Monthly Archives: August 2010

DreamWorks Animation Reports Second Quarter 2010 Financial Results

Posted on by

Company Announces New $150 Million Share Repurchase Program

DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (NASDAQ:DWA) today announced financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2010. In the quarter, the Company reported total revenue of $158.1 million and net income of $24.0 million, or $0.27 per share on a fully diluted basis.

“Our strong second quarter was driven primarily by the blockbuster performances of Shrek Forever After and How to Train Your Dragon, two of the top 10 films of 2010 on both a domestic and a worldwide basis,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks Animation’s CEO. “We have once again surpassed $1 billion in worldwide box office and with Megamind still to be released on November 5th, we are on track to make 2010 not only DreamWorks Animation’s single biggest year at the box office, but also the biggest year ever for any CG animation studio.”

Shrek Forever After, which was released on May 21, 2010, contributed $51.8 million of revenue in the quarter, generated by its domestic box office performance as well as merchandising and licensing activities. It has reached approximately $235 million in domestic box office and approximately $368 million in international box office for a worldwide box office total of approximately $603 million to date.

How to Train Your Dragon, which was released on March 26, 2010, contributed $33.4 million of revenue to the quarter, driven primarily by its domestic and international box office performance. It has reached approximately $480 million in worldwide box office to date.

The Company’s 2009 release, Monsters vs. Aliens, contributed $17.2 million of revenue to the quarter, driven primarily by international pay television. The film reached an estimated 7.7 million home entertainment units sold, net of actual and estimated future returns, by the end of the second quarter.

The Company’s 2008 releases, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and Kung Fu Panda, contributed $4.4 million and $2.5 million of revenue to the quarter, respectively.

Library and other items contributed approximately $48.8 million of revenue to the quarter.

Costs of revenue for the quarter equaled $98.7 million. Selling, general and administrative expenses totaled $27.8 million, including approximately $7.9 million of stock compensation expense and approximately $2.0 million of marketing expense related to the launch of the Company’s online virtual world, Kung Fu Panda World.

Additionally, the Company recorded an expense of approximately $8.7 million related to its tax sharing agreement with a former stockholder. Combining the amount due to the former stockholder with the Company’s income tax expense of approximately $0.7 million, the result is an overall equivalent tax rate of 28.1% for the second quarter.

The Company also announced today that its Board of Directors has approved a new $150 million share repurchase program. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, the Company has repurchased approximately 3.1 million shares for approximately $111 million.

The Company’s third quarter results are expected to be driven primarily by the continued international box office performance of Shrek Forever After. The Company expects its full year 2010 results, which will likely be heavily weighted toward the second half of the year, to be driven by the continued box office performance of Shrek Forever After as well as the home entertainment performance of How to Train Your Dragon and Shrek Forever After, both of which are expected to be released on DVD and Blu-ray in the fourth quarter.

Items related to the earnings press release for the second quarter of 2010 will be discussed in more detail on the Company’s second quarter 2010 earnings conference call later today.

Conference Call Information

DreamWorks Animation will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the results on Tuesday, July 27, 2010, at 4:30 p.m. (ET). Investors can access the call by dialing (800) 230-1096 in the U.S. and (612) 332-0107 internationally and identifying “DreamWorks Animation Earnings” to the operator. The call will also be available via live webcast at www.dreamworksanimation.com.

A replay of the conference call will be available shortly after the call ends on Tuesday, July 27, 2010. To access the replay, dial (800) 475-6701 in the U.S. and (320) 365-3844 internationally and enter 163006 as the conference ID number. Both the earnings release and archived webcast will be available on the Company’s website at www.dreamworksanimation.com.

