This article is about the original live-action studio. For the defunct television arm, see DreamWorks Television. For the animated counterpart, see DreamWorks Animation.
DreamWorks Pictures (also known as DreamWorks SKG and formerly DreamWorks Studios, commonly referred to as DreamWorks) is an American film studio and distribution label of Amblin Partners. It was originally founded on October 12, 1994, as a live-action film studio by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen (which together form the SKG of DreamWorks SKG), of which they owned 72%. The studio formerly distributed its own and third-party films. It has produced or distributed more than ten films with box-office grosses of more than $100 million each.
DreamWorks Pictures was sold to Viacom, parent of Paramount Pictures in February 2006 (this version is now named DW Studios). In 2008, DreamWorks announced its intention to end its partnership with Paramount and made a deal to produce films with India's Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group,[2] re-creating DreamWorks Pictures as an independent entity. The following year, DreamWorks entered into a distribution agreement with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, wherein Disney would distribute DreamWorks films through the Touchstone Pictures label; the deal continued until August 2016. Since October 2016, Universal Pictures has distributed most of the films produced by DreamWorks Pictures. Currently, DreamWorks operates out of offices at Universal Studios Hollywood.
DreamWorks is also distinct from its former animation division of the same name, which was spun off in 2004 and became a subsidiary of NBCUniversal in 2016.[3] Spielberg's company continues to use the original DreamWorks trademarks under license from DreamWorks Animation.[4][5]
History
DreamWorks SKG founding and Universal distribution
The original company was founded following Jeffrey Katzenberg's resignation from The Walt Disney Company in 1994. Katzenberg approached Steven Spielberg and David Geffen about forming a live-action and animation film studio, which had not been done in decades due to the risk and expense, but all three were very successful. They agreed on three conditions: They would make fewer than nine movies a year, they would be free to work for other studios if they chose, and they would go home in time for dinner. They officially founded DreamWorks SKG on October 12, 1994, with financial backing of $33 million from each of the three partners[6] plus $500 million from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and $300 million from CJ Group heiress Miky Lee. Lee's CJ Group would acquire distribution rights to DreamWorks films in Asia except Japan.[7] Their new studio was based at offices on the Universal Studios lot, in the same bungalow as Amblin Entertainment. Despite access to sound stages and sets, DreamWorks preferred to film motion pictures on location. Usually, however, the company would film in a soundstage or set in a major studio.
In December 1994, DreamWorks Television was formed after DreamWorks agreed to a $200 million seven-year television production joint venture with Capital Cities/ABC.[8] The company was set up to produce series for broadcast networks, cable channels and first run syndication, with no first-look guarantee for ABC, but financial incentives favored the network.[9] Their first show, Champions, was scheduled as a mid-season replacement for ABC. Dan McDermott was named the division's chief executive in June 1995.[10] DreamWorks Television's first success was Spin City on ABC,[9] the parent company of which was bought by The Walt Disney Company in February 1996.[11] In 2002, the DreamWorks joint venture agreement with ABC ended. That agreement was replaced by a development agreement with NBC, with a first look clause.[9] In 2013, DreamWorks Television merged with Amblin Television.
In 1995, traditional animation artists from Amblimation joined the new studio, which led to DreamWorks buying part of Pacific Data Images, a company specializing in visual effects, and renaming it PDI/DreamWorks in 2000. Both were software divisions and would merge later on. By then, DreamWorks had the traditional animators working for their animation department, and the computer animators worked on CG films. Amblimation would be shut down in 1997, leading the staff to join DreamWorks Animation.[citation needed] The same year, DreamWorks Interactive, a computer and video game developer and joint venture between DreamWorks and Microsoft, was founded. On February 24, 2000, Electronic Arts announced the acquisition of DreamWorks Interactive and merged it with EA Pacific and Westwood Studios to form EA Los Angeles, later Danger Close Games.[citation needed]
In June 1995, DreamWorks announced that it had signed a $1 billion deal with MCA Inc. (then parent company of Universal Pictures) to distribute its theatrical releases under their then DreamWorks Pictures label in the United States, by itself in other countries and its home video releases worldwide over 10 years.[12][13] MCA also bought a 2% stake in the company for $54 million.[14]
In 1996, the company's record label, DreamWorks Records, was founded, the first project of which was George Michael's album Older. The first band signed to the label was eels, who released their debut album Beautiful Freak that year. The record company never lived up to expectations, though, and was sold in October 2003 to Universal Music Group, which operated the label as DreamWorks Nashville. That label was shut down in 2005 when its flagship artist, Toby Keith, departed to form his own label.[15]
In 1997, DreamWorks Pictures released its first three feature films, The Peacemaker, a film about terrorism; Amistad, Spielberg's first film for the studio about an African slave rebellion and the aftermath of the massacre; and Mouse Hunt, the studio's first family film about two brothers trying to fight a mischievous mouse.[citation needed]
In 1998, the United States 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lawsuit against DreamWorks for trademark infringement by DreamWorks Production Group, Inc.,[16] a company mostly specializing in Star Trek conventions.[17] The same year, DreamWorks Animation produced its first full-length animated features, Antz and The Prince of Egypt, which were distributed by DreamWorks Pictures. DreamWorks Pictures continued to distribute DreamWorks Animation productions through their distribution name until 2004.
