51
of Spider-Man 2, SPE is poised for another
outstanding year at the box office. In addition,
SPE will continue to capitalize on the rapidly
growing worldwide home entertainment
market by generating revenue from both new
releases and its library of more than 4,000 films.
The television group had an exceptional year
in 2003. Employing a creative and economic
approach to program development, the
television production business successfully
launched Joan of Arcadia in 2003, one of the
highest-rated new shows on U.S. prime time
television. Syndication sales such as the record-
setting third cycle syndication of Seinfeld, and
the ongoing success of game shows such as
Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! and daytime
dramas such as the Emmy award-winning The
Young & the Restless and Days of Our Lives
also continue to contribute significantly to
SPE’s profitability.
Internationally, SPE continues to expand its
local television programming production and
to enhance the value of its international library.
Building on its investments in more than 35
networks, SPE is extending its AXN and
Animax network brands through new launches
in important territories.
Developing new revenue streams through its
digital businesses is a priority for SPE. With
nearly 1,700 films and television programs
already digitized, SPE is well-prepared to offer
its library to new distribution outlets. More-
over, SPE plans to support the launch of the
PSP portable player and the Blu-ray high
definition formats. Having established a
leading position in digital effects and anima-
tion through Sony Pictures Imageworks, SPE
looks to extend further into digital content
with Sony Pictures Animation, its new
animation unit that will develop and produce
all-computer generated feature films.
On the cutting edge of all aspects of digital
entertainment, SPE continues to work closely
with the Motion Picture Association of
America (MPAA) on efforts to combat piracy
and to protect its content around the world.
Sony Pictures Imageworks movesforward with IMAGEMOTION™Sony Pictures Imageworks is advancing to the
next level of digital content creation with
IMAGEMOTION™, the new proprietary perfor-
mance-motion-capture system developed for the
movie
The Polar Express
, starring Tom Hanks and
directed by Robert Zemeckis. Imageworks is well
known as an award-winning visual effects and
character animation facility responsible for the
groundbreaking visual effects in such films as
Spider-Man
,
Spider-Man 2
,
Stuart Little
,
Bad Boys
II
,
Cast Away
,
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
Stone
and the Academy Award®-winning CG-
animated short film
The ChubbChubbs!
.
IMAGEMOTION™ is a revolutionary system
capable of simultaneously recording high-fidelity
facial and body motions of many actors in a
particular scene. This technology enables creation
of computer-based characters with remarkably
realistic facial expressions and human motions.
Currently, a number of projects are under devel-
opment at Imageworks, many of which utilize the
IMAGEMOTION™ process. Imageworks will
continue to invent cutting-edge technologies and
produce groundbreaking visual experiences for
the next generation of digital entertainment.
Joan of Arcadia
Joan of Arcadia
is an hour-long
drama that follows sixteen-year-
old Joan Girardi (Amber Tamblyn)
as she struggles with the uneasy
life of a teenager, further compli-
cated when God visits her through
a variety of different people.
Although she initially questions
her sanity, Joan eventually follows
His advice, finding truth in the
old adage that “God works in
mysterious ways.”
Motion Picture & Artwork © 2003 Columbia
Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Motion Picture & Artwork © 2004 Columbia
Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Spider-Man Character ® & © 2004 Marvel
Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Early Bloomer
Early Bloomer
, a CG
animated short film, is a
comical coming-of-age tale
about an awkward, but
adorable, tadpole just
trying to fit in and keep up
with his mischievous and
playful friends.
Big Fish
Tim Burton’s
Big Fish
, released
in 2003, is the heartwarming
tale of the fabled relationship
between a storytelling father
and his estranged son, who is
trying to separate fact from
fiction and come to terms
with his father’s great feats
and great failings.
S.W.A.T.
S.W.A.T.
, a summer 2003 hit,
is an explosive action-thriller,
inspired by the popular 1970s
television series. In the film,
an elite law enforcement unit
transporting a drug lord to
federal prison is pursued by a
ruthless and well-armed band
of mercenaries trying to free a
kingpin for a $100 million
reward.
Spider-Man 2
Two years have passed since
Peter Parker walked away from
his longtime love and decided
to shoulder great responsibility
as Spider-Man. In
Spider-Man 2
,
Peter faces new challenges as
he struggles to balance his dual
identities as Spider-Man and a
college student. The relation-
ships he holds most dear are in
danger of unraveling as he
clashes with a powerful,
multi-tentacled villain.
EverQuest II
EverQuest II
is
currently in devel-
opment by Sony
Online Entertain-
ment Inc. (SOE).
EverQuest II
is the
next generation of
massive-multiplayer
online gaming,
allowing hundreds of thousands of online gamers to come
together in an immense 3D fantasy world for adventure, excite-
ment and social interaction.
Home Electronics Mobile Electronics Game Entertainment Financial Services Other
Motion Picture © 2003 Sony Pictures Imageworks Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
Television Series © 2003, 2004 Sony
Pictures Television Inc. and CBS
Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Motion Picture & Artwork © 2003 Columbia
Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.