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DreamWorks Animation

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DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.
Company typePublic (Nasdaq: DWA)
IndustryCGI animation
Motion pictures
PredecessorAmblimation
Founded1998
FounderSteven Spielberg
Jeffrey Katzenberg
David Geffen
Headquarters
Glendale, California
,
United States
Number of locations
Redwood City, California, United States
Key people
Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO
Roger Enrico, Chairman
Lew Coleman, President
ProductsAnimated films
DivisionsMoonBoy Animation
Websitewww.dreamworksanimation.com

DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) is an American animation studio which primarily produce a series of commercially successful computer-animated films, including Shrek, Shark Tale, Madagascar, Over the Hedge, Bee Movie, Kung Fu Panda, Monsters vs. Aliens, How to Train Your Dragon, and Megamind. Although the studio also made traditionally animated films about serious subjects earlier, most of their computer-generated films and television series have now gained the studio a reputation for being focused on popular culture and satire although they also relied into CGI films and series with more philosophical issues such as the aforementioned Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon.[1] The studio was formed by the merger of the feature animation division of DreamWorks and Pacific Data Images (PDI). Originally formed under the banner of DreamWorks, it was spun off into a separate public company in 2004.

Films produced by DreamWorks Animation are currently distributed worldwide by Paramount Pictures, a subsidiary of Viacom, who acquired the DreamWorks live-action studio in February 2006, spinning it off again in 2008. DreamWorks Animation currently maintains two campuses: the original DreamWorks feature animation studio in Glendale, California and the PDI studio in Redwood City, California.

History

The PDI/DreamWorks Studio in Redwood City, California

1994–2003

On October 12, 1994, DreamWorks SKG was formed and founded by a trio of entertainment players, director and producer Steven Spielberg, music executive David Geffen, and former Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg. DreamWorks signed a co-production deal with Pacific Data Images to form subsidiary PDI, LLC (PDI owned 60% of PDI, LLC while DreamWorks SKG owned 40%). Pacific Data Images was founded by Carl Rosendahl in 1980 with a small loan from his father. In 1982, he was joined by Richard Chuang and Glenn Entis, who wrote the foundation of the in-house computer animation software that was to be used for the next two decades. During the 1980s, PDI created many animated logos and commercials for television for companies like NBC and Sky Movies. They shifted into motion picture visual effects beginning in 1991 with a contribution to Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The new unit would produce computer-generated feature films beginning with Antz in 1998. In the same year DreamWorks SKG produced The Prince of Egypt, which used both CG technology and traditional animation techniques.

In 2000, DreamWorks SKG created a new business division, DreamWorks Animation, that would regularly produce both types of animated feature films. All four traditionally animated feature films were produced by the division's Southern California branch. DreamWorks SKG acquired majority interest (90%) in PDI, reforming it into PDI/DreamWorks, the Northern California branch of its new business division. In 2001, DWA released Shrek that made DreamWorks win their first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. The business division separated from its parent in 2004, forming DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. and purchasing the remaining interest in PDI as well as its subsidiary PDI, LLC.

2004–2009

From 2004 to 2009, the studio was dedicated solely to producing computer-animated films in-house, and committed itself to produce 2 such films a year.

In 2005, DreamWorks Animation partnered with HP to introduce HP Halo Telepresence Solutions, technologies that allow people in different locations to communicate in a face-to-face environment in real time. DreamWorks Animation has used this technology in the production of several animated films including the Shrek films, Kung-Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon.[2]

DreamWorks Animation also had a partnership with Aardman Animations, a stop-motion animation company from Bristol, England.[3] This partnership had DreamWorks participating in the production of stop-motion films in Bristol, and also had Aardman participating in some of the CG films made in the US. This partnership ended after the release of Flushed Away in November 2006; the announcement was made before the film's release, on October 3, citing "creative differences" as the reason.[4]

The logo is adapted from its parent studio's logo. The original logo (debuting with Shrek 2 and ending with Monsters vs. Aliens) consisted of a boy fishing on the moon, against a backdrop of the daytime sky albeit with more colorful lettering. The soundtrack of this logo was originally an adaptation of the DreamWorks theme; however, following on the global success of Shrek in 2001, this became a shortened adaptation of True Love's First Kiss (the Love Theme from the Shrek soundtrack), composed by John Powell (itself adapted from "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen).

On March 3, 2007, DreamWorks Animation announced intention to release every future film in 3-D, starting in 2009.[5] On July 8, 2008, they have announced partnership with Intel to co-develop 3-D film-making technology InTru3D.[6] The first film produced with this technology was Monsters vs. Aliens.