In 2000, DreamWorks was planning on building a studio backlot after buying 1,087 acres of land in the Playa Vista area in Los Angeles. It was to be complete with 18 sound stages, with many office buildings and a lake. There would also be new homes, schools, churches, and museums. The project was to be completed in 2001, but was cancelled for financial reasons.[18] Starting in 1999, DreamWorks won three consecutive Academy Awards for Best Picture for American Beauty, Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind (the latter two were co-productions with Universal Pictures). DreamWorks became the first new major Hollywood motion picture studio since RKO Pictures was founded in 1928, that same year, Go Fish Pictures, a division of DreamWorks with the objective to distribute art-house, independent and foreign films, was founded. The division experienced success with the anime films Millennium Actress (2003) and Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004), respectively, which led them to venture into releasing live-action films, with the release of The Chumscrubber. However, The Chumscrubber was a commercial and critical failure, which led DreamWorks to shut down the division in 2007 shortly after the release of the Japanese film Casshern.[citation needed] In 2002, DreamWorks signed a deal with In Demand.[19]
For the period beginning October 1, 2004 to January 31, 2006, DreamWorks Pictures distributed its films in the North American domestic theatrical and worldwide television market, with international theatrical and worldwide home entertainment distribution by Universal Pictures.[20] On October 27, 2004, DreamWorks Animation was spun off into a separate public company.
David Geffen admitted that DreamWorks came close to bankruptcy twice. Under Katzenberg's watch, the studio suffered a $125 million loss on Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas,[21] and also overestimated the DVD demand for Shrek 2.[22] In 2005, out of their two large budget pictures, War of the Worlds was produced as a joint effort with Paramount Pictures which was the first to reap a significant amount of profits, while The Island bombed at the domestic box office but turned a profit internationally through Warner Bros. Pictures.[21]
Paramount ownership
In December 2005, the original Viacom, the then-parent of Paramount Pictures, agreed to purchase the live-action studio, still keeping the original name and producing/distribution name. The deal was valued at approximately $1.6 billion, an amount that included about $400 million in debt assumptions.[23] The acquisition of the live-action DreamWorks studio was completed by the second iteration of Viacom, which had recently split from the original at the end of 2005, on February 1, 2006.[24]
On March 17, 2006, Viacom agreed to sell a controlling interest in the DreamWorks Pictures live-action library to Soros Strategic Partners and Dune Entertainment II.[25] The film library was valued at $900 million. Paramount Pictures retained the worldwide distribution rights to those films, as well as various ancillary rights, including music publishing (the music publishing rights were later licensed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing when the company acquired Viacom's Famous Music subdivision), sequels and merchandising. The sale was completed on May 8, 2006.[26] On February 8, 2010, Viacom repurchased Soros' controlling stake in the DreamWorks Pictures library for around $400 million.[27]
Reliance-Spielberg joint venture
In June 2008, it was reported that DreamWorks was looking for financing that would allow it to continue operations, but as an independent production company, once its deal with Paramount ended later that year.[28] Several public equity funds were approached for financing, including Blackstone Group, Fuse Global, TPG Capital and several others, but all passed on the deal given their understanding of the Hollywood markets. On September 22, 2008, it was announced that DreamWorks closed a deal with Indian investment firm Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group to create a $1.2 billion stand-alone production company and end its ties with Paramount.[2] In January 2009, Spielberg entered a licensing agreement with DreamWorks Animation to use the DreamWorks trademarks, logo, and name for film productions and releases.[29]
On February 9, 2009, DreamWorks Pictures entered into a long-term, 30-picture distribution deal with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, by which DreamWorks' films would be released through the Touchstone Pictures banner, with Disney collecting a 10 percent distribution fee.[30] The deal also included co-funding via a $175 million loan by Walt Disney Studios to DreamWorks for production and access to slots in Disney's pay television agreement, then with Starz.[30] The agreement was reported to have come after negotiations broke off with Universal Pictures just days earlier.[31] DreamWorks raised $325 million from Reliance Entertainment and an additional $325 million in debt in 2009.[1] On August 18, 2009, DreamWorks and Reliance signed a three-year, $825 million pact for up to six films a year.[32]