About DreamWorks Animation SKG

DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series, live entertainment properties and online virtual worlds, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE® Magazine for two consecutive years. In 2010, DreamWorks Animation ranks #6 on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation’s feature films are now being produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 20 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. DreamWorks Animation’s next feature film is Megamind, scheduled to be released in 3D on November 5, 2010.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This document includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company’s plans, prospects, strategies, proposals and our beliefs and expectations concerning performance of our current and future releases and anticipated talent, directors and storyline for our upcoming films and other projects, constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry in which we operate and management’s beliefs and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the statements herein due to changes in economic, business, competitive, technological and/or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the operation of the business of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. These risks and uncertainties include: audience acceptance of our films, our dependence on the success of a limited number of releases each year, the increasing cost of producing and marketing feature films, piracy of motion pictures, the effect of rapid technological change or alternative forms of entertainment and our need to protect our proprietary technology and enhance or develop new technology. In addition, due to the uncertainties and risks involved in the development and production of animated feature projects, the release dates for the projects described in this document may be delayed. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and our most recent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. DreamWorks Animation is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.

** FINANCIAL TABLES ATTACHED**

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

December
June 30, 31,
2010 2009
—- —-
(unaudited)
(in thousands,
except par value and
share
amounts)
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents $76,918 $231,245
Trade accounts receivable, net of
allowance for doubtful accounts 46,558 42,175
Income taxes receivable 13,690 9,016
Receivable from Paramount, net of
reserve for returns and allowance
for doubtful accounts 161,259 171,292
Film, live performance and other
inventory costs, net 752,950 695,963
Prepaid expenses 33,018 25,505
Other assets 21,913 15,958
Property, plant, and equipment, net
of accumulated depreciation and
amortization 174,862 161,558
Deferred taxes, net 7,106 7,669
Goodwill 34,216 34,216

Total assets $1,322,490 $1,394,597
========== ==========

Liabilities and Equity
Liabilities:
Accounts payable $2,194 $2,400
Accrued liabilities 101,998 111,281
Payable to former stockholder 61,744 67,456
Deferred revenue and other advances 41,060 60,870
—— ——

Total liabilities 206,996 242,007
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders’ equity:
Stockholders’ equity:
Class A common stock, par value
$.01 per share, 350,000,000 shares
authorized, 97,022,472 and
95,967,515 shares issued, as of
June 30, 2010 and December 31,
2009, respectively 970 960
Class B common stock, par value
$.01 per share, 150,000,000 shares
authorized, 10,838,731 and
11,419,461 shares issued and
outstanding, as of June 30, 2010
and December 31, 2009,
respectively 108 114
Additional paid-in capital 953,203 922,681
Retained earnings 841,940 796,296
Less: Class A Treasury common
stock, at cost, 23,612,421 and
20,430,031 shares, as of June 30.
2010 and December 31, 2009,
respectively (680,727) (567,461)
——– ——–

Total stockholders’ equity 1,115,494 1,152,590
——— ———

Total liabilities and stockholders’
equity $1,322,490 $1,394,597
========== ==========

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(Unaudited)

Three Months Ended
June 30,
——–
2010 2009
— —
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
Revenues $158,095 $131,990
Costs of revenues 98,734 74,022
—- —-

Gross profit 59,361 57,968
Product development 422 93
Selling, general and
administrative
expenses 27,751 24,831
—— ——

Operating income 31,188 33,044
Interest income, net 171 979
Other income, net 2,004 1,613
Increase in income
tax benefit payable
to former
stockholder (8,668) (11,020)
—— ——-

Income before income
taxes 24,695 24,616
Provision (benefit)
for income taxes 720 (940)
— —-

Net income $23,975 $25,556
======= =======

Basic net income per
share $0.28 $0.30
Diluted net income
per share $0.27 $0.30
Shares used in
computing net
income per share
Basic 85,709 85,890
Diluted 87,582 86,382

Six Months Ended
June 30,
——–
2010 2009
— —
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
Revenues $320,238 $395,514
Costs of revenues 204,917 230,428
—– —–

Gross profit 115,321 165,086
Product development 607 2,461
Selling, general
and administrative
expenses 51,261 45,522
—— ——

