

COLLEGE CASE STUDY

Spotify’s tenacious grasp on college students’ listening is reflected in their recently released research report of the Top 40 Musical Schools in America. The findings are a close study of the musical norms in the schools.

[14] Detailed graphs document music-genre distribution and listening spikes, showing not only what students listen to but also how they listen.

The data that Spotify is able to collect can be utilized for targeted advertising and marketing campaigns today. Moreover, with such a large following of the developing youth, Spotify is not only able to make significant advancements with the invaluable information about today, but accurate inferences about these soon-to-be adults tomorrow. [13]

#THATSONGWHEN

Spotify launched their #thatsongwhen campaign with advertising agencies Ogilvy & Mather and David to further engage their millennial base. #Thatsongwhen allows users to tie their emotional experiences to their favorite songs, to create, and to tell stories. The customization, personalization, and interactivity of a musical experience attracts and retains a young crowd. [15]

The stories are media clips that are charged with emotion, and of course, music. Don’t Go Chasing Girls is about a man’s early memory of his childhood crush that is easily triggered with TLC’s hit song, Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls. Stories and songs are updated and posted on a live feed.

AD TAKEOVER

Spotify is introducing two new advertising options for eager advertisers:

1. The dubbed Video Takeover, only available on desktops, allows brands to takeover the screen during 15-30 second advertising breaks.

2.The dubbed Sponsor Sessions forces mobile users to view a 15-30 second video on their mobile devices in order to proceed onto 30 minutes of uninterrupted streaming. [16]

McDonald’s, Universal Pictures, and Ford are just some of the major sponsors that have opted into this advertising innovation. [17]

[18] McDonald’s format and utilization of Spotify’s advertising product – Video Takeover.

SPOTIFY PARTNERSHIPS

VODAFONE

Everything is going mobile, and music is no exception. This rapid trend of playing and streaming music from a smartphone is particularly prevalent in Australia. Due to these recent findings, Vodafone Australia has partnered with Spotify to bundle in Spotify Premium for free with their monthly plan. A Spotify Premium subscription generally costs $11.99 Australian dollars each month. The exclusive offers with Spotify vary, and are known as the Red Plans. [19]

[20] Research shows that 1.5 million Australians stream music from their mobile devices.

Vodafone believes that Spotify Premium’s features complement and maximize the use of their faster network speeds, value plans, and expanding 4G network. Both the companies and the listeners are benefitting from this collaboration as the marriage of these digital services follow consumer trends and meets consumer needs. [21]

CARPLAY

Apple Carplay is an a new feature configured in select 2014 vehicles. Spotify is on board for this innovative ride as it has updated and fixed some bugs for this new multimedia system. [22] The music player allows users to access their Spotify accounts using a compatible iPhone. [23] With a built-in display to play music, Carplay is an exclusive and luxurious market; the Ferrari FF is one of the few select cars with Carplay. Several automobile manufacturers, however, are making an effort to include and support this system in the future. [24]

[24] Spotify collaborates with Apple Carplay to incorporate music services in the latest car models.

UBER

Uber is a hip taxi service, and Spotify is a hip streaming service. These two successful startups partner up for a new listening experience. Passengers can link their custom playlists to Uber vehicles for a fun ride. Although this new feature has started off in ten cities, it makes a big splash in the car service industry and the music industry. This partnership allows both companies to co-promote their respective brands and to change with the times. The service is for Spotify Premium account holders. [25]

[26] Spotify and Uber modernize the standard cab-ride as they join forces to create a new listening experience.

SPOTIFY CONTROVERSY

Taylor Swift pulled her entire catalogue from Spotify’s music database as she believes that it does not fairly compensate artists. [27] As a popular musician, her bold move and her public statements rejecting the streaming business model has made headlines for weeks. Fans and critics are responding to her decision with distaste as both parties point out that there are other viable services, such as Youtube and SoundCloud, to play her music. [28] While she recently accepted the first-ever Dick Clark Award for Excellence at the 2014 American Music Awards Ceremony, she added another snide comment jabbing at Spotify and streaming services again. [29] Jason Aldean has followed Swift’s footsteps, and pulled his new album Old Boots, New Dirt from Spotify. [30]

Spotify executive, Ek, combats this frenzy and reports that artists that use Spotify to promote their music actually sell more, and that Spotify has returned over $2 billion to music industry today. Top artists like Swift are set to project over $6 million in revenue a year. [31] Despite the financial debate and moral controversy, the Spotify team still hopes for Swift to change her mind. [32]

[33] Taylor Swift is a firm believer in the value of music, and that it should not be free. Swift has pulled her music catalogue from Spotify.

It is unlikely that many artists will join Swift’s banning of the digital streaming business, as it is the digital age. Reports confirm that streaming services grew 28% in the first half of 2014. [26] Listeners’ habits changed; artists can sink, but digital streaming services will swim.

SPOTIFY: LOOKING AHEAD

Despite the recent controversies, Spotify has achieved success with their recent collaborations; the student discount and the partnership with Vodafone have led Spotify subscriptions to increase by 42%. [28] Spotify Family Plan has launched with popular demand and proven financial success with previous discount deals. The plan allows subscribers to add four family members to their account for half the price. [34]

Spotify’s name is globally recognized, and Spotify’s services are well integrated into the new digital age. Its key strategies and partnerships keep it on the bleeding edge of the music industry.

