Hollywood
China fuels record global box-office revenue in 2014: MPAA
MUMBAI: China’s fillip in ticket sales saw the Hollywood box office touching a new high in 2014.
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) released its annual Theatrical Market Statistics Report for 2014, which shows that global box office receipts for all films released around the world reached $36.4 billion in 2014, an increase of one per cent over the previous record in 2013.
Growth continued to be driven by a dramatic expansion in the Asia Pacific region, which was up by 12 per cent overall, including China, which jumped 34 per cent and became the first international market to exceed $4 billion in box office ($4.8 billion total). The global growth occurred despite a drop in the US/Canada box office, which at $10.4 billion was down five per cent.
“In the past few years, more people than ever before around the world are going to their local cinemas to see movies made by filmmakers in the United States and all around the globe. This is not just an American story of success, but a worldwide story about the value of craft, creativity and the importance of a story well told. We tell stories that transcend borders and transform individual experiences into shared ones. 2014 was a strong year, and 2015 is starting out tremendously, with box office in the US/Canada up 11 per cent in the first two months of this year,” said MPAA chairman and CEO Senator Chris Dodd.
Additionally, the report showed that films released in the US/Canada by MPAA member studios increased for the first time in five years, reaching 136 in 2014. Total films and total films released by non- MPAA member studios also increased from 2013 (up seven per cent and five per cent, respectively).
In the US and Canadian marketplace, more than two-thirds of the population (68 per cent) – or 229.7 million people – went to a cinema at least once in 2014, comparable to the previous year. Frequent moviegoers who go to the cinema once a month or more continue to drive the movie industry, accounting for 51 per cent of all tickets sold.
Hollywood
Disney unifies streaming, film, TV and games under Dana Walden
Debra O’Connell to chair Disney Entertainment Television in new setup
LOS ANGELES: The Walt Disney Company is pressing play on a more tightly woven future. As audiences hop between cinema screens, streaming apps and game worlds, the media giant is stitching its storytelling arms into one coordinated machine under Dana Walden.
Set to take charge as president and chief creative officer on March 18, Walden will oversee a newly unified Disney Entertainment structure that brings together streaming, film, television and the company’s fast-expanding games and digital business. She will report directly to incoming chief executive officer Josh D’Amaro.
The thinking is simple. Whether viewers are watching on Disney+, heading to the cinema or diving into a game, Disney wants the experience to feel like chapters of the same story. Walden summed it up as strengthening the emotional thread between Disney’s characters and its audiences, wherever they choose to engage.
The leadership reshuffle reads like a carefully cast ensemble. Alan Bergman continues as chairman of Disney Entertainment, studios, steering film production, marketing and distribution while sharing oversight of direct to consumer.
Streaming gets a dual command. Joe Earley and Adam Smith step in as co-presidents of direct to consumer, jointly handling strategy and financial performance across Disney+ and Hulu. Earley will also guide content strategy, while Smith retains his role as chief product and technology officer across Disney Entertainment and ESPN.
A new chair enters the frame with Debra O’Connell taking on the role of chairman, Disney Entertainment Television. She will oversee an expansive slate that includes ABC Entertainment, National Geographic and Hulu Originals, while continuing to supervise ABC News and owned stations.
Gaming, once a side quest, is now a central storyline. Sean Shoptaw, executive vice president, games and digital entertainment, moves into the Disney Entertainment fold. His remit includes partnerships such as the collaboration with Epic Games, aimed at building a Disney universe linked to Fortnite.
Elsewhere, John Landgraf remains chairman of FX, reporting to Walden, while Asad Ayaz continues as chief marketing and brand officer, reporting to both D’Amaro and Walden.
The message behind the reshuffle is clear. Disney is no longer thinking in silos of screens but in stories that travel. And with Walden at the creative helm, the company is betting that a single, seamless narrative can keep audiences hooked, whether they are watching, scrolling or playing.