Operating income 63,453 117,103
Interest income,
net 230 1,518
Other income, net 4,097 3,065
Increase in income
tax benefit
payable to former
stockholder (16,856) (27,030)
——- ——-

Income before
income taxes 50,924 94,656
Provision (benefit)
for income taxes 5,280 6,790
—– —–

Net income $45,644 $87,866
======= =======

Basic net income
per share $0.53 $1.01
Diluted net income
per share $0.51 $1.01
Shares used in
computing net
income per share
Basic 86,741 86,673
Diluted 88,972 87,390

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)

Six Months Ended
June 30,
2010 2009
(in thousands)
Operating activities
Net income $45,644 $87,866
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
cash (used in) provided by operating
activities:
Amortization and write off of film, live
performance and other inventory costs 183,295 192,183
Stock compensation expense 15,210 14,695
Depreciation and amortization 2,526 1,831
Revenue earned against deferred revenue and
other advances (53,499) (51,667)
Deferred taxes, net 563 12,330
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable (4,383) 2,427
Receivable from Paramount 10,033 72,534
Film, live performance and other inventory
costs (223,418) (183,574)
Prepaid expenses and other assets (15,540) (16,242)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (9,347) (27,749)
Payable to former stockholder (5,712) (1,466)
Income taxes payable/receivable, net (4,851) (8,001)
Deferred revenue and other advances 35,549 74,515
—— ——

Net cash (used in) provided by operating
activities (23,930) 169,682
——- ——-

Investing activities
Purchases of property, plant and equipment (26,590) (31,495)
——- ——-

Net cash used in investing activities (26,590) (31,495)
——- ——-

Financing Activities
Receipts from exercise of stock options 8,786 90
Excess tax benefits from employee equity
awards 673 –
Purchase of treasury stock (113,266) (52,125)
——– ——-

Net cash used in financing activities (103,807) (52,035)
——– ——-

(Decrease) increase in cash and cash
equivalents (154,327) 86,152
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of
period 231,245 262,644
——- ——-

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $76,918 $348,796
======= ========

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow
information:
Cash paid during the period for income
taxes, net $8,891 $2,373
—— ——

Cash paid during the period for interest,
net of amounts capitalized $281 $355
—- —-

Source: DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.

Edinburgh Comedy Preview – Part 2 {Blake Connolly}

Posted on by

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe officially kicks off today, so it really is about time I get on with part two. As I mentioned last time, all the shows I went to were previews, meaning that often the acts were still getting to grips with the show, testing out material and working from notes. So, while it’s a fair enough guide, in many cases I’ve not seen the finished show.

Daniel Kitson: It’s Always Right Now, Until It’s Later
£12, Traverse Theatre, 10:00

For many years now, Daniel Kitson has gained a reputation as one of the funniest and most exciting stand-ups on the circuit. But for the last four or five years, he’s also been something else: a storyteller. His last few Edinburgh shows have been tales of moving out of his first flat or the discovery of the longest suicide note in history, theatrical monologues with as much pathos as humour. This year’s show is similar in style but perhaps his most ambitious of all, looking at what it is to live a life and how our lives can feel like a series of fleeting moments, as we change over time yet remain, deep down, the same person.

Hanging above and all around the intimate stage are a series of dimly glowing light bulbs, seemingly randomly positioned. Each represents a single moment in time, and each glows brightly in turn as Kitson paces around the stage, describing that moment in two people’s lives, two stories told in births, deaths and marriages, parties, phone calls and bus rides. He alternates between scenes in the lives of Caroline (a little girl, teenager, girlfriend, wife, mother, then grandmother) and a man called William whose life we see backwards: the sad old man becoming the bitter middle aged man, hopeful young man and confident child. It really is a thing of astonishing beauty and genuinely touching, these ordinary people and their outwardly mundane lives somehow seeming extraordinary and to be celebrated. As he mentions, park benches seem a terribly insignificant memorial to everything a human being has ever done, we all deserve at least a statue.

