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DreamWorks
Now, DreamWorks is one of the most successful studios in the United States. Most of this confidence in the company rests on three factors: its huge financial reserves, the reputations and past successes of its three founders. The wealth of talent the studio has hired from other entertainment companies. DreamWorks SKG was formed in 1994 as a partnership between three of the most successful figures in the American entertainment industry: director and producer Steven Spielberg, who has created several of the top-grossing motion pictures in history; entertainment executive Jeffrey Katzenberg, who was formerly the film-studio chief of The Walt Disney Company; and recording-industry pioneer David Geffen, who had served as vice-chairman of Warner Brothers motion-picture company and founded Geffen Records. DreamWorks SKG was officially founded on October 12, 1994, with financial backing of $33 million from each of the three main partners and $500 million from Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. DreamWorks SKG (SKG - Spielberg, Katzenberg and Geffen) produces live-action and animated motion pictures, television programs, music, and multimedia entertainment. The first feature length DreamWorks film to be released was "The Peacemaker," in 1997, although a failed TV pilot called "Dear Diary" was put into limited theatrical release in 1996. It went on to win an Oscar for Best Short Film. The fame and proven successes of the company’s founders enabled DreamWorks to quickly raise capital and to sign lucrative joint-venture agreements with other entertainment companies. Soon after its founding, DreamWorks created a new television studio under a deal with communications corporation Capital Cities/ABC (now ABC). ABC agreed to pay half the expenses for the company’s new television shows, whether or not they appeared on ABC. In addition, ABC would pay the studio half of any advertising revenue generated after the shows’ first seasons. 1995 DreamWorks reached a joint-venture agreement with software giant Microsoft Corporation to form a new multimedia company, DreamWorks Interactive. DreamWorks signed a ten-year film licensing agreement with cable television network Home Box Office (HBO). DreamWorks hired former Warner Records chief executive officer Mo Ostin to head its music division. DreamWorks' music division agreed to pay approximately $40 million to have American pop singer George Michael released from his contract with Sony. In 1995 - 1996, DreamWorks further expanded the scope of its business ventures by forming a variety of high-profile partnerships. The company entered into an agreement with computer manufacturer Silicon Graphics to develop the DreamWorks Digital Studio to produce multimedia entertainment. DreamWorks launched a line of DreamWorks Toys in association with toy manufacturer Hasbro. DreamWorks also joined Sega Enterprises, a leading manufacturer of video games, in building GameWorks, a chain of video-game arcades throughout the United States. In early 1996, DreamWorks broke ground for a new studio complex near Los Angeles International Airport. However, construction was delayed when environmental groups protested that the area is ecologically sensitive. DreamWorks has had its greatest financial success with movies, specifically animated movies. In 1996, DreamWorks Animation teamed up with Pacific Data Images (now known as PDI/DreamWorks) to create some of the highest grossing animated hits of all time, such as "Antz" (1998), "Shrek" (2001), its sequel "Shrek 2" (most successful) (2004), "Shark Tale" (2004), "Madagascar" (2005), "Over the Hedge" (2006), and "Flushed Away" (2006). Based on their success, DreamWorks Animation has spun off as its own publicly traded company. In fact, PDI/DreamWorks has emerged as the main competitor to Pixar in the age of computer-generated animation, and is based in Redwood City, California. In the fall of 1996, DreamWorks claimed its first major success when its television series, "Spin City," became a hit on ABC. The show's star, Michael J. Fox, was nominated for a Golden Globe Award by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. However, other