Sources

1. Spotify’s Logo, Spotifypress.com, RT:11.29.2014

2. Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, RT: 11.29.2014

3. Jeff Levick, RT: 11.29.2014

4. Steve Savoca, Spotifypress.com, RT:11.29.2014

5. Ken Parks, Evolver.fm, RT: 11.29.2014

6. Spotify Interface Layout, RT: 11.29.2014

7. Spotify Business Information, investing.businessweek.com, RT: 11.29.2014

8. Spotify Official Website, spotify.com/us, RT: 11.29.2014

9. Spotify Press Information, spotify.com/information, RT: 11.29.2014

10. “Spotify and competitors play to their musical strengths”, usatoday.com, RT: 11.29.2014

11. “YouTube Launching Spotify-Style Paid Music Service”, TIME, RT: 11.29.2014

12. Spotify and The Echo Nest Collaboration, RT: 11.29.2014

13. “Will Spotify’s hat trick help it pull ahead of competition?”, Fortune, RT: 11.29.2014

14. How Students Listen, spotify.com, RT: 11.29.2014

15. “Spotify Ties Music to Personal Stories in Its New Ads”, adweek.com, RT: 11.29.2014

16. “Spotify Unveils Video Takeover Ad Product for Free Users”, telecompaper.com, RT: 11.29.2014

17. “Spotify is bringing video ‘takeover ads’ to its free service”, theverge.com, RT: 11.29.2014

18. Spotify Video Takeover Format, spotify.com, RT: 11.29.2014

19. “Vodafone offers postpaid customers free Spotify Premium access”, CNET, RT: 11.29.2014

20. “Spotify partners with Vodafone Australia for down under listeners”, rainnews.com, RT: 11.29.2014

21. “Vodafone Australia and Spotify join forces!”, vodafone.com, RT: 11.29.2014

22. “Spotify adds support for Apple’s CarPlay in update to iOS app”, talkingnewmedia.com, RT: 11.29.2014

23. “Spotify Adds CarPlay Support in Latest iOS Update”, macrumors.com, RT: 11.29.2014

24. “Apple CarPlay comes to Pioneer stereos as Spotify adds support”, engadget.com, RT: 11.29.2014

25. “Tuneup, redefined: You can now Spotify your Uber ride”, CNET, RT: 11.29.2014

26. Uber and Spotify Partnership, Uber.com, RT: 11.29.2014

27. “Taylor Swift is right about music, wrong about Spotify, says CEO Ek”, CNET, RT: 11.29.2014

28. “Why Taylor Swift Will Lose Her Battle With Spotify”, TIME, RT: 11.29.2014

29. “AMAs: Taylor Swift Continues Anti-Streaming-Service Stance in Dick Clark Award Speech”, hollywoodreporter.com, RT: 11.29.2014

30. “Jason Aldean Agrees with Taylor Swift, WIll Remove New Album From Spotify”, musictimes.com, RT: 11.29.2014

31. “$2 Billion and Counting”, spotify.com, RT: 11.29.2014

32. “Here’s Why Taylor Swift Pulled Her Music From Spotify”, TIME, RT: 11.29.2014

33. “Taylor Swift and the Whole Spotify Thing”, uloop.com, RT: 11.29.2014

34. “Spotify launching family plan with cheaper subscriptions for families”, theguardian.com, RT: 11.29.2014

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 2, 2013 by Iara Rogers Benchoam

By Iara Rogers Benchoam

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 the sister company of NBCUniversal. The art-house unit of Universal Pictures, Focus produces and distributes specialty films in the U.S. and distributes films globally through Focus Features International. Focus aspires to challenge its viewers with controversial issues and deep concepts. Focus formed in 2002 with the merge of USA Films, Universal Focus, and Good Machine In February 2011, Focus Features partnered with Screen Media and launched Focus World, a VOD (video on demand) label aimed to bringing global and indie films to audiences across multiple platforms. Focus World films released to date include Resurrect Dead, C.O.G., and Underground: The Julian Assange Story. [1] Currently, Focus is undergoing changes in key executives and domestic headquarters with the merge of FilmDistrict. [2]

Focus’ competitors are DreamWorks Studios, Lionsgate Entertainment Corp, and The Independent Film Channel LLC. These companies share values of specialty and high-quality produced films.

Brokeback Mountain, The Kids are All Right, Anna Karenina, Atonement, and Milk, are a handful of Focus’ Oscar wins and nominations. [3] Focus Features releases approximately 5 feature films annually. There is an expected bump up in yearly releases with the evaporation of FilmDistrict into Focus Features.