In 2009, the studio made the list of Fortune Magazine's best 100 companies to work for, at number 47. Employees at DreamWorks get to enjoy breakfast and lunch for free, a perk not found at many other companies.[7]

2010–present

From 2010 to 2012, the studio is planning to release five feature films every two years.[8] With 2010, DWA became the first studio that released three CG-animated films in a year. In 2011, the studio revisited their plans, "But beyond 2012, Katzenberg said the studio will play it by ear, even if that means abandoning his proclamation that DWA would try to release three pictures in a single year, every other year."[9]

In 2010, a new logo was introduced in which the boy on the moon whips away some of the clouds with his fishing line as the DreamWorks letters come into position; this logo was first used on How to Train Your Dragon. If you look close you can also see the silhouette of a dragon flying from right of screen to left, blocking out the stars.

In 2010, the studio's most successful franchise Shrek, concluded with the fourth and final installment Shrek Forever After.

In 2010 DreamWorks Animation ranked number 6 on the Forbes 100 Best Companies to Work For list. It is praised by its employees for its openness and culture of collaboration.[10]

On June 4, 2010, DreamWorks Animation and Royal Caribbean announced a strategic alliance set to take place onboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships including Allure of the Seas.[11]

Dreamworks Animation also created a new division, MoonBoy Animation, it's first show is TBS's Neighbors from Hell.

Partnerships

DreamWorks Animation has an on-going partnership with HP, and the studio exclusively uses HP workstations and servers. In 2005, AMD signed a 3 year deal to provide processors to the studio. This relationship ended in 2008, and Dreamworks announced that they will use Intel processors for future productions.[12]

Board of directors

The following executives[13] are on the DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. Board of Directors:

  • Roger Enrico, Chairman of DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.
  • Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc./Co-Founder of DreamWorks.
  • Lew Coleman, President of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.
  • Mellody Hobson, President of Ariel Capital Management
  • Nathan Myhrvold, Chief Executive Officer of Intellectual Ventures
  • Richard Sherman, CEO of The David Geffen Company
  • Karl von der Heyden, retired Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of Pepsico, Inc.
  • Judson Green, President and Chief Executive Officer of NAVTEQ
  • Michael Montgomery, President of Montgomery & Co.
  • Thomas E. Freston, former CEO of Viacom
  • Harry (Skip) Brittenham, Director

Productions

Feature films

# Title Release date Budget Gross RT IMDb
1 Antz October 2, 1998 $60,000,000 $171,757,863 95% 6.8
2 The Prince of Egypt December 18, 1998 $70,000,000 $218,613,188 79% 6.8
3 The Road to El Dorado March 31, 2000 $95,000,000 $76,432,727 49% 6.4
4 Chicken Run June 23, 2000 $45,000,000 $224,834,564 96% 7.3
5 Shrek May 18, 2001 $60,000,000 $484,409,218 89% 8.0
6 Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron May 24, 2002 $80,000,000 $122,563,539 69% 6.6
7 Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas July 22, 2003 $60,000,000 $80,767,884 46% 6.6
8 Shrek 2 May 19, 2004 $150,000,000 $919,838,758 89% 7.5
9 Shark Tale October 1, 2004 $75,000,000 $367,275,019 36% 5.9
10 Madagascar May 27, 2005 $78,000,000 $532,680,671 55% 6.6
11 Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit October 7, 2005 $30,000,000 $192,610,372 95% 7.9
12 Over the Hedge May 19, 2006 $80,000,000 $336,002,996 74% 7.0
13 Flushed Away November 3, 2006 $149,000,000 $178,120,010 72% 7.0
14 Shrek the Third May 18, 2007 $160,000,000 $798,958,162 41% 6.1
15 Bee Movie November 2, 2007 $150,000,000 $287,594,577 51% 6.3
16 Kung Fu Panda June 6, 2008 $130,000,000 $631,744,560 88% 7.7
17 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa November 7, 2008 $150,000,000 $603,900,354 64% 6.8
18 Monsters vs. Aliens March 27, 2009 $175,000,000 $381,509,870 71% 6.8
19 How to Train Your Dragon March 26, 2010 $165,000,000 $493,202,818 98% 8.2
20 Shrek Forever After May 21, 2010 $165,000,000 $749,952,787 58% 6.7
21 Megamind November 5, 2010 $130,000,000 $321,165,620 72% 7.3

