Comcast – NBC Universal

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Conor McGovern

By Conor McGovern

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, NY 10112

212-664-4444

Key Executives [1]:

: Brian Roberts: CEO & Chairman, Comcast Corporation [2] [3]

: Stephan B. Burke: CEO, NBCUniversal [4]

: Cesar Conde: Executive Vice President, NBCUniversal [5]

: Ted Harbert: Chairman, NBC Broadcasting, NBCUniversal [6]

About NBCUniversal [7]:

NBCUniversal is a mass media company, and as of early 2013 fully owned by Comcast Corporation [9], that delievers entertainment, news and sports all across the globe. NBCUniversal creates and distributes content for broadcast and cable television, film, and online. With cooperate owenership and influence all around the world, NBCUniversal is much deserving of its name.

Broadcast & Cable Television:

NBC and Telemundo broadcast television networks are at the forefront of NBCUniversal’s television presence. Telemundo offers premium spanish language programming aimed at the Hispanic community. It is a one stop shop for a variety of shows, ranging from news to telenovelas and reality television. With powerhouse shows such as The Voice, Community, TODAY, Law & Order: SVU, America’s Got Talent and many more, NBC offers a variety of content to all television watchers across America. NBCUniversal also owns several NBC affiliates throughout the country, delivering high quality regional based content to the nation’s biggest cities.

As far as cable is concerned, NBCUniversal continues to grow its reach across all different types of audiences. NBCUniversal has cable channel offerings such as E!, USA, SyFy, The Golf Channel, NBC Sports Network, MSNBC and many others. This diverse distribution of their cable investments shows how NBCU can make an impact on your television viewing experience no matter what you enjoy.

Film & Digital Media:

Universal Pictures, one the six major film studios, is also owned by NBCUniversal. With recent and future releases such as About Time, The Best Man Holiday, and Lone Survivor, NBCUniversal will look for star-power to bring in large gains as the holiday season quickly approaches.

On the web, NBCUniversal has its hands in many nontraditional media outlets such as Hulu, Fandango, and iVillage. Fandago and Hulu link its users to an online stream or even a physical ticket to explore a vast array of movies and television entertainment. iVillage is a lifestyle, entertainment and news website geared towards women that boasts an impressive 30 million unique visitors a month [14].

Financials:

NBCUniversal continues to bring in great profit over the years with 2013 being no exception. NBCUniversal had a very solid 3rd quarter of the year with revenue increasing by 3.9% [15]. However, a huge portion of the quarterly gains were seen by the great success Despicable Me 2 has shown for Universal Pictures. On the television side of things, operating cash flow increased by 5.4% for the cable unit while plummiting by 61% for the broadcast unit [16].

NBCUniversal will look to bounce back with a great increase in revenue once the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia being. NBCUniversal has exclusive rights to the Olympics and hope to bring in similar numbers to their 2012 Summer Olympic coverage, which generated $1.2 billion in revenue [16] .

What’s Happening Now?

Aiming for a Younger Demographic?

NBCUniversal just sealed a deal to bump its cable television offerings with the purchase of the childrens cable network, Sprout, from PBS and HIT Television Ventures. The numbers and terms of the transaction have yet to be released. Unlike some other television networks such as Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel, Sprout is aimed at children 5 and below. This unique age gap will give NBCUniversal the ability to introduce Sprout watchers to the NBCU brand. Sprout currently broadcasts the PBS show, Sesame Street, as well as Lazy Town and others that remain popular with the demographic. It will be interesting to see if NBCUniversal can hold on to the rights to some of the existing programming, or if they create their own original content. Another prospect to consider is NBCUniversal rebranding the channel to coincide with an age demographic more suitable to be a bridge to their other cable channels. [18]

The BPL on NBCSN:

With the relaunch of NBC Sports Network back in January of 2012, NBCSN has constantly been looking for ways to distinguish themselves from the crowd. Channels like FOX Sports 1, as well as the giant that is ESPN, both threaten to take away viewership from NBCSN. However, with the purchase of the exclusive rights to broadcast the Barclay’s Premier League, England’s top soccer league, NBCSN has done well since the late-august launch of the BPL on the network. Comparing to last years opening weekend of the BPL on FOX Soccer Channel and ESPN, NBC and NBCSN averaged a .5 rating, a 67% increase over the average .3 rating their competitors had [20]. To put this success even more into perspective, NBCUniversal had 9 million viewers watch the first 5 game weeks of the season. This is quite impressive when you look at the only 4.8 million viewers who tuned in to watch the first 5 game weeks last year [21]. While the number may not seem very high, it is quite understandable given the morning start times of these games because of the time change.

An Olympic-sized push:

The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics are quickly approaching and NBCU is ready to go. NBCUniversal has begun its 100-day company wide countdown to the opening ceremony. There is a lot on the line for NBCU to make sure that this olympics is as profitable as ever, considering its $775 million rights fee [23]. As a way to promote the coverage of this worldwide event, NBCU will play high quality promotional commercials over the upcoming weeks across all of its broadcast and cable networks. Also, NBC and other NBCU channels have already begun to display the iconic peacock bug symbol with the olympic rings below it [24]. However it will be interesting to see if the time zone shift will have an impact on ratings as Sochi and New York have an 8-hour time difference.

Below is a Sochi 2014 promotional video NBCU will use across its variety of networks.

Courtesy of Youtube [25]:

Twitter & NBCU strike a deal:

Last month NBCUniversal and Twitter announced a partnership to bring television and social even closer. Initially the deal works for Xfinity Comcast cable subscribers who will be able to essentially see a tweet about a show or movie and turn that into a direct link to watch or DVR it. Twitter will also be using this deal to advertise out an array of NBCUniversal content through promotional tweets. Look for both companies to push this social move onto other networks to heighten its popularity. [27]

Branson and NBCUniversal Liftoff:

Comcast and Virgin Galactic have partnered to bring the unique experience of the first commercial space flight, by no one other than Richard Branson, to the NBCUniversal family of networks next year. The coverage of this event will end with a 3-hour live special the day of the launch on TODAY. NBCUniversal will attempt to build hype around this event in hope that it will be considered a monumental moment in television history. [29]

Sources

[1] http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/executives/

[2] http://www.forbes.com/sites/briansolomon/2013/08/07/broadband-behemoth-comcast-makes-ceo-brian-roberts-a-billionaire-again/

[3] http://corporate.comcast.com/news-information/leadership-overview/brian-l-roberts

[4] http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/senior-corporate-executives/nbc-universal/stephen-b-burke/

[5] http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/senior-corporate-executives/nbc-universal/cesar-conde/

[6] http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/senior-corporate-executives/nbc-universal/ted-harbert/

[7]http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/about-us/

[8] http://www.nbcuni.com/site-content/uploads/2012/05/1-NBCU_homepage4.jpg

[9] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-13/comcast-s-nbc-purchase-pushes-roberts-into-entertainment.html

[10] http://media.getthefive.com/uploads/article_images/nbc-universal-logo.jpg

[11] http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1557238/execs-artists-got-high-in-universal-music-west-coast-office-lawsuit-claims

[12] http://vector-magz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/ivillage-logo.gif

[13] http://corporate.comcast.com/news-information/news-feed/fandango-smashes-records-with-its-best-year-in-company-history

