Businessweek

ion The company engages in the development, acquisition, production and distribution of animation projects for full theatrical release, television and DVD release. DVD production - The company has released direct-to-video animated movies with Marvel, including Ultimate Avengers, Ultimate Avengers 2, The Invincible Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow, Hulk vs. Thor/ Wolverine, Planet Hulk, and Thor, Tales of Asgard. Television production - A second 26 half-hour season of an adventure series was ordered and is being produced by Toonz Entertainment, Kick Start Productions and Animation Collective. Additionally, three DVDs of Speed Racer, The Next Generation have already been released. Theatrical films - In 2010, the company released Alpha and Omega, a 3-D animated film, with its partner, Crest Animation. Building on its relationship with Crest Animation, in February 2010, the company announced its second production in a multi-picture deal, Norm of the North. Music The company’s music department oversees music for its theatrical and television slates, as well as the music needs of other areas within its company. Distribution Mandate Pictures LLC (Mandate Pictures): The company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Mandate Pictures, is a full-service production and financing company that operates as an independent brand delivering commercial and independent films worldwide. Mandate Pictures' financed and produced pictures released in 2012 included 50/50, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas and Young Adult. In 2012, Mandate Pictures also financed and produced the Untitled Diablo Cody project starring Julianne Hough, Russell Brand, Octavia Spencer and Holly Hunter. International sales and distribution The primary components of the company’s international business are, on a territory by territory basis through third parties or directly through its international divisions: the licensing and sale of rights in all media of its in-house product; the licensing and sale of third party product on an agency basis; the licensing of rights in all media of its in-house Summit product on an output basis; the licensing and sale of in-house catalog product or libraries of acquired titles; and direct distribution. Home entertainment distribution Home entertainment distribution includes distribution of product to the home entertainment market, including home video, DVD, Blu-ray, video-on-demand (VOD) and digital/electronic distribution. The company’s U.S. video distribution operation has a filmed and television content library of approximately 13,000 motion picture titles and television episodes and programs. Television syndication The company syndicates television programming through its subsidiary, Debmar-Mercury, LLC (Debmar-Mercury). In 2012, Debmar-Mercury distributed approximately 1,100 hours and produced approximately 550 episodes of television programming. Pay and free television distribution The company has approximately 1,000 titles in active distribution in the domestic cable, free and pay television markets. Pay television rights include rights granted to cable, direct broadcast satellite and other services paid for by subscribers. The company sells its library titles and new product to major cable channels such as pay networks, including EPIX, HBO, Starz and Showtime, as well as basic cable channels, including USA Network, FX, Turner Networks, BET, ABC Family, SyFy, Lifetime, MTV, Comedy Central, Spike, AMC Networks, OWN, Reelz, Telemundo and Telefutura. The company also directly distributes pay-per-view and VOD to cable, satellite and Internet providers, such as Comcast, Time Warner, Cox Communications, through iN Demand, Charter Communications, AT&T Uverse and Verizon FIOS through Avail-TVN, Cablevision, DirecTV and DISH Network. During 2012, the company completed multi-year licensing agreements with Starz (for greater than 500 titles) and Showtime (for greater than 250 titles). Intellectual Property The company uses trademarks, including ‘LIONS GATE HOME ENTERTAINMENT,’ ‘ARTISAN HOME ENTERTAINMENT,’ ‘FAMILY HOME ENTERTAINMENT,’ ‘DIRTY DANCING,’ ‘THE BLAIR WITCH