Upcoming films

Title Release date Ref(s)
Kung Fu Panda 2 May 26, 2011
Puss in Boots November 4, 2011
Madagascar 3 June 8, 2012 [14]
Rise of the Guardians November 21, 2012 [14][15]
The Croods March 1, 2013 [14]
Turbo June 7, 2013 [14]
Me and My Shadow November 8, 2013 [14][16]
Mr. Peabody & Sherman March 21, 2014 [14][17]
How to Train Your Dragon 2 June 20, 2014 [14][18]
Pig Scrolls TBA [19]
Punk Farm TBA [20]
InterWorld TBA [21]
Dinotrux TBA [22][23]
Gil's All Fright Diner TBA [24]
Good Luck Trolls TBA [25]
Boo U TBA [26]
Truckers TBA [26]
Imaginary Enemies TBA [27]
Trollhunters TBA [28]
Alma TBA [29]
Maintenance TBA [30]
Monkeys of Bollywood TBA [31]
Lidsville TBA [32]
Flawed Dogs TBA [33]
Rumblewick TBA [34]
How to Train Your Dragon 3 May 25, 2018 [35][36]

Direct-to-video

TV specials

# Title Release date Network
1 Shrek the Halls November 24, 2007 ABC
2 Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from
Outer Space		 October 28, 2009 NBC
3 Merry Madagascar November 17, 2009 NBC
4 Scared Shrekless October 28, 2010 NBC
5 Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special November 24, 2010 NBC

Short films

# Title Release Date
1 Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party November 2, 2001
2 Shrek 4-D 2003
3 Far Far Away Idol November 5, 2004
4 Club Oscar February 8, 2005
5 The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper October 30, 2005
6 First Flight May 19, 2006
7 Hammy's Boomerang Adventure October 19, 2006
8 Secrets of the Furious Five November 9, 2008
9 B.O.B.'s Big Break September 29, 2009
10 Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon October 15, 2010
11 Donkey's Christmas Shrektacular December 7, 2010
12 Megamind: The Button of Doom February 25, 2011

Television series

# Title Premiere Date End Date Network
1 Toonsylvania February 14, 1998 December 21, 1998 FOX
2 Invasion America June 8, 1998 July 7, 1998 The WB
3 Alienators: Evolution Continues September 15, 2001 June 22, 2002 FOX
4 Father of the Pride August 31, 2004 December 28, 2004 NBC
5 The Penguins of Madagascar March 28, 2009 present Nickelodeon
6 Neighbors from Hell June 7, 2010 July 26, 2010 TBS
7 Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness[37] 2011 Nickelodeon
8 Monsters vs. Aliens[38] 2011 Nickelodeon
9 How to Train Your Dragon[39] 2012 Cartoon Network
10 Future Earth[40] 2012 Discovery Channel

Additionally, DreamWorks Animation holds the underlying US rights to the DiC animated series Alienators: Evolution Continues, co-produced with the parent DreamWorks studio and Columbia TriStar Television (now Sony Pictures Television, who holds international rights). The series was a spin-off of the 2001 DreamWorks/Columbia film Evolution. The same also applies to Neighbors From Hell, since the show is co-produced by Dreamworks Animation (under their newly established MoonBoy Animation division), an independent company known as Bento Box Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox Television.