[14] http://www.crunchbase.com/company/ivillage

[15] http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=670469

[16] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/despicable-me-2-helps-boost-651661

[17] http://odol-cisec-02-whitemarsh-md.se.cim-cim-prog.cdn2.comcast.net/TeamComcast/Sprout_banner_small.jpg

[18] http://variety.com/2013/tv/news/nbcuniversal-acquires-full-ownership-of-kiddie-cabler-sprout-1200827404/

[19] http://worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/nbc-epl1.jpg

[20] http://advanced-television.com/2013/08/19/premier-league-record-us-ratings-for-nbc/

[21]http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/news/news/2013-14/oct/nbc-sports-enjoy-ratings-rise-for-barclays-premier-league.html

[22]http://www.urizendesign.com/img/sochi_logo.jpg

[23] http://www.entertainmentmanagementonline.com/2013/11/07/nbc-bullish-on-profitability-of-sochi-olympics/

[24] http://olympictalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/21/nbc-universal-100-days-out-olympics-giancarlo-esposito-commercials-video/

[25] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU4QZVO2lQs

[26] http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/news/nbc-s-shows-to-stream-on-twitter.jpg

[27] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nbcuniversal-showcase-tv-shows-twitter-646261

[28] http://www.time4aviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/original-640×250.jpg

[29] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/nbcuniversal-televise-first-commercial-space-654608

DreamWorks SKG Studios

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Jacob Warren

By Jacob Warren

DreamWorks SKG Studios Logo [1]

DreamWorks Studios Entrance [2]

100 Universal City Plaza Dr.
Universal City, CA 91608
Website: www.dreamworksstudios.com
Phone: 818-733-9300
Twitter: @DW_Studios

Key Executives

Steven Spielberg [3] Founder & Principal Partner

Stacey Snider [4] Co-Chairman & CEO

Jeff Small [5] President & COO

Brief History

DreamWorks Studios was founded in 1994 by filmmaker Steven Spielberg, animation specialist Jeffrey Katzenberg and recording industry expert David Geffen. The three

DreamWorks Logo [6]

founders initially planned to create DreamWorks as a diversified media firm, however they quickly realized that this was the wrong approach and transformed DreamWorks into a television and film developing, producing and distributing powerhouse. The partners sold DreamWorks to Viacom in 2005 and the majority of DreamWorks Studios’ films are now marketed and distributed by Walt Disney Studios. [6] [7]

Company Overview

Company Sign [7.5]

DreamWorks Studios is a mini-major motion picture company led by Steven Spielberg in partnership with the Reliance ADA group. DreamWorks develops and produces films and television programming with a goal of releasing or producing a minimum of five to six films each year. Since its inception, DreamWorks Studios has produced and developed over 75 motion pictures including three consecutive Academy Award Best Pictures in 1999, 2000 and 2001. With distribution outlets in North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Russia, DreamWorks’ success in the film industry prompted the company to split into two separate entities in 2004, DreamWorks Studios and DreamWorks Animation. [8]

Financials

Unlike DreamWorks Animation, DreamWorks Studios has remained a privately held company and is not required to release financial statements to the public. However, significant financial information about the company is available through research. Initially funded by the three founders who each contributed $33 million, DreamWorks was also initially capitalized by an investment of $500 million from Microsoft co-Founder, Paul Allen. Despite earning Academy Awards for Best Picture in 1999, 2000 and 2001, nu-

Reliance ADA Media Logo [8.5]

merous box office flops resulted in a $400+ million debt for the film company, which nearly declared bankruptcy twice. In February 2006 DreamWorks and Viacom agreed to terms that awarded Viacom control of DreamWorks Studios for an approximate $1.5 billion. Viacom assumed DreamWorks’ debt, however Viacom’s film distribution company, Paramount Pictures, also acquired DreamWorks’ film library that was valued at $900 million. [9] In 2008, DreamWorks ended its distribution deal with Paramount Pictures and inked another $1.5 billion deal with one of India’s largest media companies, Reliance ADA Group, which now owns 50% of the DreamWorks Studios. JP Morgan executives Clark Hallren and Alan Levine guided Reliance Media’s formulation of a business plan for DreamWorks Studios. [10]

Early Filmography

Although considered a mini-major film company, DreamWorks competes with major film studios. In 1997, DreamWorks released its first film, The Peacemaker. After several smaller films, DreamWorks made a significant impact in 1998 with the release of Saving

Battlefield scene from 'The Pacific' [23]

Battlefield scene from ‘The Pacific’ [10.5]

Private Ryan, featuring Tom Hanks. Grossing just under $500 million, the film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. DreamWorks Studios’ success was just beginning. During the next three years DreamWorks Studios films won Best Picture for American Beauty (1999), Gladiator (2000) and A Beautiful Mind (2001), bringing in over $1 billion and 14 Academy Awards. DreamWorks Studios also enjoyed success in television with the HBO 10-part mini series, ‘The Pacific’ (2010). The series was nominated for 23 Emmy Awards, winning eight. [6]

Right Here. Right Now.

Radical Changes

Despite its film and television success, by 2012 DreamWorks Studios was losing tens of millions of dollars a year. In 2013, the founders began streamlining operations to focus on improving profits. Although DreamWorks has its history as a Hollywood film

'Lincoln' DreamWorks film co-financed by 20th Century Fox [24]

‘Lincoln’ DreamWorks film co-financed with 20th Century Fox [10.6]

company, the studio began slashing budgets and transitioning to more of an independent film company. Beginning by reducing annual films in production from six to two, they tightened film schedules from 60-days to 40-days as well as keeping film budgets under $30 million. DreamWorks now utilizes co-financing on almost all of its films to reduce its financial risk and has slashed its work force from 120 employees to a lean 80. [11]

2013 Film Releases

'The Fifth Estate' film released in 2013. [25]

‘The Fifth Estate’ film released in 2013. [11.5]

With DreamWorks’ new business plan they now have the flexibility to release three or four films a year. This year, DreamWorks produced and released three new films. The first, ‘The Fifth Estate’, released on October 18, 2013, chronicles the demise of the company WikiLeaks. The film “reveals the quest to expose the deceptions and corruptions of power that turned an Internet upstart into the 21st century’s most fiercely debated organization.” Although a popular and compelling story, the film has yet to earn a fraction of its $28 million budget, only earning $3 million domestically to date. [12] [13]

The second film being released this Friday, November 22, 2013 is the comedy ‘Delivery Man’ featuring Vince Vaughn. This heavily marketed film presents the story of underachiever David Wozniak, whose uneventful life gets turned upside down when he finds out that he unintentionally fathered 533 children via sperm donations that he made in his youth. [14] [15]

The final film that DreamWorks has finished production on this year is the action-packed ‘Need For Speed’. A spinoff of the popular video game series set to release March 14,

'Need For Speed' action scene (2014). [26]

‘Need For Speed’ action scene (2014). [15.5]

2014, this film is DreamWorks’ attempt to grab a piece of the racing genre popularized by Universal Studios’ ‘The Fast and The Furious’ which has released six movies and is the most successful racing movie series ever. [16] [17]