early projects of the studio were less successful than anticipated. A television series "Champs," was cancelled after only six episodes. Although DreamWorks' movie division expected to have eight films in theaters by the end of 1997, it had released only three by that time: "The Peacemaker," starring Nicole Kidman and George Clooney; "Amistad," starring Anthony Hopkins and Morgan Freeman; and "Mouse Hunt," starring Lee Evans and Nathan Lane. The sales for Michael’s first DreamWorks album, "Older" (1996), were disappointing. DreamWorks Records, the company's record label (the first project of which was George Michael's "Older"), never lived up to expectations, 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. In 1999, 2000 and 2001, DreamWorks won three consecutive best picture Oscars for "American Beauty," "Gladiator" and "A Beautiful Mind" (the latter two with Universal). In 2000, DreamWorks came in No.5 in market share. Otherwise, DreamWorks came in No.7 in market share three times; No.8 once; and No.10 three times. In 2004, DreamWorks' total box office was $925 million. That tally doesn't include grosses from "Meet the Fockers" and "Stepford Wives," since they were co-productions and distributed by other studios. In 2004, DreamWorks Animation was spun off into a separate company. In 2005, out of their two large budget pictures, "The Island" bombed at the domestic box office, while "War of the Worlds" was produced as a joint effort with Paramount which was the first to reap the profits. In December 2005, DreamWorks' founders agreed to sell the studio to Viacom, the parent company of Paramount Pictures. The sale was completed in February 2006. The deal was valued at approximately $1.6 billion, an amount that included about $400 million in debt assumptions. In 2007, David Geffen admitted that DreamWorks had come close to bankruptcy twice. Under Katzenberg's watch, the studio suffered a $125 million loss on "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas," and also overestimated the DVD demand for "Shrek 2." Films from Paramount proper racked up roughly $613 million in domestic box office receipts in 2006. Combined, pictures from DreamWorks and DreamWorks Animation that were distributed by Paramount drew $241 million. In March 17, 2006, Paramount agreed to sell the DreamWorks live-action library to a group led by George Soros for $900 million. Paramount worldwide distribution rights to these films, as well as various auxiliary rights, including music publishing, sequels, and merchandising. This includes films that had been made by Paramount and DreamWorks. The sale was completed on May 8, 2006. In 2007, DreamWorks' films have grossed about $980 million at the domestic box office, making up the lion's share of Paramount's box office bounty and turning it into the market share leader at $1.1 billion, or 18.8%. In recent years, DreamWorks has scaled back. It stopped plans to build a high-tech studio, sold its music division, and only produces one television series, "Las Vegas.” In November 2007, Imax signed a deal to release the first three 3-D pictures from DreamWorks Animation: “Monsters vs. Aliens” (March 2009), “How to Train Your Dragon” (November 2009) and "Shrek Goes Fourth” (May 2010). Beginning with "Monsters," DWA will make all of its movies in 3-D, although a 2-D version will be available as well for smaller markets without 3-D screens. DWA's Jeffrey Katzenberg named the Imax deal as a fantastic development for 3-D. "We're making the movies, so it's critical that we have the screens," said Katzenberg. Currently, United International Pictures, a joint venture of Paramount and Universal, has the rights to release DreamWorks' films internationally. The theme heard during the DreamWorks logo at the beginning of most DreamWorks films was composed by John Williams. Filmography Production Puss in Boots (2010) Shrek Goes Fourth (2010) Transformers 2 (2009) I Love You, Man (2009) Hotel for Dogs (2009) 2:22 (2009) Enlisted (2009) Hammer Down (2009) The Hands of Shang-Chi (2009) Lincoln (2009) Old School Dos (2009) The Pacific (2009) (mini) The Ring Three (2009) Route 66 (2009) Untitled Moon Project (2009) Ghost Town (2008) Eagle Eye (2008) Tropic