As well being thought-provoking and very moving, the show is also very, very funny. Never unrelentingly so – as you’d already have gathered, this isn’t a stand-up show – but Kitson is a remarkable writer and the humour, when it comes (particularly William’s tragic and hilarious rant on a first date) is spectacularly funny. His writing style is very literary and I left the show feeling like I had just finished reading a very good, rewarding novel. 

The preview I saw finished at midnight, in the creaky old chapel room of the Battersea Arts Centre, a wonderfully atmospheric venue. The show seemed to be a perfect fit with the stillness of night, so I do wonder how it will go down in its mid-morning slot in the Fringe. If you get the chance to see one of Daniel Kitson’s shows, don’t miss it.

Stewart Lee: Vegetable Stew
£10, The Stand Comedy Club, Times vary

One of the funniest and most intelligent comedians around, Stewart Lee would top the “must see” list for anyone visiting the fringe. The show covers a variety of topics, from charity work to the Bullingdon club, touching upon Mock the Week and the World Cup presenters along the way. As always with Lee, as fantastic as the material is, much of the delight comes from playing with the form and style of delivery, toying with the audience’s expectations and breaking the rules of stand-up comedy. 

This year’s show doesn’t break any particular new ground, being very similar in style and format to last year’s If You Prefer A Milder Comedian, Please Ask For One, right down to finishing with a song. Nonetheless, it’s a stunningly good hour of material with a particularly enjoyable thread woven through the first half about his grandfather, and a long, detailed story about David Cameron with a killer pay-off. If you don’t get to catch the show live, Stew will be using some of the material in the second series of his BBC Two Comedy Vehicle later in the year. 

Addy Van De Borgh: Advanced Mumbo Jumbo
£8, The Stand Comedy Club II, Times vary

Sometimes you get a surprise when watching a stand-up and that was the case when I went to see Addy Van De Borgh’s preview. The show is about the misuse of language – flowery corporate speak, estate agents’ truth-bending descriptions, that sort of thing. Van De Borgh mixes some sharp one-liners with imaginative, surreal situations, with a sensational talent for physical, theatrical performance and a wonderfully honed sense of comic timing. And if that’s not enough, he also plays the mouthorgan.

At times he reminded me of the way Bill Bailey chuckles through his act, inviting the audience to share in the joke, while some of his more surreal flights of fancy were almost Izzard-like. His assured style and – there’s no other way to say it – face for comedy make me wonder why he hasn’t had more exposure. Definitely a show to seek out.

Chris Addison
£17.50, Assembly @ George Street, 20:25

Addison returns to the Fringe after an absence of five years, now a very big name following his success in The Thick of It and In The Loop. Bounding across the stage with great confidence, his great strength is his well-crafted, passionate delivery. His observational humour is gimmick-free and safe, but does have a pretty high laugh-per-minute rate. This is one of the pricier shows on the fringe, though, which might make you think twice.

Laura Solon: The Owl of Stephen
£12, Pleasance Courtyard,  17:00

Solon is a talented character comedian who ditched stand-up early in her career to focus on one-woman plays. This is the story of the fictional Channel Island of Stephen which two businessmen want to buy (referencing the story of the Barclay brothers and Brecqhou) but cannot because of a rare owl, the last of its species, which lives on the island. We follow a TV producer and American actress attempting to make a documentary about the owl, meeting the many unusual residents of Stephen. Solon brings each character to life wonderfully, the dialogue often deceptively sharp as the delightful whimsical story heads to it’s rip-roaring conclusion. This is a really fun, entertaining show which is worth catching.