2013 Acquisitions

Along with slashing budgets and modifying business plans, DreamWorks Studios has focused on purchasing rights to popular literary works. Early in 2013, they obtained the rights to Richard C. Morais’s best-selling novel, ‘The One-Hundred Foot Journey’. The film went into production on October 9, 2013 and is scheduled for release on August 8, 2014. Also in October 2013, DreamWorks Studios acquired an untitled pitch from screenwriting

Goodwin's best seller 'The Bully Pulpit' [27]

Goodwin’s best seller ‘The Bully Pulpit’ [18.5]

brothers Phil and Scott Rosenberg. “Plot details are being kept under wraps, but sources describe the film as a ‘modern-day-mission movie’ with a supernatural twist. [18]” Industry experts are waiting to see if DreamWorks will put the pitch into production. The most recent purchase occurred on October 30, 2013 when DreamWorks acquired the film rights to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin’s recently released book, The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism. Goodwin and DreamWorks successfully collaborated on the 2012 film ‘Lincoln’ which grossed over $275 million. [19] [20]

Sources:

[1] Broadwayworld.com: DreamWorks logo image

[2] Communitybranding.com: DreamWorks entrance image

[3] DreamWorks: Steven Spielberg image/bio

[4] DreamWorks: Stacey Snider image/bio

[5] DreamWorks: Jeff Small image/bio

[6] DreamWorks: Film history/image

[7] LA Times: DreamWorks & Walt Disney Studios deal

[7.5] ABClocal.go.com: Company sign image

[8] Google Articles: DreamWorks & Reliance Media deal

[8.5] Variety: Reliance ADA Group image

[9] Hollywood.com: Paramount buys DreamWorks

[10] Reuters: Reliance ADA Group deal

[10.5] Skymovies.com: ‘The Pacific’ scene image

[10.6] Gcmag.org: ‘Lincoln’ film image

[11] Hollywood Reporter: DreamWorks new business plan

[11.5] Benedictcumberpatch.co: ‘The Fifth Estate’ image

[12] DreamWorks: ‘Fifth Estate’ snapshot

[13] Contactmusic.com: WikiLeaks reaction to film

[14] DreamWorks: ‘Delivery Man’ snapshot

[15] Rotten Tomatoes: ‘Delivery Man’ Analysis

[15.5] Collider.com: ‘Need For Speed’ image

[16] DreamWorks: ‘Need For Speed’ snapshot

[17] IMDb: ‘Need For Speed’ Info

[18] Variety: Rosenberg script acquired

[18.5] Hollywood Reporter: Doris Goodwin’s best-seller image

[19] Movie Insider: Recent DreamWorks Acquisitions

[20] DreamWorks: Acquisition of best-seller

(Total Sources: 27)

Universal Pictures

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Lukas Lamble

By Luke Lamble

Universal Pictures logo

History

Founded in 1912, Universal Pictures, Inc. is the oldest American movie studio and continues to be a leader in the world of motion picture production and distribution. [1] In 2004, General Electric bought Universal Pictures. [2] GE sold all of its control of Universal in 2011 to the cable provider, Comcast, creating NBCUniversal. Universal Pictures still operates as the movie production subsidiary. [3] In 2012 alone, Universal has produced a diverse selection of award-winning movies such as the film production of Les Misérables and the comedy hit, Ted. [4]

Key Executives [5]

Ron Meyer (nbcumv.com)

Ron Meyer – Vice Chairman, NBCUniversal

Meyer served as President and COO of Universal Pictures since 1995 before being made Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal in September 2013. He currently oversees all facets of the company, while still managing its portfolio of film assets amongst others

Donna Langley (nbcumv.com)

Donna Langley – Chairman, Universal Pictures

Langley began working at Universal in 2001 as the senior vice president of production. After being named Chairman of Universal Pictures in September 2013, she assumed the role of overseeing the production and distribution of the company’s feature films.

Suzanne Cole (nbcumv.com)

Suzanne Cole – Executive VP, Media, Universal Pictures

Since the beginning of her tenure at Universal Pictures, the studio has experienced some of its most lucrative successes. Because of this success, Cole was named Executive Vice President of Media in 2008. She now oversees all strategic activities for the marketing and distribution of the studio’s feature films.

Financials (all numbers in millions)

Recent years have been good for Universal Pictures and its parent NBCUniversal. From 2011 to 2012, revenue for NBCUniversal grew by almost $5,000, from $19,028 to $23,812. Filmed entertainment was responsible for approximately 21% of the total revenue in 2012, generating $5,159. That was up from $4,239 generated by Universal Pictures in 2011. [6]

NBCUniversal logo

In regards to how Universal Pictures measured up against the five other major movie studios, so far in 2013, Universal holds a 14.6% market share amongst all the studios, placing it second behind Warner Brothers. This year Universal Pictures has grossed $1,329.3 from the release of 13 movies. [7]

Competition

The main concern for NBCUniversal and Universal Pictures right now is the new technologies that are affecting traditional media production and distribution methods. This is referring mainly to companies like Netflix and Hulu that syndicate video programming online. A growing concern is that these companies and others like them are beginning to create and obtain their own original content. [8]

Recent Film Releases

Universal Pictures has developed a reputation for having great success with movie franchises with such iconic franchises such as Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, and the Bourne series. [9] In 2013, Universal stuck with this trend and reaped the benefits of new installments in the Despicable Me and Fast & Furious series, amongst an eclectic mix of other successful films. [10]

The Best Man Holiday

A sequel to 1999’s The Best Man, The Best Man Holiday picks right up with the old college friends from the The Best Man, as they all reconvene for some Christmas celebrations. Amidst all the fun times, sparks of old romances begin to rekindle and old rivalries that had faded away over time arise again. Taye Diggs, Terrence Howard, Morris Chestnut, Monica Calhoun, and Regina Hall star in this quintessential holiday comedy-drama written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. [11]

The Best Man Holiday (vibe.com)

Released on November 15, 2013, in just three days The Best Man Holiday has nearly doubled its budget so far, bringing in $32,536,350. That’s also $6.5 million over the $24 million it was projected to earn. [12] Tagged as “just another black comedy,” The Best Man Holiday has not only offered more evidence that generally black films can succeed, but that this is no typical movie by any sense, except for the fact that it is generally crowd-pleasing. (No particular race or age group dominantly represents itself in the film’s audience demographics). In fact, CinemaScore even gave the movie an A+, an extremely rare feat for any film. [13]

Despicable Me 2

Gru (Steve Carell), a former master villain, has settled into family life after adopting and coming to love his three daughters, but peace and quiet is not lasting for the villain-turned-hero, as he is called upon to save the world from a new super-villain. And just as the world needs Gru’s help, so does his eldest daughter who has fallen for a classic bad-boy and an inevitable source of heartbreak. Kristen Wiig and Benjamin Bratt star alongside Carell in this story of one former villain’s attempt to be a hero for the world and for his own family. [14]

Despicable Me 2 (ropeofsilicon.com)

The original Despicable Me (2010) was a tremendous release for Universal, ranking seventh all-time amongst its highest grossing movies by bringing in $251,513,985 domestically. On July 3, 2013, Despicable Me 2 was released and has shattered that record, becoming the all-time highest grossing movie for Universal Pictures with $365,943,520 of domestic revenue. This income has far surpassed the film’s production budget of $76 million, and that’s not even factoring in its performance in the worldwide box office. To the delight of the studio, 60.1% of the movie’s total revenue came from foreign releases, grossing $550,100,000 worldwide. All in all, Despicable Me 2 has brought in $916,043,520 for Universal Studios, and subsequently, is still playing in 305 theaters across the U.S. [15]

