Tag: How to Train Your Dragon 2

  • Q3-2015: Dreamworks Animation YoY revenue up 43% at $259.22 million

    Q3-2015: Dreamworks Animation YoY revenue up 43% at $259.22 million

    BENGALURU: DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (DWA) reported 43.3 per cent YoY revenue growth in the quarter ended 30 September, 2015 (Q3-2015, current quarter) at $259.22 million as compared to the $180.86 million, which was driven by performance across all operating segments.

     

    For Q3-2015, DWA posted adjusted operating income of $26.8 million. The increase in revenues and segment gross profit was partially offset by an increase in adjusted general and administrative expenses says DWA.

     

    “DreamWorks Animation delivered solid third quarter results, highlighted by strong top-line growth and meaningful segment gross profit across all of our businesses. While we still have considerable work ahead of us, I am proud of the team’s collective efforts and remain confident that we are well positioned to meet or even exceed our stated goals for the year while continuing to drive long term value for our stakeholders,” said DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg.

     

    Segment Revenue

     

    Feature Film segment

     

    Revenues for Q3-2015 from the Feature Film segment increased to $157.9 million, up from $142.4 million in the prior-year period. Segment gross profit decreased to $54.3 million compared to $64.3 million in the same period of last year, primarily due to contributions earned in the prior-year period in the worldwide theatrical market from How To Train Your Dragon 2, which was a higher margin title.

     

    Home contributed feature film segment revenue of $49.7 million in Q3-2015. Home was released in the digital market on 26 June, 2015 and into the physical domestic home entertainment market on 28 July, 2015. The film reached an estimated 4.7 million home entertainment units through the end of the third quarter, net of actual and estimated future returns claims DWA.

     

    The Penguins of Madagascar contributed feature film segment revenue of $39.8 million in the current quarter, primarily from domestic and international pay television. Through the end of the third quarter, the film reached an estimated 3.6 million home entertainment units sold worldwide, net of actual and estimated future returns.

     

    How To Train Your Dragon 2 contributed feature film segment revenue of $7.4 million in the quarter, primarily from international pay television and home entertainment. The film reached an estimated 8.9 million home entertainment units sold worldwide through the end of the third quarter, net of actual and estimated future returns.

     

    Mr. Peabody and Sherman contributed feature film segment revenue of $2.6 million in the quarter, primarily from home entertainment. The film reached an estimated 4.2 million home entertainment units sold worldwide through the end of Q3-2015, net of actual and estimated future returns.

     

    Television Series and Specials segment

     

    Revenues for the quarter ended 30 September, 2015 from the Television Series and Specials segment increased to $50.7 million in Q3-2015, compared to $14.3 million during the prior-year period. The increase in revenues was attributable to a significantly higher number of episodes delivered under DWA’s episodic content licensing arrangements. Segment gross profit increased to $15.3 million in the current quarter, from $2.3 million in Q3-2014. The increase was primarily driven by higher revenues along with favourable amortisation rates associated with episodic series, partially offset by up-front marketing costs associated with the release of DWA’s new television series.

     

    Consumer Products segment

     

    Revenues from the Consumer Products segment increased to $27 million in Q3-2015, compared to $12.1 million in the same period last year. The increase was primarily due to revenues earned from new and extended location based entertainment license arrangements in the quarter, as well as merchandise licensing agreements related to intellectual property rights associated with characters from DWA’s feature films and episodic television series. Revenues also included contributions from merchandising and other licensing activities. Segment gross profit increased to $15.8 million in Q3-2015 from $4.2 million in Q3-2014, as revenues earned from location based entertainment license arrangements have lower associated costs.

     

    New Media Segment

     

    Revenues for Q3-2015 from the company’s New Media segment were $20.7 million compared to $8.5 million during Q3- 2014. This increase was primarily attributable to revenue generated from licensing and distribution of content and brand sponsorship arrangements. In Q3-2014, DWA reported certain advertising and talent management revenues in this segment on a ‘gross’  basis rather than on a ‘net’ basis. For comparative purposes, if the New Media segment’s revenues had been reported on a ‘net’ basis during Q3-2014, revenues for Q3-2015 would reflect an increase of 226 per cent compared with the prior-year period. Segment gross profit, which is not affected by this item, increased to $10.9 million from $2.3 million in the prior-year period, primarily due to higher revenue contributions from licensed content and reduced amortisation of intangible assets.

     

    All other segments

     

    Revenues from All Other segments for Q3-2015 were $2.9 million compared to $3.6 million in the prior-year period and gross profit was $2.4 million compared to a loss of $1.1million in Q3-2014.

  • DreamWorks Animation loses $38.6 million in Q2 due to restructuring

    DreamWorks Animation loses $38.6 million in Q2 due to restructuring

    MUMBAI: Including the impact of the restructuring plan, DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc reported net loss attributable of $38.6 million, or $0.45 per share for the quarter ended 30 June, 2015. The company’s operating loss stood at $21.8 million.

     

    DreamWorks Animation’s revenues for the quarter ended 30 June, 2015 at $170.8 million, were up 39.7 per cent from the same period in 2014. In addition, the company reported an adjusted operating loss of $1 million and adjusted net loss attributable to DWA of $11.6 million.

     

    Adjusted financial results exclude a $20.9 million pre-tax charge associated with company’s restructuring plan announced in January 2015.

     

    Of the restructuring-related charges totaling $20.9 million or a loss of $2.4 million was due to employee termination and other employee-related costs, $10.9 million was related to accelerated depreciation and amortization charges associated with the closure of its Redwood City facility, and $7.6 million was primarily related to excess staffing and other costs associated with previously announced changes in the feature film slate.

