You watch the film either on the big screen or small screen. Don’t you? But while watching the film, you may not think about where the film was made and how each film company secured the rights to the film that you watch on screen. Maybe now you start thinking about it.
Well, I am here to give you this answer elaborately so that you get a clear idea.
Six major film studios and their function are discussed below. Major in sense they are account for 90 percent of box office revenue in the United States and Canada. If you are career-oriented about the film industry, you may pay a close attention to the figures below.
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Tips & Tricks of 6 Major Film Studios
Here are some tips and tricks to help you focus in the right direction as you explore the 6 major film studios:
#Step01 – Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures is the largest player in the film industry, accounting for a total of 19.7 percent of the U.S. / Canadian market share. Warner Bros. has become the number one business in the world, securing the rights to big movies like Harry Potter, Superman, Batman, The Matrix and Star Wars.
#Step02 – Walt Disney
As one of the most well-known film production companies in the history of the film business, Walt Disney now holds 15.3 percent of the U.S. / Canadian market share (According to 2007 census). Walt Disney is the only member of the Big Six whose paternity is still near Los Angeles. It plays a key role in the existing industry as well as it will also rule the industry in near future.
#Step03 – Paramount Pictures
With 15.5 percent of the U.S. / Canadian market share, Paramount Pictures became one of the most successful and dominating film studios all over the world. Star Trek, War of the Worlds, the Mission Impossible series, Transformers and Tropic Thunder are just a few of the popular films produced by Paramount Pictures.
#Step04 – Universal Studios
Universal Studios owns 12.2 percent of the U.S. / Canadian market share , which continues to earn millions for the film industry. Big hits like the Bourne series, American Pie Series, Knocked Up, American Gangster and The Incredible Hulk are the creations of Universal Studios. It is very clear that Universal Studios knows well how to make money in this industry.
#Step05 – 20th Century Fox
Also known as “Twentieth Century Fox”, is an American film studio that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Studios. It can be said it is a division of The Walt Disney Company. The studio is located on the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. 20th Century is one of the “Big Six” major American film studios for over 83 years.
It is highly successful film production company that holds 11.9 percent of the US / Canadian market share Some of the big budget and most successful films of this empire include the X-Men series, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Star Wars Episodes II & III and Fantastic Four.
#Step06 – Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures is an American film studio and production and distribution company that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Entertainment’s Sony Pictures, and a subsidiary of the Japanese multinational conglomerate, Sony.
Columbia Pictures remains a major player in the film business as it includes 12.9 percent of the US / Canadian market share. Some of the company’s recent flourishing productions are Casino Royale, The Da Vinci Code, the Spider-Man series and Step Brothers.
Most of the major six studios control companies now-a-days which have their own distribution networks that focus on art house picture. The six large studios are seen as contrasting with the smaller production or distribution companies, which are known as independents or “indies”. Above mentioned major studios today are mainly proponents and distributors of films whose original productions are largely managed and run by independent companies. Special sections often acquire the right to distribute only images where the studio had no prior involvement. While majors still do a modicum of true production, their activities are more focused on development, financing, marketing and merchandising.
Conclusion
The six major film studios that are currently dominating the box office, according to imdb.com, are Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Comcast/Universal Pictures (CPU/U), 20th Century Fox (21 C-FOX), Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPR), Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (TWX), and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (DISNEY). These six entertainment companies represent about 1/3 of all films released in theaters annually.