DreamWorks' slate of films in 2011, I Am Number Four, Cowboys & Aliens, and Fright Night failed, while The Help, Real Steel and Spielberg's War Horse had success at the box office. This left DreamWorks so financially drained that by 2011, the company was seeking additional funding from Reliance. Reliance gave a $200 million investment on April 10, 2012. Under the deal, DreamWorks Pictures scaled back production to three films per year and sought co-financiers on big budget films, such as 20th Century Fox, who co-financed and handled international distribution for Lincoln and Bridge of Spies. The company continued to have Disney distribute and market their films.[1] On August 29, 2012, after re-negotiating their agreement with Disney, DreamWorks formed a deal with Mister Smith Entertainment to distribute its films internationally, while Disney would continue to distribute in North America, Latin America, Australia, Russia, and some territories in Asia.[33]
Amblin Partners venture
On September 2, 2015, it was reported that DreamWorks and Disney would not renew their distribution deal, which was set to expire in August 2016,[34][35] with The Light Between Oceans being released in September as the final DreamWorks film distributed by Disney under their original distribution agreement.[36] During that time, DreamWorks was in early negotiations with Universal Pictures to distribute its upcoming films.[34][35] The contract allowing Spielberg to license the DreamWorks name and logo from Jeffrey Katzenberg's DreamWorks Animation was set to expire on January 1, 2016, leading to media speculation that Spielberg would not renew the pact.[37] Disney retained the film rights to the fourteen DreamWorks films it released,[38] as well as acquiring the "DreamWorks II Distribution Co. LLC" copyright from DreamWorks and Reliance on December 11, 2015.[39][40]
On December 16, 2015, Spielberg, Reliance, Entertainment One and Participant Media partnered to launch the content production company Amblin Partners,[41] relegating DreamWorks to a brand for adult-themed films produced under the new company.[41][42] In addition to DreamWorks, the new company also would produce films under the Amblin Entertainment and Participant banners. On the same day, Amblin Partners announced a five-year distribution deal with Universal, under which the company's films would be distributed and marketed by either the main Universal label or its specialty label, Focus Features.[43][44]The Girl on the Train was the first film released under the new agreement,[45] though a few films, like Ghost in the Shell and The Post were released by Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox respectively.
Logo
Original
The original DreamWorks logo features a boy sitting on a crescent moon with a fishing rod at night. The general idea for the logo was the idea of the company's founder, Steven Spielberg, who wanted a CGI image. Illustrator Robert Hunt was commissioned to execute the idea as a painting, and he used his son as the model.[46] The logo was then turned into a motion graphic at Industrial Light & Magic, in collaboration with Kaleidoscope Films, Dave Carson and Clint Goldman.[47] It was animated by ILM animation supervisor Wes Takahashi.[48][49] Music accompanying the logo to start in many live-action DreamWorks films was specially composed by John Williams.
The reimagined animation logo had music adapted from the track "Fairytale" for Shrek, based on the children's picture book of the same name by author William Steig. The logo was composed by Harry Gregson-Williams and made its debut in 2004, with the release of Shrek 2. Two years after its acquisition by Universal Pictures in 2016, the logo received a new fanfare composed by John Powell and incorporate some cues from Shrek 2 and tones from Williams' original DreamWorks fanfare to create the music for the logo. The new fanfare debuted in 2019, with the release of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, for which Powell also composed the score for. In 2022, Harry Gregson-Williams composed a remastered version of the fanfare, with the debut of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
DreamWorks Home Entertainment was a home media unit of DreamWorks Pictures and banner for other home media units, formed on March 10, 1998. Its releases were first distributed by Universal Studios Home Entertainment (initially through CIC Video internationally), a deal that would last until 2006. After DreamWorks was purchased by Paramount Pictures on February 1, 2006, DreamWorks Home Entertainment was merged into Paramount Home Entertainment and started being used as a label for films released under the live-action DreamWorks banner until it was shuttered in 2009 after when DreamWorks spun itself off from Paramount and became an independent company.