Stephen Carlin: The Podium of Unconditional Surrender
£8, The Stand Comedy Club III & IV, Times vary

First things first, I should mention that when I saw the Scottish stand-up’s preview, the show hadn’t exactly sold out. There were only around a dozen or so of us in the room, which is a really difficult thing for a stand-up to work with, and I thought he coped really well. While his routine often stepped into well-worn areas (Ryanair, for example), he managed to put an original spin on things. His offbeat, somewhat deadpan style which I imagine would work brilliantly in a full house was in danger of verging on awkward at times due to the small audience, but he countered this by going off-piste to talk to the crowd, expertly dealing with a heckler who still managed to completely derail the show’s denouement. Carlin developed some fine ideas during the show, including a particularly amusing proposal for a new British coat of arms. Despite the unusual atmosphere, I enjoyed the show, and expect Carlin to be a name to look out for in the future. 

Joe Bor: A Study of Embarrassment by a Guy with Two Bumholes
£5, Fringe at Le Monde, 20:00

Joe Bor genuinely does have two… well, bumholes. He copes with this recent medical discovery by putting on a whole show on the subject of embarrassment. The early version I saw still had some creases to iron out and was a little messy at times but there was lots of good material in there. At times he seemed to lack confidence in his best material, but as I mentioned, it was an early version of the show I saw, used to refine it into the final piece. Bor is an energetic comedian with a lively show, at one point bringing members of the audience on stage, and particularly funny rapport with his “sound man”. At a fiver a ticket, it’s worth considering.

These were some of the acts I had the chance to see warming up before Edinburgh, but there are a few others I didn’t catch who are also worth a look. There’s a huge amount of buzz around Seann Walsh (£12, Pleasance Courtyard, 20:30), described by Time Out as “This generation’s Dylan Moran”, so if you’re in Edinburgh you should get yourself to his show so you can tell your friends that you were at his solo Fringe debut. If you’re looking for something to do in the afternoon, you can do no better than seeing previews were Nat Luurtsema (£9.50, Pleasance Dome, 15:45), whose witty, imaginative routines are a joy to watch. Paul Foot (£9.50, Underbelly, 19:40) is a wonderfully silly, uniquely odd comedian, and his show directed by Noel Fielding is a must-see for fans of surreal comedy. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a stand-up to provide nothing more than a series of razor-sharp gags and one-liners, Gary Delaney (£9.50, Pleasance Courtyard, 20:30) and his whimsy-free zone is the show to go to and Dan Antopoloski (£9.50, Pleasance Dome, 20:00), winner of last year’s ‘funniest joke of the Fringe’ is worth a look as well.

Blackberry Torch and OS 6 {Gadgets}

Posted on by

Possibly one of the most humourous things in life is watching a friend repeatedly jab an ordinary phone screen with a perplexed look on their face. This simple joy has now been stolen from me as Blackberry have announced their first phone which has both a touchscreen and a keyboard.

Blackberry Torch

Named the BlackBerry Torch, it will come with Blackberry 6 Operating System which was previewed earlier this year. Add to that a 5mp camera, web-kit browser and a track pad incase you can’t get used to the idea not having one (like a vesigial organ of mobile phone evolution).

Blackberry have also announced that Blackberry 6 OS will be will be available in the months ahead (depending  on carrier) on some of their range, including the Pearl 3G 9100, Bold 9650 and Bold 9700.

Sucker Punch Trailer {Film}

Posted on by

Zach Snyder’s Sucker Punch actually looks quite interesting (by interesting, I mean fun). The plot is a little off the wall; It’s about young girl who is trying to hide from the pain caused by her evil stepfather and a lobotomy. She ends up in mental institution and while there she starts to imagine alternative reality. She plans to escape from that imaginary world but to do that she needs to steal five objects before she is caught by a vile man. The story is set in 1950’s. It stars Emily Browning (Lemony Snicket) and Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical). Here’s the trailer:

Printed Clothing {Style}

Posted on by

Film’s going three dimention happy at the moment so it’s no excuse for fashion not to follow suit. The uses of 3d printing are still being explored and designer-researchers are producing 3d printed textiles and clothing.