Thunder (2008) A Tale of Two Sisters (2008) Class Act (2008) She's Out of My League (2008) The Soloist (2008) When Worlds Collide (2008) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) Bee Movie (2007) The Kite Runner (2007) HBO First Look: Making 'The Heartbreak Kid' (#14.24) (2007) The Heartbreak Kid (2007) Things We Lost in the Fire (2007) Transformers (2007) Shrek the Third (2007) Disturbia (2007) Blades of Glory (2007) Norbit (2007) / (presents) Dreamgirls (2006) Letters From Iwo Jima (2006) Flushed Away (2006) Flags Of Our Fathers (2006) Trailer Park Boys: The Movie (2006) Over the Hedge (2006) She's the Man (2006) Munich (2005) Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) Just Like Heaven (2005) Rescue Me: Justice (#2.13) (2005) Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005) Rescue Me: Happy (#2.12) (2005) Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) Rescue Me: Bitch (#2.11) (2005) Rescue Me: Brains (#2.10) (2005) Rescue Me: Rebirth (#2.9) (2005) Rescue Me: Believe (#2.8) (2005) Red Eye (2005) Rescue Me: Shame (#2.7) (2005) Rescue Me: Reunion (#2.6) (2005) Rescue Me: Sensitivity (#2.5) (2005) Rescue Me: Twat (#2.4) (2005) The Island (2005) Rescue Me: Balls (#2.3) (2005) Rescue Me: Harmony (#2.2) (2005) Rescue Me: Voicemail (#2.1) (2005) War of the Worlds (2005) Madagascar (2005) The Ring Two (2005) The Contender (2005) Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie (2004) (V) Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) Meet the Fockers (2004) City of Night: The Making of 'Collateral' (2004) (V) Surviving Christmas (2004) Rescue Me: Sanctuary (#1.13) (2004) Surviving Christmas: Unwrapping the Comedy (2004) (TV) Rescue Me: Leaving (#1.12) (2004) Rescue Me: Mom (#1.11) (2004) Rescue Me: Immortal (#1.10) (2004) Rescue Me: Alarm (#1.9) (2004) Shark Tale (2004) Rescue Me: Inches (#1.8) (2004) Rescue Me: Butterfly (#1.7) (2004) Rescue Me: Revenge (#1.6) (2004) Rescue Me: Orphans (#1.5) (2004) Rescue Me: DNA (#1.4) (2004) Collateral (2004) / (presents) Rescue Me: Kansas (#1.3) (2004) Rescue Me: Gay (#1.2) (2004) Rescue Me: Guts (#1.1) (2004) Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) / (presents) The Terminal (2004) / (presents) The Stepford Wives (2004) Shrek 2 (2004) Envy (2004) EuroTrip (2004) / (presents) Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004) Paycheck (2003) House of Sand and Fog (2003) The Making of 'Seabiscuit' (2003) (V) Seabiscuit: Racing Through History (2003) (V) The Cat in the Hat (2003) Anything Else (2003) Seabiscuit (2003) Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003) Shrek 4-D (2003) Catch Me If You Can: Behind the Camera (2003) (V) The Actors (2003) Head of State (2003) Oliver Beene (2003) Old School (2003) Biker Boyz (2003) / (presents) Catch Me If You Can (2002) The Ring (2002) The Tuxedo (2002) / (presents) Road to Perdition (2002) The Making of 'Road to Perdition' (2002) (TV) Minority Report (2002) Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) Woody Allen: A Life in Film (2002) (TV) Hollywood Ending (2002) Creating AI (2002) (V) The Time Machine (2002) A Beautiful Mind (2001) We Stand Alone Together (2001) (TV) The Last Castle (2001) Alienators: Evolution Continues (2001) Band of Brothers (2001) (mini) The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001) HBO First Look: The Evolution of 'Evolution' (#8.6) (2001) Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001) Stop: Surviving as a Cast Away (2001) (V) Shrek (2001) The Job (2001) HBO First Look: Inside the Walls of 'The Last Castle' (#8.2) (2001) The Mexican (2001) HBO First Look: The Making of 'The Mexican' (#8.1) (2001) What Lies Beneath: Constructing the Perfect Thriller (2001) (TV) Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party (2001) (V) An Everlasting Piece (2000) Cast Away (2000) Gladiator Games: The Roman Bloodsport (2000) (TV) The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) / (present) American Beauty: Look Closer... (2000) (V) Lucky Numbers (2000) Meet the Parents (2000) Walk the Talk (2000) Almost Famous (2000) What Lies Beneath (2000) / (presents) Poultry in Motion: The Making of 'Chicken Run' (2000) (TV) / (in association with) Chicken Run (2000) / (in