^ abcKunz, William M. (2007). "2". Culture Conglomerates: Consolidation in the Motion Picture and Television Industries. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 49, 50. ISBN978-0-7425-4066-8. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
British free-to-air television channel Television channel LegendBroadcast areaUnited KingdomIrelandProgrammingPicture format576i 16:9 SDTVOwnershipOwner AMC Networks International UK Paramount Networks UK & Australia HistoryLaunched3 May 2004; 19 years ago (2004-05-03)Former namesThe Horror Channel (2004–2006)Zone Horror (2006–2010) Horror Channel (2010–2022)LinksWebsitewww.legend-tv.co.ukAvailabilityTerrestrialFreeviewChannel 41Streaming mediaVirgin TV AnywhereWatch …
Storie naturaliTitolo originaleStorie naturali AutorePrimo Levi 1ª ed. originale1966 Genereraccolta di racconti Sottogenerefantascienza umoristica Lingua originaleitaliano Modifica dati su Wikidata · Manuale Storie naturali è una raccolta di 15 racconti di Primo Levi, pubblicata presso Einaudi nel 1966 sotto lo pseudonimo di Damiano Malabaila. Sono storie di carattere scientifico e fantascientifico, spesso di argomento umoristico, ma non solo. Il libro vinse il Premio Bagutta nel 1967. M…
Bagian dari seriPendidikan di Indonesia Kementerian Pendidikan, Kebudayaan, Riset, dan Teknologi Republik Indonesia Pendidikan anak usia dini TK RA KB Pendidikan dasar (kelas 1–6) SD MI Paket A Pendidikan dasar (kelas 7–9) SMP MTs Paket B Pendidikan menengah (kelas 10–12) SMA MA SMK MAK SMA SMTK SMAK Utama Widya Pasraman Paket C Pendidikan tinggi Perguruan tinggi Akademi Akademi komunitas Institut Politeknik Sekolah tinggi Universitas Lain-lain Madrasah Pesantren Sekolah alam Sekolah rumah…
Selbstbildnis (1835) Judas und Tamar (1840). Das Bild wurde auf dem Salon de Paris 1843 ausgestellt. Die Wolldecke „spielt seit der Eroberung Algiers auf so vielen Bildern eine große Rolle“.[1] Die Schlacht von Jena (1836). Napoleon rügt einen disziplinlosen Grenadier der kaiserlichen Garde, der zum Angriff („en avant!“ - „vorwärts!“) drängt. Historisch unbelegte Anekdote, die bei Entstehung des Historiengemäldes bereits weit verbreitet war[2] Sklavenmarkt (1836)…
United States historic placeUS 41–Fanny Hooe Creek BridgeU.S. National Register of Historic Places Show map of MichiganShow map of the United StatesLocation US 41 over Fanny Hooe Creek, Grant Township, MichiganCoordinates47°28′1″N 87°52′18″W / 47.46694°N 87.87167°W / 47.46694; -87.87167Built1928ArchitectKeweenaw County Road Commission; Michigan State Highway Dept.Architectural styleSpandrel arch bridgeMPSHighway Bridges of Michigan MPSNRHP…
Карта, яка показує стародавню Фессалію. Трікка показана в центрі ліворуч. Трікка (з давньогрецької: ΤρίΚκη або ΤρίΚκα) — місто і поліс стародавньої Фессалії (один з традиційних районів Стародавньої Греції) в районі Гістіеотіс, що розташований на Лівому березі Пенея і не…
Un cuerpo que cumple la ley de Stokes se ve sometido a dos fuerzas, la gravitatoria y la de arrastre. En el momento que ambas se igualan su aceleración se vuelve nula y su velocidad constante. La ley de Stokes proporciona la fuerza de fricción experimentada por objetos esféricos moviéndose en el seno de un fluido viscoso en un régimen laminar de número de Reynolds pequeño. Etimología Fue deducida en 1851 por George Gabriel Stokes tras resolver un caso particular de las ecuaciones de Navi…
متحف السكك الحديدية الأرمنية إحداثيات 40°09′21″N 44°30′31″E / 40.155789°N 44.508573°E / 40.155789; 44.508573 معلومات عامة الدولة أرمينيا[1][2] سنة التأسيس 31 يوليو 2009[1] تاريخ الافتتاح الرسمي 31 يوليو 2009 معلومات أخرى الموقع الإلكتروني الموقع الرسمي تعديل مص…
Vitelleschi is a noble Italian family from Foligno and Corneto. They are descended from the powerful family of Vitelli from Città di Castello, Umbria.[1] The family established itself in Rome in the sixteenth century. In 1600, Virginia Vitelleschi married Girolamo Nobili di Rieti, giving rise to the family of Nobili-Vitelleschi.[2] The Vitelleschi family crest Nobili Vitelleschi castle in Labro, Lazio Notable members of the family Giovanni Maria Vitelleschi (1390–1440), cardin…
Suspected area for the location of Mattium Mattium was the ancient capital or principal settlement (Latin: caput gentis) of the Chatti. Its exact location is unknown, though following the description of Tacitus it is generally assumed to be somewhere in the wider neighbourhood of Fritzlar in northern Hesse (Germany). Location Tacitus mentions Mattium in his Annals, when he describes the Roman campaign against the Chatti under the command of Germanicus in 15 AD. According to him the Roman army de…