KEY EXECUTIVES

James Schamus and Peter Schlessel

Among being the co-founder and CEO to Focus, James Schamus is a screenwriter, producer, and a fervid pursuer of the art-house genre. Schamus’ notable filmography includes Hulk and Brokeback Mountain. With the merge of Focus’ and FilmDistrict, Peter Schlessel, a professional of the studio and specialty films, will take over as Focus Features’ CEO starting January 2014. [4]

Andrew Karpen and Adrian Alperovi

Adrian Alperovich will run as chief operating officer with the changes in January 2014, taking the place of Andrew Karpen who declined the offer to move to LA with the new Focus Features headquarters. [5] As co-chief executive officer, Karpen managed Focus’ international and domestic activities.

FINANCIALS

Focus Features’ annual and quarter financials are private. Since its launch in 2002, Focus Features has undergone a plummet in the box offices. In an effort to change the company’s unprofitability, Universal Pictures pushed for the merge between Focus and FilmDistrict, a change in headquarters and executives, more commercialized productions, and an increase of 10 films produced and distributed annually by the improved Focus Features. [6]

2013 marks Focus’ first year with 10 releases. An overall gross profit of $86.4 million is perceived as low in comparison to the $131.2 million in 2012 with only 7 releases. There was a -34.1% decrease in annual gross between 2012 and 2013 and a -29.9% decrease when comparing 2011 and 2013 box offices. [7]

FILMDISTRICT MERGE

October 2013, Universal Pictures, the parent company to Focus Features, announced the absorption of FilmDistrict into Focus Features with new CEO, Peter Schessel. Schessel officially begins as head of Focus Features January 2014 in the new Los Angeles headquarters. The revamped Focus Features company plans to bring in most of the FilmDistrict team alongside Peter Schessel and Adrian Alperovich. [8]

“The breadth and depth of Peter’s experience in the film business including production, acquisitions, distribution and most recently running FilmDistrict, will be a tremendous asset to Focus Features as the company broadens its portfolio beyond the production and distribution of specialty product,” said Universal Pictures chairman Donna Langley. “Peter is one of the most talented executives in the industry and I’m confident that under his leadership, Focus will become even more of a force as the specialty film business continues to evolve.” [9] Under Schessel’s administration starting January 2014, the remaining FilmDictrict productions will be released as a part of Focus Features films.

The merge serves to build Focus’ global footprint by increasing commercial films, broadening film styles, and raising annually released films to 10. These goals will further structure and change the art-house film unit and expand the company’s range of audiences. The absorption of FilmDistrict and part of its professional team will escalate Focus Features to a status above its specialty competitors.

THE WORLD’S END

Released: August 23, 2013

Following the success of Hot Fuzz (2007) and Shaun of the Dead (2004), director Edgar Wright takes on a new, explosive production with The World’s End. Director Edgar Wright’s The World’s End, tells a story about the reunion of five lifelong friends who rekindle over a drinking game but face obstacles of the apocalyptic degree. The reunited team, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, fight for the future humankind in The World’s End. [10]

Opening weekend The World’s End ranked fourth with $8,811,790 in 1,551 theaters. Currently in its 13th week, The World’s End grossed about two times as much as its budget with $46,074,336 worldwide. [11] The third in Wright’s Cornetto trilogy, The World’s End expected to soar inside and outside target audiences. With continual decrease in weekend gross, the theater count dropped dramatically every weekend, adding to the overall decrease in The World’s End profitability for Focus Features.

FUTURE

The future for Focus Features revolves around the changes in the company, innovation in a multi-platform world, oscar buzz, and additional films set for release from both FilmDistrict and Focus’ slate.

Among Focus’ four theatrical releases of 2013, Dallas Buyers Club holds the most praise and interest. Based on true events, Dallas Buyers Club tells the story of a life-enthusiast, Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey), diagnosed with H.I.V.. Woodroof refuses to believe his scheduled demise in 30 days and challenges the scientific and medical community by smuggling unapproved treatments and medicines to the U.S. from Mexico. On his journey, he befriends a fellow AIDS struggler and transsexual, Rayon (Jared Leto). Together they form a buyers club to sell and distribute new HIV medicines. A story on the education, acceptance, and struggle of the AIDS epidemic, Dallas Buyers Club takes on a topic still toxic and hidden in todays world. [12]

With its initial release, Dallas Buyers Club is receiving Oscar buzz for Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto’s work. The film gained initial recognition and buzz in the Toronto International Film Festival alongside Jason Bateman‘s Bad Words. Focus Features bought the rights to distribute the two films at TIFF and expect high successes. [13]

Focus Features is currently producing Bad Words to be released March 2014, Boxtrolls to be released September 2014, and 50 Shades of Grey to be released February 2015. With the new merge, the company plans on releasing the slate that FilmDistrict carries, alongside their own slate. Universal Pictures took an educated leap with this merge; only the future will tell if Focus will prosper as a production company or flop as an amateur partnership.

SOURCES

[1] IndieWire- Focus World Launch

[2] Google Finance- Focus Features

[3] Yahoo- Focus Features Summary

[4] Hollywood Reporter- Focus 2014 CEO Changes

[5] Variety- Focus 2014 Co-CEO Changes

[6] WSJ- Focus Profit Strategy

[7] BoxOfficeMojo- Yearly Comparisons

[8] Variety- FilmDistrict Team to Focus

[9] IndieWire Focus Executives Change

[10] The World’s End Official Page

[11] BoxOfficeMojo- The World’s End Review