     

    “Our second quarter financial results were solid, highlighted by the theatrical success of Home and the rapid expansion of our Television and New Media businesses. The appetite for premium content across platforms continues to grow both domestically and internationally, and it’s clear DreamWorks Animation is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand,” said DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg.

     

    Home, which was released theatrically on 27 March, 2015 has reached $177 million at the US box office and $207 million at the international box office to date. 

     

    Second Quarter Review:

     

    DreamWorks Animation’s second quarter revenues of $170.8 million increased 39.7 per cent versus the prior-year period primarily driven by the performance of the feature film, television series and specials and new media segments.

     

    Television Segment

     

    Revenues for the quarter ended 30 June, 2015 from the Television series and specials segment increased to $54.5 million, compared to $20 million during the prior-year period. The increase in revenues was attributable to a significantly higher number of episodes delivered under episodic content licensing arrangements.

     

    Segment gross profit increased to $19.2 million in the current quarter, from $1.2 million in the same period of the prior year. The increase was primarily driven by favorable amortization rates associated with episodic series, partially offset by higher up-front marketing costs associated with the release of its new television series.

     

    In addition, for the three months ended 30 June, 2014 segment gross profit was negatively impacted by higher than expected returns of seasonal and newly-released home entertainment product, as well as increased selling costs, related to the company’s Classic Media properties.

     

    Film Segment

     

    Revenues for the quarter ended 30 June, 2015 from the Feature Film segment increased to $87.8 million, up from $69.7 million in the prior-year period. Segment gross profit also increased to $31.7 million compared to $23.9 million in the same period last year.

     

    In the quarter, Home contributed revenue of $23.9 million, The Penguins of Madagascar contributed $8.3 million, How to Train Your Dragon 2 contributed $17.9 million, Mr. Peabody and Sherman contributed $8.4 million and Turbo contributed $1 million.

     

    Library titles contributed feature film revenue of $28.3 million to the quarter.

     

    Consumer Products Segment

     

    Revenues from the Consumer Products segment decreased to $12.7 million in the second quarter, compared to $18.5 million in the same period last year. The prior year period benefitted from merchandise and licensing revenue associated with How to Train Your Dragon 2, which was released theatrically in June 2014. Segment revenues in the current quarter were primarily generated by licensing arrangements related to a variety of intellectual property rights associated with the characters from films.

     

    Segment gross profit decreased to $1.8 million from $7.3 million in the prior year period, largely due to higher costs incurred across a variety of segment activities.

     

    New Media Segment

     

    Revenues for the quarter ended 30 June, 2015 from the company’s New Media segment were $14.6 million compared to $11.5 million during the three months ended 30 June, 2014. This increase was primarily attributable to revenue generated under new licensing agreements and the delivery of newly-created content versus the prior-year period.

     

    Segment gross profit increased to $7.5 million from $2.5 million in the prior-year period, primarily due to higher revenue contributions from newly licensed content. 

  • DreamWorks Animation wins two awards from Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

    DreamWorks Animation wins two awards from Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences

    MUMBAI: DreamWorks Animation has been awarded two Technical Achievement Awards by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the development of two revolutionary tools used in feature filmmaking: Foliage System and OpenVDB.

     

    Both of these tools were most recently used in the making of How to Train Your Dragon 2, an Academy Award nominee for Best Animated Feature and winner of this year’s Golden Globe, six Annie Awards from ASIFA-Hollywood and named Best Animated Feature by the National Board of Review. In addition to these two awards, Hewlett-Packard also received a Technical Achievement Award for its HP DreamColor LP2480zX Professional Display monitor, created in collaboration with DreamWorks Animation engineers.

     

    “At DreamWorks Animation, engineers, technicians and artists come together to create new technology stimulated by the vision and imagination of filmmakers such as writer/director Dean DeBlois (HTTYD2). I want to congratulate our engineers and artists, as well as the DreamColor team at Hewlett-Packard, on their Technical Achievement Awards that recognize outstanding innovation in the development of tools and technology that enhance the industry’s creative storytelling ability,” said DreamWorks Animation chief technology officer Lincoln Wallen.

     

    The Foliage System was first developed for 2001’s Shrek, where it was used to create more than 10,000 trees, the largest deployment of digital vegetation in any film at its time. Since then, DreamWorks Animation has continued to be the industry leader in innovating new tools and techniques that provide the greatest artistic flexibility in rendering foliage. DreamWorks Animation effects artists Scott Peterson, Jeff Budsberg, and Jonathan Gibbs received the award for the design and implementation of the Foliage System.

     

    OpenVDB is an open source data structure and set of tools that help manage the storage of enormous amounts of information created by complex visual effects such as water, dust, smoke and fire, found in both animated and live action films. OpenVDB’s efficiency reduces digital storage requirements and the need for long wait times when running simulations, which have resulted in it becoming a standard in the animation and VFX industry. With adoption at studios including Weta Digital, Disney Animation, and ILM, the tools were used in the making of several of this year’s Academy Award nominated films for Best Visual Effects, including X-Men: Days of Future Past, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Guardians of the Galaxy. DreamWorks Animation engineers Ken Museth, Peter Cucka, and Mihai Alden, received the award for the creation of OpenVDB. 

     

    HP’s DreamColor monitor was jointly developed with DreamWorks Animation to provide the highest color quality level LCD monitors required for graphic intense workflows, such as those for producing feature animation and visual effects. Karl Rasche, a DreamWorks software engineer, was recognized by the Academy, along with the other award winners from Hewlett-Packard, for the joint development of the HP DreamColor LP2480zx Professional Display.