Fast & Furious 6

The very CIA agent who has been trying to track them down in order to defeat a new crew of criminal drivers who are causing chaos in twelve countries across the world calls upon refugees of the law. In an effort to be pardoned from the charges against themselves, Dom and Brian (Vin Diesel and Paul Walker) get their old gang of expert drivers back together to take to the streets of London and defeat these mercenary drivers. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson star in this pedal-to-the-metal thriller. [16]

Fast & Furious 6 (teaser-trailer.com)

The sixth film in the Fast & Furious series was the most successful installment to date for the studio, becoming its ninth highest grossing film of all time, and reaping in the most revenue of all the Fast & Furious films. Fast & Furious 6 generated $238,679,850 for Universal, making it the second highest grossing film of 2013 behind Despicable Me 2. In the worldwide box office, Fast & Furious 6 brought in another $550 million, bringing its total gross to a lofty $788,659,850. Given the $160 million budget, Universal Pictures had another major box office winner with this film. [17]

What’s to Come from Universal Studios

Fast & Furious 7

Fast & Furious 7 (hitfix.com)

Just a little over a year after Fast & Furious 6 came out, the seventh is already on its way, slated for a July, 2014 release date. This time, the brother of the defeated world-criminal from Fast & Furious 6 has come onto the scene seeking revenge for his brother’s death. [18]

Ted 2

Ted 2 (collider.com)

Universal Pictures also has plans to release the sequel to its wildly successful, raucous comedy Ted. However, Universal did not produce the original, but acquired the rights to it and distributed it as a Universal Pictures film. Despite not having the rights yet, the studio is confident it will be able to secure them and go forward with production of the sequel. [19]

Sources

[1] Universal Pictures History

[2] NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment Unite to Create NBC Universal

[3] Comcast Completes Acquisition of GE’s 49% Stake In NBCUniversal

[4] About Universal Pictures

[5] NBCUniversal Film Executives

[6] NBCUniversal 2012 Annual Report

[7] 2013 Studio Market Shares

[8] NBCUniversal 2012 Annual Report

[9] Movie Franchises by Studio

[10] Universal Pictures’ 2013 Movie Releases

[11] The Best Man Holiday Plot Summary

[12] The Best Man Holiday Box Office Performance

[13] The Best Man Holiday Performance Analysis

[14] Despicable Me 2 Plot Summary

[15] Despicable Me 2 Box Office Performance

[16] Fast & Furious 6 Plot Summary

[17] Fast & Furious 6 Box Office Performance

[18] Dwayne Johnson Tweets Fast & Furious 7 Photo

[19] Ted 2 Scheduled Release

Universal Pictures

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Moon Park

by Moon Park

Universal Pictures logo [1]

Address: 100 Universal City Plaza Universal Studios, CA. 91608

Contact Information: 818.777.1000

Major Media Company: Comcast

Parent Company: NBC Universal

Key Executives:

Ron Meyer, President and Chief Operating Officer

Adam Fogelson, Chairman

Jimmy Horowitz, President

Rick Finkelstein, Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer

James Schamus, Chief Executive Officer

(Ronald Meyer)

Profile: Universal Studios Inc. also known as Universal Pictures is an American motion picture and television studio which is located in Universal City in California. Universal Pictures is owned my Comcast and is a subsidiary of NBC Universal. It is one of the six major studios in the United States and one of the longest existing motion picture studios as well. Its main purpose is to develop, produce, and market entertainment[2]. Along with making movies, Universal also has theme parks located in Hollywood, California and Orlando, Florida[3]. Through its international production group, the studio teams up with the international studios to make blockbuster movie. They also make wide commercial and special releases in not so familiar regions. For almost a century now, Universal Pictures made diverse films such as classics: Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park series, and Mamma Mia!. It also made franchise movies such as: Meet the Parents, Fast and Furious, Back to the Future, and the Bourne Series. Not only did they make high grossing movies, they also made quality movies which won them the Academy Awards such as: King Kong, Brokeback Mountain, The Pianist, and many more[4] . Over the years of movie making, Universal Pictures grossed over $25 billion all time (movies before 1982 has not been recorded)[5]. On the course of making movies, Universal is very successful and is on the top of the list when it comes to studios.

Universal Pictures History: Carl Laemmle was the man to start Universal Pictures. While he was planning to start a clothing shop in Chicago in 1905, he came across people waiting in line for a nickelodeon. At that moment Laemmle decided to change his job, and opened his first theater The White Front Theater. From then on, Laemmle started to make more branches of theaters with partners and started making money. Carl Laemmle met Robert Cochrane and expanded their theaters. They made the Laemmle Film Service, which became the largest movie distributor of the country in the early 1900s. After having problems with the motion pictures, Laemmle and Cochrane made their own movies. In 1912 the Universal Film Manufacturing Company was formed and this led to Universal Pictures’ 100th anniversary in 2012 [6].

Where the company is headed today: Most good film today push towards the holidays or before it so that it could be a contender for an award ceremony held in early times of the year. Films such as: Zero Dark Thirty and Les Miserables were nominated for both the Golden Globes and the Oscars. The movie Ted also did great in the box office to end Universal’s 2012 [7].

January 2013 : On January 6, Universal renewed its domestic domestic output deal with HBO with a long term extension. This is the tenth year they are working with HBO and has been successful [8]. The epic film Jurassic Park, which was made in 1993, is scheduled to be released in IMAX and 3D on April [9]. Universal Pictures signed with Nintendo’s marketing director and assistant general manager, Dawn Paine to be their vice president of marketing mostly in overseas. In addition he is responsible for the publicity of Universal’s home entertainment business [10].

February 2013: Universal showed their new release: Fast and Furious 6 on the day of Superbowl. The movie is expected to be seen everywhere on theaters May 24 [11]. The character Ted(from the movie Ted) came out with its co-star Mark Wahlburg in the 85th Oscars. Seth McFarlane who created and played Ted hosted the show and asked Universal Pictures to pay for the appearance due to technical issues [12]. In addition, Les Miserables’ Anne Hathaway won best supporting actress and many were nominated for both Les Miserables and Zero Dark Thirty.

March 2013: Universal Pictures were fighting for legal rights with a porn producer, who adapted a pornography adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey. Universal won the rights in the end, which turned out for Smash Pictures to pay Universal for their doing [13]. Marc Abraham and Eric Newman of Strike Entertainment (an Universal Pictures co-company) decided to dissolve the company and step away from Universal after a 15 year run [14]. StudioCanal has launched legal actions against Universal, who was their former partners. StudioCanal claims that Universal’s violation was “fiduciary and contractual obligations.” They also claim that Universal hid some payments and did not report incomes. [15].

April 2013: Jurassic Park premiered on April 5th and is made $18 million in its opening weekend where budget was just at the $10 million mark [16] . From January-April, Universal Pictures came in at number one in the studio market share with its distribution. They marked 13.1% and grossed over $300 million with five movies, two of them being released in 2013 [17].