The emerging technology, which uses ultraviolet beams to fuse layers of powdered, recyclable thermoplastic into shape, leaves behind virtually no waste. Its localized production and one-size-fits-all approach also racks up fewer travel miles, requires less labor, and compresses fabrication time to a matter of hours, rather than weeks or months.

Designer Jiri Evenhuis, in collaboration with Janne Kyttanen of Freedom of Creation, were among the first to toy with the idea of using 3D printers to create textiles. “Instead of producing textiles by the meter, then cutting and sewing them into final products, this concept has the ability to make needle and thread obsolete,” Evenhuis has said.

3D printing has the “ability to make needle and thread obsolete,” says designer Jiri Evenhuis. 

A decade later, designer-researchers like Freedom of Creation in Amsterdam and Philip Delamore at the London College of Fashion are cranking out seamless, flexible textile structures using software that converts three-dimensional body data into skin-conforming fabric structures. The potential for bespoke clothing, tailored to the specific individual, are as abundant as the patterns that can be created, from interlocking Mobius motifs to tightly woven meshes.

Freedom of Creation’s 3D textiles are currently display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

3D Printing Process: ‘The FOC Punch Bag’ from Freedom Of Creation on Vimeo.

[via ecouterre]

Spiderweb made from packing tape {Art}

Posted on by

“Cocoons made only of tape float in mid-air, capable supporting more than your average tree house.”

These terrifying structures are an art installation from Viennese/Croatian design collective For Use/Numen. The team uses nothing but packing tape to create huge, self-supporting cocoons that visitors could climb inside and explore.

Installed three times in the past year, the next deployment will be next week from June 9–13 at DMY Berlin’s International Design Fair, which is now in its 8th year.

The installations, which look like enormous alien arachnids came down to Earth to create portals into the lower dimensions of hell, were first deployed inside a small Croatian gallery, then an abandoned attic during October’s Vienna Design Week.

At the last installation inside Odeon, a former stock exchange building in Vienna, the group used nearly 117,000 feet and 100 pounds of tape. “The installation is based on an idea for a dance performance in which the form evolves from the movement of the dancers between the pillars,” explains For Use’s Christoph Katzler. “The dancers are stretching the tape while they move, so the resulting shape is a recording of the choreography.” Watch below to see how it was done.

The installation’s over-the-top theatricality comes easily to the collective, who design sets as well as furniture for the likes of Moroso and Element. In September, they’ll create a tape installation in a public space in the center of Frankfurt, and a five-star design hotel on the Croatian coast is forthcoming.

Sky bringing Sinbad into the 21st Century {TV}

Posted on by

The search is on to find a leading man to play Sinbad in a contemporary re-imagining of the 8th Century legend for Sky 1 and BBC Worldwide.

The new Sinbad will be treading the line between Hero and Villain. On the run from his home town of Basra and under a curse for a killing that led to the death of his much-loved brother, the streetwise Sinbad finds himself cast out to sea. Surviving a violent and magical storm, both Sinbad and his intriguing fellow ship-mates are forced to band together to face their inner demons, hopes, loves and fears. Our flawed hero embarks on an epic and emotional quest to rid himself of the curse and embrace his destiny. “When mystical meets muscle anything can happen…”

Produced by Impossible Pictures (who also produced ITV’s Primeval), Sinbad is part of Sky1’s multi-million pound HD drama investment fund.

Elaine Pyke (Head of Drama, Sky 1) commented: “Our SINBAD is 21, reckless, utterly charming and cursed. Mysticism, magic, monsters and high octane action adventure, this SINBAD is always exciting and sometimes challenging. This unique series will have the ambition of LOST, the pace of 24 and take the viewer to visually stunning locations on both sea and land. Sky’s SINBAD will be a multi-layered series for today’s prime time audience.”