See also

References

  1. ^ Goldberg, Matt (May 27, 2009). "DreamWorks Animation Plans To Do Nothing I Like". Collider.com. Retrieved November 14, 2010.
  2. ^ Hewlett-Packard (December 5, 2005). "HP Unveils Halo Collaboration Studios: Life-like Communication Leaps Across Geographic Boundaries". Hewlett-Packard. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
  3. ^ Gibbons, Fiachra (October 29, 1999). "Wallace and Gromit's Hollywood deal:Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks signs $250m agreement with animation company that began on kitchen table in Bristol". The Guardian. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
  4. ^ M. Holson, Laura (October 3, 2006). "Is Th-Th-That All, Folks?". The New York Times. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
  5. ^ "DreamWorks Animation Goes 3D" (Press release). DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. March 13, 2007. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
  6. ^ "INTEL, DreamWorks Animation Form Strategic Alliance to Revolutionize 3-D Filmmaking Technology" (Press release). DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. July 8, 2008. Retrieved November 6, 2010.
  7. ^ Fortune (February 2, 2009). "100 Best Companies to Work For". Fortune (magazine). Retrieved October 30, 2010.
  8. ^ "DreamWorks Animation Announces Plans to Release Five Feature Films Every Two Years" (Press release). DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. May 28, 2009. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
  9. ^ Bond, Paul (February 24, 2011). "DreamWorks Animation Retreats on Film Output Plan". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  10. ^ Fortune (February 8, 2010). "100 Best Companies to Work For 2010". Fortune (magazine). Retrieved October 30, 2010.
  11. ^ "From the big screen to the high seas: Royal Caribbean and DreamWorks Animation unveil an unprecedented strategic alliance" (Press release). Royal Caribbean International. June 4, 2010. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
  12. ^ Bloomberg News (July 9, 2008). "Intel to replace AMD as DreamWorks supplier". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 30, 2010.
  13. ^ DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. Board of Directors – BuisnessWeek
  14. ^ a b c d e f g "DreamWorks Animation Announces Feature Film Release Slate Through 2014" (Press release). DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. March 8, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  15. ^ Variety Staff (January 26, 2011). "DreamWorks Animation draws up talent". Variety. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  16. ^ "DreamWorks Animation Pioneers Groundbreaking Combination of CG and Hand-Drawn Animation Techniques in Me and My Shadow for March 2013" (Press release). DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. December 10, 2010. Retrieved December 10, 2010.
  17. ^ Breznican, Anthony (January 17, 2011). "EXCLUSIVE: Robert Downey Jr. to star in 'Peabody and Sherman' for DreamWorks Animation". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  18. ^ Bond, Paul (April 27, 2010). "Train Your Dragon' sequel in the works". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
  19. ^ Dustin Rowles (April 8, 2010). "Exclusive: Barry Sonnenfeld to Direct "Pig Scrolls" for Dreamworks Animation". Pajiba. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  20. ^ "DreamWorks Animation Gets Ready to Rock With 'Punk Farm'" (Press release). DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. April 6, 2006. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
  21. ^ Gaiman, Neil (June 16, 2007). "News and musing". neilgaiman.com. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
  22. ^ Michael Fleming (March 9, 2009). "DreamWorks to drive 'Dinotrux'". Variety. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  23. ^ Chris Gall. "Chris Gall - Illustrator and Author - books - Dinotrux". Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  24. ^ Michael Fleming (December 16, 2009). "Writers dine on 'Diner'". Variety. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  25. ^ Kilday, Gregg (June 22, 2010). "DreamWorks plans Good Luck Trolls movie". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
  26. ^ a b Lisanti, Tony (July 1, 2010). "Dream Makers". licensemag.com. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  27. ^ Bettinger, Brendan (August 19, 2010). "DreamWorks Animation Makes IMAGINARY ENEMIES; Could Be Their First Live-Action/CG Hybrid". collider.com. Retrieved October 18, 2010.
  28. ^ Borys Kit (September 27, 2009). "Guillermo del Toro, DreamWorks Ani strike deal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  29. ^ Steven Zeitchik (October 20, 2010). "Guillermo del Toro finds soul with 'Alma'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  30. ^ Kit, Borys (December 17, 2010). "EXCLUSIVE: DreamWorks Animation Nabs Movie Rights to 'Maintenance' Comic". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
  31. ^ Abrams, Rachel (January 11, 2011). "DreamWorks swings with 'Monkeys of Bollywood'". Variety. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  32. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (January 31, 2011). "Hold On to Your Hats: 'Lidsville' to Become Animated Movie for DreamWorks". The New York Times. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  33. ^ "Pulitzer Prize Winning Cartoonist Berkeley Breathed Brings Flawed Dogs to DreamWorks Animation" (Press release). DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. February 14, 2011. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  34. ^ "DreamWorks Animation Conjures Up Rumblewick" (Press release). DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. March 3, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  35. ^ Cite error: The named reference slate2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  36. ^ Bond, Paul (August 1, 2014). "Train Your Dragon' sequel in the works". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  37. ^ "Nickelodeon to Launch New CG Animated Kung Fu Panda: The Series from DreamWorks Animation SKG" (Press release). DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. May 14, 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
  38. ^ Sciretta, Peter (May 19, 2009). "Nickelodeon Orders Monsters vs. Aliens Television Pilot". /Film. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
  39. ^ "Cartoon Network Soars With Worldwide Broadcast Rights To DreamWorks Animation's How To Train Your Dragon Television Series". Turner. October 12, 2010. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
  40. ^ "Discovery Channel announced development deal with Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Television and DreamWorks Animation" (Press release). Discovery Channel. April 8, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
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