What is coming next for Universal: Universal Pictures are pushing for roughly twelve more movies to come out for 2013. Summer movies are: Fast and Furious 6, Kick Ass 2, The Purge, Despicable Me 2, R.I.P.D, etc… [18].

Financial Reports: For the fourth quarter report of Universal Pictures in 2012, they increased 9% from 1.3 to 1.4 compared with 2011 fourth quarter financial report from films such as, Les Miserables Ted, This is 40, and Bourne Legacy. Their Operating Cash Flow decreased 4.7% from $89 million to $84. For the year, they ended $5.2 billion, which was a 12.4 increase from their 2011 revenue $4.7 billion [19]Comcast Corporation (the owner of Universal) announced on March that they will release their 2013 first quarter financial report on May 1, 2013 [20].

Competition: Competition for Universal Pictures are as followed: Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and Warner Bros. Pictures. They are known as the Major Big Six Film studios in the United States.

Universal Pictures Affiliated Groups:

Bravo Media
CNBC
E!
Esquire Network
Fandango
Focus Features
Golf Channel
International Television
MSNBC
mun2
NBC Entertainment
NBC News
NBC Owned Television Stations
NBC Sports Group
NBCUniversal
NBCUniversal Cable and New Media Distribution
NBCUniversal Digital Distribution
NBCUniversal Domestic Television Distribution
NBCUniversal Television Networks Distribution
Oxygen Media
Sprout
Style Media
Syfy
Telemundo
Universal Parks & Resorts
Universal Pictures
Universal Television
USA Network

Sources:

1. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.myfilmviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/universal-pictures-100th-anniversary-logo1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.myfilmviews.com/2012/02/16/the-story-behind-the-universal-pictures-logo/&h=811&w=1500&sz=891&tbnid=azNGy7FcyZtUPM:&tbnh=65&tbnw=120&zoom=1&usg=__8V1u5F0D3KgGXBGBzwXIMnzueIM=&docid=XETkV1Rks8ResM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=hkRiUa_mH-nh4AO5h4DQCg&sqi=2&ved=0CDcQ9QEwAQ&dur=1874

2. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=804881

3. http://www.universalstudios.com/

4. http://www.nbcuni.com/film/universal-pictures/

5. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?page=7&yr=&view=company&view2=allmovies&studio=universal.htm&p=.htm

6. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/universal-studios-inc-history/

7. http://www.movieinsider.com/c13/universal-pictures/

8. http://www.deadline.com/2013/01/universal-pictures-extends-domestic-output-deal-with-hbo/

9. http://www.deadline.com/2013/01/jurassic-park-imax-3d-release-april-5/

10. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=804881

11. http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/fast-and-furious-6-trailer-extended-universal-pictures/

12. http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/oscars-2013-ted-appearance-mark-wahlberg/

13. http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/settlement-reached-in-universals-fifty-shades-of-grey-porn-adaptation-suit/

14. http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/producing-partners-marc-abraham-and-eric-newman-dissolve-strike-entertainment/

15. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=804881

16. http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/

17. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/

18. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/schedule/?view=distributor&id=universal.htm

19. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/12/pa-comcast-idUSnBw4kmz68a+100+BSW20130212

20. http://www.cmcsk.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=750147

Universal Pictures

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Kayla Bressi

by Kayla Bressi

Universal Pictures

http://www.nbcuni.com
http://www.universalpictures.com

A Brief History:

Universal Studios Inc, or Universal Pictures, is one of 6 major movie studios. It is owned by Comcast and is a division of NBC Universal. Some of their most notable films include E.T: The Extra Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Meet the Fockers, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Jaws. [1]

In addition to theatrical film, Universal Pictures has also produced direct to DVD and classic films, as well as the broadway hits Wicked and Billy Elliot: The Musical. [3]

Key Executives

Brian Roberts is the chairman and CEO for Comcast Corporations. His company is the majority owner of NBC Universal. [2]

Eddie Cunningham, president of Universal Pictures International Entertainment, joined the company in 1994. He currently overseas distribution in international countries and looks for opportunities for international business opportunities. [2]

Jimmy Horowitz

Jimmy Horowitz is the president of Universal Pictures. He has worked for the studio for 18 years, and has helped oversea and lead Universal Stage Productions to success.[2]

Cindy Gardner is the Senior Vice President of Internal Communications and NBC Universal & Corporate Affairs. Cindy overseas corporate media relations, philanthropy, and organizes special events. [2]

Recent Releases

Jurassic Park 3D
Release Date- April 5th, 2013
http://www.jurassicpark.com

While the original debut in 1993 saw blockbuster results, there are mixed reviews on whether or not a 3D version of Jurassic Park was necessary.

Since the 3D release was set around the time of the movie’s 20th anniversary, some have said it seems like a celebration. Alicia Loots from Hollywood.com says, “a 3D re-release feels like an interesting way to pay homage to a film that was way ahead of its time technologically.” [4] However, some seem to disagree, calling it a “gimmick.”

Many fans asked a popular youtube channel, “Screen Junkies” to make a spoof regarding the conversion of this classic blockbuster into 3D.

Originally opening with $47 million in 1993, Jurassic Park made $7 million on Friday and is expected to make $18 million over the weekend. These results put it behind Evil Dead, which made close to $11.5 million. According to CinemaBlend.com, “The huge blockbuster opening this weekend was made 20 years ago, and the horror film is a remake of a classic from the 80s, but the box office is humming as if both of them were brand new.” [5] With a production budget of only $10 million, Jurassic Park 3D should prove to be profittable for Universal Pictures. [6]

Identity Thief
Release Date- February 8th, 2013
http://www.identitythiefmovie.com

Identity Thief, featuring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy, was the #1 film during its opening weekend, racking in $34.5 million. [7]

As of April 7th, Identity Thief had an estimated domestic total of $131,254,000 and a worldwide total of $157,054,000. It is also currently rotten, with only a 20% approval rating on RottenTomatos.com. It is set to release on DVD and Blu-Ray on June 4th, 2013.

Les Miserables
Release Date: Dec 25, 2012
http://www.lesmiserablesfilm.com

Les Miserables all-star cast helped put this movie in the top of Universal Picture’s most recent accomplishments in film. With famous actors and actresses, including Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, Amanda Seyfried, and Helena Bonham Carter, Les Miserables started out strong. On opening day, Les Miserables made $18.1 million, putting it in first place for a musical on opening day. [8]

In an interesting move, the actors of Les Miserables sang live during filming, instead of along to a pre-recorded rendition. Some support this, however according to Sandy Schaeffer on Screenrant.com, theatre die-hards tend to prefer “dedicated singers, rather than performers who are actors first and singers second.” [9]

Les Miserables was nominated for 8 Oscars, and won 3 of them: Actress in a Supporting Role, Makeup and Hairstyling, and for Sound Mixing. [10] It has a domestic total of $148,809,770, and a worldwide total of $435,809,770, meaning this film had more foreign success. [11] It also currently has a fresh rating of 70% on RottenTomatoes.

Despicable Me 2
Release Date: July 3rd, 2013
http://despicableme.com

Fan Art of Despicable Me

Following the success of Despicable Me, which gathered a worldwide total of $543,113,985, ( Putting it at #6 on Universal Picture’s top grossing films), Universal Pictures decided to create a sequel that is set to release this summer.