association with) Small Time Crooks (2000) Road Trip (2000) Gladiator (2000) The Road to El Dorado (2000) The Hatching of 'Chicken Run' (2000) (TV) / in association with Galaxy Quest (1999) American Beauty (1999) The Haunting (1999) The Love Letter (1999) Forces of Nature (1999) In Dreams (1999) The Prince of Egypt (1998) Strange Parallel (1998) Antz (1998) Saving Private Ryan (1998) Small Soldiers (1998) / (present) Invasion America (1998) Deep Impact (1998) Paulie (1998) The Secret World of 'Antz' (1998) (TV) Toonsylvania (1998) HBO First Look: Amistad (#4.8) (1997) Mousehunt (1997) Amistad (1997) The Peacemaker (1997) Spin City (1996) High Incident (1996) Champs (1996) Ink (1996) Distribution Puss in Boots (2010) / 2008, USA, theatrical The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2010) / 2010, USA, theatrical Wednesday (2010) / 2009, USA, theatrical How to Train Your Dragon (2009) / 2009, USA, all media The Lovely Bones (2009) / 2009, worldwide, all media I Love You, Man (2009) / 2009, USA, theatrical Hotel for Dogs (2009) / 2008, USA, theatrical Crood Awakening (2009) / 2009, worldwide, all media Dinner for Schmucks (2009) / 2005, USA, theatrical Hammer Down (2009) / USA Lincoln (2009) / 2009, USA, theatrical Master Of Space And Time (2009) / USA, theatrical Middlemarch (2009) / 2009, USA, theatrical Old School Dos (2009) / 2007, USA, theatrical Untitled Eddie Murphy/Romeo and Juliet Project (2009) / USA, theatrical Untitled Moon Project (2009) / 2009, USA, theatrical Revolutionary Road (2008) / 2008, USA, theatrical Eagle Eye (2008) / 2008, USA, theatrical The Ruins (2008) / 2008, USA, theatrical A Tale Of Two Sisters (2008) / 2008, USA, theatrical Class Act (2008) / 2008, USA, theatrical She's Out Of My League (2008) / 2008, USA, theatrical The Soloist (2008) / 2008-2009, USA, theatrical Valentine's Day (2008) / 2008, USA, theatrical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) / 2007, USA, all media Bee Movie (2007) / 2007, worldwide, theatrical The Kite Runner (2007) / 2007, worldwide, theatrical The Heartbreak Kid (2007) / 2007, worldwide, all media Shrek the Third (2007) / 2007, worldwide, all media Disturbia (2007) / 2007, USA, theatrical Dreamgirls (2006) / 2006, USA, all media The Last Kiss (2006) / 2006, USA, all media Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006) / 2006, USA, theatrical Over the Hedge (2006) / 2006, worldwide, all media She's the Man (2006) / 2006, USA, theatrical Taepung (2005) / 2006, USA, theatrical Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) / non-USA The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (2005) / USA, theatrical The Island (2005) / 2006, USA, theatrical Surviving Christmas: Unwrapping the Comedy (2004) (TV) / 2004, worldwide, DVD Casshern (2004) / 2005, USA, all media Inosensu: Kokaku Kidotai (2004) / 2004, USA, all media From Hong Kong to Hollywood: The Making of John Woo (2004) (TV) / 2004, TV, non-USA Remembering the Future: Paycheck & the Worlds of Philip K. Dick (2004) (TV) / 2004, TV, non-USA All Access: The Making of 'Almost Famous' (2000) (TV) / 2000, USA, TV Strange Parallel (1998) / 1998, USA, DVD HBO First Look: 'Small Soldiers': Size Doesn't Matter (#5.7) (1998) / 1998, USA, DVD Various services Spielberg on Spielberg (2007) (TV) / film clips 20 to 1: Hoaxes, Cheats and Liars (#3.1) (2006) / footage courtesy of ("Catch Me If You Can") 'T4' Goes 'Over the Hedge' (2006) (TV) / clips courtesy of All I Want: A Portrait of Rufus Wainwright (2005) (TV) / archive footage, stills provided by The 100 Greatest Cartoons (2005) (TV) / archive Price for Peace (2002) / special thanks Woody Allen: A Life in Film (2002) (TV) / film clips courtesy of AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions (2002) (TV) / thanks American Beauty: Look Closer... (2000) (V) / film clips The Last Days (1998) / services generously provided by © Preems.com |
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DreamWorks,
also known as DreamWorks Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, or DreamWorks
Studios, is a major American film studio which develops, produces,
and distributes films, video games, and television programming;
based in Playa Vista, California.