Ability to read and understand text This article is about human reading comprehension. For machine reading comprehension, see natural-language understanding. For the article on reading, see Reading. Part of a series onReading Learning to read Reading readiness Vocabulary development Vocabulary learning Scientific theories and models Dual route theory Simple view of reading Science of reading Scarborough's Reading Rope The active view of reading model Cognitive processes Comprehension Phonemic aw…
Directorate General of Civil AviationSivil Havacılık Genel MüdürlüğüAbbreviationSHGMFormation1954; 69 years ago (1954)TypeGovernmental organizationHeadquartersMaltepe, AnkaraDirector GeneralProf. Dr. Kemal YUKSEKParent organizationMinistry of Transport and Infrastructure (Turkey)Websitehttp://web.shgm.gov.tr The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (Turkish: Sivil Havacılık Genel Müdürlüğü) is the aviation regulator for Turkey. The organization formed in 1954 and…
Окалина Ока́лина, також ожарина[1] (діал. жужелиця, циндра) — продукт окиснення поверхні металу у газовому середовищі[2]. Зазвичай окалиною називають продукт окиснення лише заліза і його сплавів. У широкому сенсі слова окалиною можна вважати утворення на поверхн…
Isparta Province Below is the list of populated places in Isparta Province, Turkey by the districts.[1] In the following lists first place in each list is the administrative center of the district. Isparta Isparta Aliköy, Isparta Bozanönü, Isparta Büyükgökçeli, Isparta Büyükhacılar, Isparta Çobanisa, Isparta Çukurköy, Isparta Darıderesi, Isparta Darıören, Isparta Deregümü, Isparta Direkli, Isparta Gelincik, Isparta Güneyce, Isparta Kadılar, Isparta Kayıköy, Isparta …
El texto que sigue es una traducción defectuosa. Si quieres colaborar con Wikipedia, busca el artículo original y mejora esta traducción.Copia y pega el siguiente código en la página de discusión del autor de este artículo: {{subst:Aviso mal traducido|Operación Pata de Palo}} ~~~~ Operación Pata de Palo Conflicto árabe-israelíParte de conflicto árabe-israelí Fecha 1 de octubre de 1985Lugar Hammam al-Shatt, TúnezCasus belli Ataque terrorista en Larnaca, ChipreBeligerantes Israel OLP…
Forcibly pulling a person's underpants This article is about the wardrobe malfunction. For other uses, see Wedge. A male receiving a wedgie A wedgie is the act of forcibly pulling a person's underpants upwards from the back. The act is often performed as a school prank or a form of bullying. Wedgies are commonly featured in popular works, either as a form of low comedy or as a behaviour representative of bullying. In such works, briefs are usually the type of underpants that are worn by the vict…
South American archaeological culture This article is about the Pucará culture of the Andean formative period. For other uses, see Pukara (disambiguation). PucaráArea of influenceGeographical rangePuno, QullawPeriodFormativeDatesc. 1400 BCE - 400 CEType sitePukaraPreceded byJisk'a Iru MuquFollowed byTiwanaku Empire The archaeological site of Pukara The Pucará culture was an archaeological culture which developed in Qullaw, along the north-western shore of Lake Titicaca. It was characterized b…
Former railway station in Scotland King EdwardKing Edward railway station in 2019General informationLocationTurriff, AberdeenshireScotlandCoordinates57°36′37″N 2°28′33″W / 57.6102°N 2.4759°W / 57.6102; -2.4759Grid referenceNJ 716 578Platforms2 (1 from 1954)Other informationStatusDisusedHistoryOriginal companyBanff, Macduff and Turriff Junction RailwayPre-groupingGreat North of Scotland RailwayKey dates4 June 1860Opened to passengers1 March 1861Opened to goods&…
American singer For other people named Michael Posner, see Michael Posner (disambiguation). Mike PosnerPosner at the B96 Pepsi SummerBash in 2012Background informationBirth nameMichael Robert Henrion PosnerBorn (1988-02-12) February 12, 1988 (age 35)Detroit, Michigan, U.S.OriginSouthfield, Michigan, U.S.GenresPop rap[1]Occupation(s) Rapper singer songwriter record producer Years active2007–presentLabels J RCA Island[2] Arista Monster Mountain Member of Mansionz Websiteadve…