On the official movie website for Despicable Me 2, you can find a collection of pictures, items, and gifs from loyal fans and other websites, such as Tumblr.

To promote the film, Universal Pictures has launched a large “Despicablimp.” TheDespicablimp will cross over the United States 3 times, set to make its first appearance at the Nickelodeon’s Kid’s Choice Awards in March. [12]
Fans are able to visit the “Despicablimp Command Center.” They can share sightings on twitter, instagram, and flickr using the hashtag #despicablimp. Fans can also enter a sweepstakes for a trip to the premiere, and a ride in the Despicablimp. There is an interactive map that allows fans to see fan sightings as well as future tour stops. [13]

Important Future Releases:

Jurassic Park 4

Universal Pictures recently named Colin Trevorrow to direct the future Jurassic Park 4. Trevorrow has previously directed “Safety Not Guaranteed” and two other films. [14]

In Other News:

Backed by Universal Pictures, Prima Cinema is offering a box that will allow viewers to watch theatrical releases at home. For a price, ($35,000), you can get a box in your home that allows the newly-released films to play on your television. There is also an additional cost of $500 per movie. So far, Universal Pictures is the only film studio to offer its titles, including Les Miserables, Jurassic Park 3D, and Identity Thief. The worry that this might affect theatre sales is lessened by Prima’s hefty price tag. Prima also insures that the home viewing of these theatrical releases will not be viewed by more than 25 people in a single home theatre. [15]

[1] Top Universal Films- http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?studio=universal.htm

[2] NBC Universal Corporate Site- http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/

[3] NBC Universal Pictures History- http://www.nbcuni.com/film/universal-pictures/

[4] Jurassic Park Poster Reavealed- http://www.hollywood.com/news/movies/43830315/jurassic-park-3d-the-bigger-the-dinosaur-the-better-poster?page=all

[5] Katey Rich on Friday’s Box Office- http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Both-Evil-Dead-Jurassic-Park-3D-Bring-Big-Friday-Box-Office-36808.html

[6] Jurassic Park 3D Financial Figures- http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=jurassicpark3d.htm

[7] Identity Thief Opening Weekend- http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-11/-identity-thief-is-weekend-s-no-1-film-34-5-million.html

[8] Opening Day for Les Mis-http://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3593&p=.htm

[9] Live Music Performances in Les Mis- http://screenrant.com/les-miserables-music-songs-featurette/

[10] Oscar Nominees – http://oscar.go.com/nominees

[11] Les Mis Box Office Info- http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lesmiserables2012.htm

[12] The Despicablimp- http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/universal-pictures-and-illumination-entertainments-despicable-me-2-despicablimp-takes-flight-on-march-23-199574591.html

[13] Despicablimp Website- http://www.despicablimp.com

[14] Jurassic Park 4 Director- http://www.salon.com/2013/03/15/universal_pictures_names_jurassic_park_4_director/

[15] Prima Cinema- http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2013/04/05/universal-films-available-in-home.html

Comcast/NBCUniversal

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Zachary Eisen

by Zach Eisen

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, NY 10112

212.664.4444

www.nbcuni.com

About the Company [1]:

A snapshot of what NBCU owns

NBCUniversal is a major media company owned by the Comcast Corporation. With headquarters in world-famous Rockefeller Center, NBCU owns and operates a variety of media outlets across many different platforms, including broadcast and cable television, film, and digital media. NBCU’s content is distributed around the world.

Television

NBCUniversal has a variety of holdings in both broadcast and cable television. It owns the NBC broadcast network and the Telemundo network, airing popular programs such as NBC Nightly News, Today, Saturday Night Live, and The Office. NBC also owns and operates TV stations in some of the largest markets in the country, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. NBCU’s cable holdings include the NBC Sports Network, MSNBC, CNBC, USA, E!, Bravo, and The Weather Channel. NBC also owns the broadcast rights to the Olympics, NHL and NFL games, and many other major sporting events.

Film

NBCU owns Universal Pictures, one of the Big Six major film companies. Universal is famous for movies such as E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Jaws, and the Bourne series [2]. The company also owns Focus Features, which is Universal’s art, foreign, and independent film division. NBCU also owns Universal Parks and Resorts, with full ownership of the parks in Los Angeles and Orlando and part ownership of locations in Japan and Singapore.

Online

NBCUniversal owns multiple digital and online companies, including NBC.com, Fandango, and iVillage. It also is part of a joint-venture in Hulu, the online streaming service.

Key Executives [3]:

Stephen B. Burke – CEO, NBCUniversal

Stephen B. Burke

Stuart J. Epstein – Executive VP and CFO, NBCUniversal

Stuart J. Epstein

Robert Greenblatt – Chairman, NBC Entertainment

Robert Greenblatt

Brian Roberts – Chairman and CEO, Comcast Corporation

Brian Roberts

For more information on NBCUniversal’s executives, click here.

Competitors:

In the broadcast television market, NBC’s main competitors are the other Big Four major networks, which are ABC, CBS, and FOX. However, cable viewership is quickly growing, which means NBC also competes with basically every television station for viewers and advertising dollars.

Ownership History [4]:

NBCUniversal was officially founded in 2004, when NBC and Universal merged into one company. At the time of the merger, Vivendi and GE shared ownership of the company. In 2009, GE and Comcast announced plans to create a joint venture out of NBCUniversal’s companies and Comcast’s cable holdings. The plan was finalized in early 2011, with Comcast taking a majority stake in the company. In early 2013, Comcast announced it would buy GE’s 49% minority stake, a $16.7 billion deal which allowed them to assume 100% ownership of NBCUniversal [5].

Financial Information [6]:

2012 was a successful year for NBCUniversal across the board. The company earned $23.8 billion in total revenue, an increase of nearly $2.7 billion, or 12.7%, from 2011. NBCU’s revenue in all four of its divisions (Broadcast Networks, Cable Networks, Film, and Theme Parks) saw increases in 2012.

The largest gains were made in the Broadcast Television division, which jumped 27.4% from the previous year. The broadcast numbers were aided by the network’s airing of the 2012 London Olympics and Super Bowl XLVI. Excluding these events from the numbers, the Broadcast division’s revenue still saw a 4.8% increase, driven by political advertisements on its Owned & Operated stations. The increased revenue from the political ads also helps explain the Broadcast division’s 7.9% increase in the fourth quarter of 2012 from the same period in 2011.

NBCU’s Cable Networks division accounted for the company’s smallest increases in 2012 (3.3%), but generated the most revenue for the company ($8.8 billion). The NHL lockout hurt ratings for the NBC Sports Network during that time, which boasts NHL coverage as its key selling point. However, ratings for that network reached all-time highs once hockey returned [15]. Advertising revenue decreased by 1.5% in the fourth quarter for NBC’s cable networks.

News:

• GOODBYE, GE

On March 19, Comcast completed its purchase of GE’s 49% stake in NBCUniversal [7]. The $16.7 billion deal also included the sale of GE’s headquarters at the famous 30 Rockefeller Plaza building to Comcast. The deal brings to an end GE’s involvement with NBC, which began in 1919 when the company helped found the Radio Corporation of America, which started the National Broadcasting Company in 1926 [8]. Since then, NBC has been owned by GE, RCA, Westinghouse, Vivendi and now Comcast. Watch Wall Street Journal Live’s analysis of the deal below (video courtesy of YouTube).