Sophie Gardiner (Exec Producer, Impossible Pictures) added: “This is a hugely ambitious project and we’re thrilled to partner with Sky to reinvigorate this much loved action hero. We’re confident that SINBAD will confound audience’s expectations and create a big, noisy series for Sky 1.”

Shooting is expected to start in February 2011 in Malta and Sinbad is scheduled for premiere on Sky 1 HD in Winter 2011.

Stuart Murphy also unveiled a whole host of new commissions and acquisitions including:

Dogumentary, A brand new observational documentary from the makers of Pinapple Dance Studios (Pulse Films) centres on the world of dog grooming salons, doggy day care centres and vets’ clinics where cameras will follow the people who work at them, as well as their clients. But in Dogumentary the stars of the show are the pampered pooches themselves, and these are no ordinary canines – they can actually talk. In surreal moments, the mutts talk to each other in funny and off-the-wall exchanges about their lives, loves and observations on the world.

Ross Kemp Extreme World. The BAFTA®-winning documentary team (Tiger Aspect) return as Ross Kemp reports from some of the most dangerous places on Earth. Over five hard-hitting episodes, Ross travels to Mexico, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan and Chicago to learn how international organised crime, terrorists and local criminal networks have created alliances that are destroying millions of lives. Plus, in a UK-based episode, he reveals the grim truth about people trafficking in Britain.

Prince William and The Tusk Trust Project (Working Title). In an exclusive 1hr long documentary by Spun Gold, presented by conservationist and adventurer Ben Fogle, Sky 1 HD gains unprecedented access to Prince William’s first official visit to Africa as he travels to Botswana, the home of wildlife conservation charity Tusk Trust. Marking the charity’s 20th anniversary, royal patron Prince William talks about his love of Africa, his passion for conservation and staying grounded, before challenging Ben to run a fund-raising marathon in Kenya.

Also announced are aquisitions from the US including: Raising Hope from the makers of My Name Is Earl. The Middle, from Warner Bros International about an ordinary family struggling to survive life – and each other – in Middle America. Ride-Along, A gritty new police drama from The Shield creator Shawn Ryan and Lone Star, a 20th Century Fox Production in which newcomer James Wolk is Robert/Bob Allen, a charismatic schemer who has meticulously constructed two lives for years without arousing any suspicions… until now.

This follows the news that Sky has agreed to become the UK home for HBO.

Sky 1 to become UK home for HBO {TV}

Posted on by

BSkyB (Sky) and Home Box Office (HBO) have entered into a multi-year output deal which will see Sky become the home of HBO programmes in the UK and Ireland. The agreement is part of Sky’s ongoing mission to invest in standout content that differentiates the pay-TV experience and creates more reasons for customers to subscribe.

Under the agreement, all new HBO-commissioned programmes and series will be broadcast exclusively, and in HD, on Sky channels. The first HBO production to be seen on Sky as part of the output deal will be ‘Boardwalk Empire’, the much-anticipated Prohibition-era drama from acclaimed director and Oscar winner Martin Scorsese. With a cast including Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt and Kelly Macdonald, ‘Boardwalk Empire’ is scheduled to make its US debut on HBO in September 2010, with a UK and Ireland premiere on Sky to follow shortly after.

Future HBO productions to be broadcast by Sky will also include ‘Game of Thrones’, the fantasy drama based on the series of books ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ by George R.R. Martin, and ‘Luck’, executive produced by David Milch and Michael Mann and starring two time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman. In addition, future seasons of existing HBO shows – such as ‘Entourage’ and ‘Big Love’ – will be broadcast exclusively on Sky channels in the UK and Ireland at the conclusion of their current broadcast rights agreements. 

 

Sky will also offer access to HBO programmes through its on-demand platforms, including the soon-to-launch Sky Anytime+ service.  In addition to availability of the new HBO productions airing exclusively on Sky channels, the on-demand services will offer access to HBO’s library of classic shows such as ‘The Sopranos’  and ‘Six Feet Under’.