• ADIÓS, NBC

For the first time ever, NBC fell out of the top four networks during a sweeps period conducted by Nielsen [9]. Univision, the Spanish language network, moved ahead of NBC as the fourth most watched network among adults ages 18-49 during the month of February. NBC struggled during that month, as its new show Do No Harm was cancelled after just two episodes, and the new comedy 1600 Penn struggled as well [10].

• THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH…

Jimmy Fallon (right) will take over for Jay Leno (left) as host of “The Tonight Show”.

…Jimmy Fallon? NBC announced in April that the Late Night host will replace Jay Leno on The Tonight Show starting in 2014 [11]. Leno, who has hosted The Tonight Show for 22 years, took over for Johnny Carson in 1992. Leno was replaced by Conan O’Brien in 2009 [12], but returned only seven months later [13] after a feud with the network over a time for his new show. It is being rumored that Saturday Night Live head writer and “Weekend Update” host Seth Meyers will replace Fallon as host of Late Night.

• USA! USA!

NBCU’s USA Network earned the best primetime ratings for a cable network in the first quarter of 2013, its eighth year in a row earning that honor [14]. Popular programs such as Suits and WWE Raw helped the network win the quarter, defeating rivals with popular programs such as AMC and its hit The Walking Dead. USA averaged over 3 million viewers during the primetime slots. Another NBCU network, Bravo, also improved, making the top ten networks among viewers ages 25-54.

• NHL COVERAGE SCORES FOR NBC SPORTS NETWORK

The NBC Sports Network is posting record numbers this year for its NHL coverage [15]. The network, formerly Comcast’s Versus, is averaging 448,000 viewers per game, up from its previous high of 348,000 viewers. The numbers may have gotten a boost because of the lockout that cut the season down to 48 games. National games airing on NBC’s broadcast network are also doing better, averaging 1.7 million viewers,just ahead of its previous tally of 1.6 million.

• ‘THE VOICE’ NEARS IN ON ‘IDOL’

The popular singing competition show, The Voice, has returned to NBC’s lineup, and has outperformed FOX’s American Idol so far [16]. Although Idol‘s first two episodes earned stronger ratings than The Voice‘s, NBC’s program is gaining momentum, while FOX’s is seeing its lowest ratings in the 12-year history of the show. The show’s performance in the ratings for the remainder of the season may tell whether it will replace Idol as America’s favorite singing show.

• USING THE SECOND SCREEN

In March, USA allowed fans of its series Psych to choose the ending of the show’s 100th episode [17]. The vote was part of a new online and mobile feature called USA Sync, an attempt by the network to use new media to add interactivity to its programming [18]. The program allows fans to post about the shows, connect with each other, and play interactive games. On the mobile platform, the service is available as an app that gives users access to more content through other applications.

• A DELICIOUS PREMIERE

The much anticipated new series Hannibal premiered on NBC on April 4. The series, about fictional evil genius Hannibal Lecter, serves as a prequel to the 1991 classic film The Silence of the Lambs. The show earned praise from Internet critics, with some calling it “riveting” [19], and others saying it was “beautifully shot and…surprisingly thoughtful” [20]. Watch a promo for Hannibal below (video courtesy of YouTube).

• FOR E!, OLDE IS NEW

Jeff Olde

In March, E! named former VH1 executive Jeff Olde head of its programming [21]. Olde will be in charge of the development of E!’s shows, including Keeping Up With The Kardashians, The Soup, and Chelsea Lately. Olde will begin his new job this summer.

Sources:

[1]: http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/about-us/

[2]: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?studio=universal.htm

[3]: http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/management/

[4]:http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/about-us/history/

[5]: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/comcast-buying-g-e-s-stake-in-nbcuniversal-for-16-7-billion/

[6]: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/comcast-reports-4th-quarter-and-year-end-2012-results-2013-02-12

[7]: http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/comcast-completes-acquisition-nbcuniversal/

[8]: http://www.gereports.com/its-a-wrap/

[9]: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/02/27/univision-sets-milestone-as-no-4-network-in-february-sweeps-ahead-of-nbc-in-key-demos/171192/

[10]: http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/nbc-sweeps-ratings-lastloses-to-univision/

[11]: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/04/02/source-jimmy-fallon-to-take-reins-of-tonight-show-from-jay-leno.html

[12]: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/30/arts/television/30leno.html?em&_r=0

[13]: http://www.accesshollywood.com/jay-leno-heading-back-to-late-night-conan-obrien-weighing-options_article_27490

[14]: http://variety.com/2013/tv/news/usa-suits-ratings-amc-walking-dead-1200332772/

[15]: http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2013/03/19/Media/NHL-Ratings.aspx

[16]: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/29/in-ratings-race-the-voice-gains-on-idol/

[17]: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/NATL-Viewers-to-Choose-Psych-Ending–200075821.html

[18]: http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2013/04/01/usa-network-launches-the-next-phase-of-usa-sync-first-live-second-screen-content-syndication-platform-625513/20130401usa01/

[19]: http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/review-nbcs-hannibal-a-riveting-silence-of-the-lambs-prequel

[20]: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/hannibal-tv-review-433109

[21]: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jeff-olde-named-es-head-431347

Universal Pictures

Posted on September 19, 2012 by jofranke

by Jordan Frankel

Key People

Ron Meyer– President and Chief Operating Officer

Adam Fogelson– Chairman

Jimmy Horowitz– President

Rick Finkelstein– Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer

Brief Overview

This year Universal celebrates its 100^th anniversary, the company was incorporated April 30^th, 1912 and has been shaping the history of film ever since. It is the oldest movie studio in the United States of America and has made such classics as All Quiet on the Western Front, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Deer Hunter, and Schindler’s List.[i]

In May of 2004 controlling stake in Universal was sold to General Electric resulting in the creation of the media super-conglomerate NBC Universal, while Universal Studios Inc. remained the name of the production subsidiary. Than in 2009 GE and Comcast announced a NBC Universal joint venture, with 51 percent owned by Comcast and 49 percent owned by GE.[ii]

Films

For Universal Pictures the most surprising, successful, and highest grossing movie of the year came in the form of a stuffed animal teddy bear and it wasn’t the family friendly kind either. Ted, the R-rated comedy starring Seth MacFarlane, Mark Walhberg, and Mila Kunis, became the highest grossing R-rated comedy of all time and the first to gross over $500 million in the box office.[iii] The budget for Ted is $50 million and it is also the 8^th highest grossing movie of the year.[iv] The movie becomes available to own on December 11^th, just in time for the holidays.

This fall Universal Pictures saw some success with The Bourne Legacy, a re-launch of the Bourne film franchise, based off of the Robert Ludlum’s novels. Matt Damon played Jason Bourne in the first three movies which in total grossed close to half a billion dollars with each new movie grossing more than the previous one.[v] Damon did not reprise his role in The Bourne Legacy; instead Jeremy Renner took over under the character Alex Cross. The reboot made the least amount of money of the four movies earning just over $113 million in the domestic box office.[vi] The worst part is the budget for this fourth film was $125 million, the highest of any Bourne film.[vii]

Since its release on September 28th, Pitch Perfect has become the second largest earner in musical comedy history at the box office behind School of Rock. Starting with a budget of $17 million, Pitch Perfect has grossed just over $63 million thus far.[viii] Behind the directing of Jason Moore and a strong performance by Anna Kendrick the movie was well received by critics and got an “A” CinemaScore on an A+ to F scale. The DVD and Blu-Ray will be available on December 18^th.

The biggest disappointment of the fall movie season for Universal Pictures is The Man With the Iron Fists. Since its release on November 2^nd, the movie has just made its budget of $15 million back as of December 4^th.[ix] With names like RZA, Russell Crowe, Lucy Liu and Quentin Tarantino attached to the film the buzz leading up to the movie was high, but mixed reviews and a CinemaScore of “C+” has caused Universal to reduce the number of theaters from 1,872 to 174 in just four weeks.[x]

Universal Pictures is looking to dominate Christmas weekend, as it is the only studio releasing a movie on December 21^st and Christmas Day. The first movie will feature Judd Apatow’s return to the director’s seat in the kind of sequel to Knocked Up called This is 40. Apatow is the mind behind some of Universal’s biggest comedy hits, the for mentioned Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old-Virgin. This is 40 stars Apatow’s wife Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd. Critics have met the movie with great reviews, its over 80% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Universal Picture’s lone hope for a Best Picture Oscar is Les Miserables. The film is based on the Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil‘s musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s epic novel, all of which have the same title. Acclaimed director Tom Hooper leads an ensemble cast featuring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway. The cast and crew took a major risk on this project, the actors sing “live” – they taped the vocal tracks while shooting, rather than in post-production – to make the film seem more real like an opera.[xi] Besides receiving the academies top award the film has the potential to be seen in the categories of Best Director and Best Actor.[xii]

Other News

Universal Pictures shelled out a lot of money this fall for two scripts with big names attached to them. It started in early September when Universal outbid DreamWorks for David Guggenheim’s (the writer of Safe House) new project entitled Black Box. The deal was reported to be in the seven-figure range. [xiii] A month later Universal purchased the rights to a comedy being produced by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Kevin Messick and Chris Henchy.[xiv] The biggest script news out of Universal this fall is that the company selected Kelly Marcel to adapt the highly controversial book “Fifty Shades Of Grey” into a feature film.[xv]

Universal also began a couple major marketing campaigns for some of its 2013 movie releases. In late October they released the first trailer for Despicable Me 2, the original film was a big hit, grossing $543 million worldwide in 2010 and spawned an Orlando theme park ride.[xvi] In September the company released its first look of the comedy Identity Thief, the studio moved the release date of this movie from mid-May to February 8^th.[xvii] The trailer with the most buzz is from Jurassic Park 3D, the studio is releasing the classic April 5^th.

Finances

As of December 2^nd Universal Pictures held the 4^th highest market share among studios with 12.2%, the studio trails Sony, Buena Vista, and Warner Bros. Universal Pictures has grossed $1.2 billion with just 15 films produced, the least among the top four.[xviii] Since October 4^th the studio has made just over $75 million.[xix] The company should reach the $100 million mark for quarter four for the sixth straight year if This is 40 and Les Miserables make their money back.[xx] In September Universal announced that they had already surpassed its best-ever result for North American box office beating the 2008 figure of $1.127 billion.[xxi]

A subsidiary of Universal Pictures is Focus Features. Located on the Universal lot Focus Features produces and distributes its own movies that are considered more art house type films.[xxii] Separate from Universal, Focus Features controls 1.4% of the market share so far in 2012. The company has made $135 million from eight movies thus far.[xxiii] They have one movie currently in theaters, Anna Karenina and will be releasing two more films by years end, Hype Park on Hudson and Promised Land.[xxiv]

Universal reached a major deal with Michael Eisner’s company, Tornante, in mid-November. Tornante will produce an unspecified number of films to be sold globally by Universal. Tornante operates a cluster of media properties, including Vuguru, a digital studio focused on making original content for platforms like Hulu and AOL, and the Topps Company, the sports card creator and marketer. Mr. Eisner has spent recent months raising money for a film production fund and would like to have a movie in the marketplace by 2015.[xxv]

[i] History http://www.nbcuni.com/film/universal-pictures/

[ii] History http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/12/03/us-nbc-comcast-timeline-idUSTRE5B22SO20091203

[iii] Ted http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/seth-macfarlanes-ted-crosses-500-391158

[iv] Ted http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=ted.htm

[v] The Bourne Legacy http://collider.com/bourne-numbers-bourne-identity-bourne-legacy/188050/

[vi] The Bourne Legacy http://boxofficemojo.com/franchises/chart/?id=bourne.htm

[vii] The Bourne Legacy http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bourne4.htm

[viii] Pitch Perfect http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=pitchperfect.htm

[ix] The Man With the iron Fists http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=manwiththeironfists.htm

[x] The Man with the Iron Fists http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie/man-iron-fists/review/385363

[xi] Les Miserables http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/dec/06/les-miserables-review-first-look

[xii] Les Miserables http://www.indiewire.com/article/2013-oscarpredictions

[xiii] Black Box http://www.deadline.com/2012/09/universal-back-in-biz-with-safe-house-scribe-david-guggenheims-black-box/

[xiv] Will Ferrell http://www.deadline.com/2012/10/universal-acquires-threesome-pitch-for-will-ferrell-and-adam-mckays-gary-sanchez/

[xv] Fifty Shades of Grey http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/08/kelly-marcel-fifty-shades-of-grey-screenwriter_n_1949163.html

[xvi] Despicable Me 2 http://www.deadline.com/2012/10/despicable-me-2-trailer-premiere-universal-steve-carell/

[xvii] Identity Thief http://www.deadline.com/2012/09/identity-thief-trailer-melissa-mccarthy-jason-bateman-universal-pictures/

[xviii] Finances http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/

[xix] Finances http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?view=company&view2=&yr=2012&timeframe=Q4&sort=&order=&studio=universal.htm

[xx] Finances http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?view=company&view2=ytd&compare=Q4&studio=universal.htm

[xxi] Finances http://www.deadline.com/2012/09/universal-surpasses-best-domestic-box-office-year/

[xxii] Focus Features http://focusfeatures.com/about

[xxiii] Focus Features http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?yr=2012&view=company&studio=focus.htm

[xxiv] Focus Features http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?view2=upcoming&view=company&studio=focus.htm

[xxv] Tornante http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/michael-eisner-announces-a-film-deal-with-universal/

begin here

Universal Pictures

Aside

by [Bobby O'Brien]

Universal Pictures Logo [1]

Overview & History

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

Carl Laemmle [4]

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

Executives

James Schamus [6]

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

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

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

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

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

Recent News

September:

September 7th, 2012

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

September 25th, 2012

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

October:

October 29th, 2012

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

Fast Five [16]

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

October 31st, 2012

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

November:

November 12th, 2012

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

To Kill A Mockingbird [18]

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

November 13th, 2012

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

November 29th 2012

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

December

December 4th 2012

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

Les Miserables [21]

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

Future

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

Sources:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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