query: Richard Nixon's wife moved to work for the federal government in 1942.

pos: Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon ( January 9 , 1913 -- April 22 , 1994 ) was an American politician who served as the 37th President of the United States from 1969 until 1974 , when he became the only U.S. president to resign from office . He had previously served as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower , and prior to that as a U.S. Representative and also Senator from California .   Nixon was born in Yorba Linda , California . After completing his undergraduate studies at Whittier College , he graduated from Duke University School of Law in 1937 and returned to California to practice law . He and his wife Pat moved to Washington in 1942 to work for the federal government . He subsequently served on active duty in the U.S. Navy Reserve during World War II . Nixon was elected to the House of Representatives in 1946 and to the Senate in 1950 . His pursuit of the Hiss Case established his reputation as a leading anti-communist , and elevated him to national prominence . He was the running mate of Dwight D. Eisenhower , the Republican Party presidential nominee in the 1952 election . Nixon served for eight years as vice president -- at 40 , the second-youngest vice president in history . He waged an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 1960 , narrowly losing to John F. Kennedy , and lost a race for Governor of California to Pat Brown in 1962 . In 1968 , he ran for the presidency again and was elected by defeating incumbent Vice President Hubert Humphrey .   Nixon ended American involvement in the war in Vietnam in 1973 and brought the American POWs home , and ended the military draft . Nixon 's visit to the People 's Republic of China in 1972 eventually led to diplomatic relations between the two nations , and he initiated détente and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with the Soviet Union the same year . His administration generally transferred power from Washington D.C. to the states . He imposed wage and price controls for a period of ninety days , enforced desegregation of Southern schools and established the Environmental Protection Agency . Nixon also presided over the Apollo 11 moon landing , which signaled the end of the moon race . He was reelected in one of the largest electoral landslides in U.S. history in 1972 , when he defeated George McGovern .   The year 1973 saw an Arab oil embargo , gasoline rationing , and a continuing series of revelations about the Watergate scandal . The scandal escalated , costing Nixon much of his political support , and on August 9 , 1974 , he resigned in the face of almost certain impeachment and removal from office . After his resignation , he was issued a pardon by his successor , Gerald Ford . In retirement , Nixon 's work writing several books and undertaking of many foreign trips helped to rehabilitate his image . He suffered a debilitating stroke on April 18 , 1994 , and died four days later at the age of 81 .

neg: Rose Mary Woods Rose Mary Woods ( December 26 , 1917 -- January 22 , 2005 ) was Richard Nixon 's secretary from his days in Congress in 1951 , through the end of his political career . Before H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman became the operators of Nixon 's presidential campaign , Woods was Nixon 's gatekeeper .

neg: Elizabeth Holtzman Elizabeth Holtzman ( born August 11 , 1941 ) is an American politician and former member of the United States House of Representatives . She was the first woman to hold office as the New York City Comptroller , and the District Attorney of Kings County , New York . A Democrat , she represented New York 's 16th congressional district for four terms .   In 1974 , Holtzman was a member of the House Judiciary Committee , which recommended three articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal . After Nixon resigned as president and was given a presidential pardon by his successor , Gerald Ford , the judiciary committee held hearings on the pardon , in which Holtzman asked Ford whether his action had been a quid pro quo . Ford cut her off , declaring , `` There was no deal , period , under no circumstances . '' Following the Watergate scandal , Holtzman authored a bill that allowed for an independent counsel to be appointed by a Washington , D.C. , appeals court if requested by the attorney general . The law , passed in 1978 , had a five-year sunset provision and expired in 1999 .

neg: Combined Shipping Adjustment Board The Combined Shipping Adjustment Board or Combined Shipping Board was a joint American-British war agency 1942-45 nominally in charge of commercial shipping . It proved ineffective as much more powerful boards , such as the Combined Munitions Assignments Board , ignored it . The U.S. Army and Navy controlled most shipping and refused to share responsibility with the Board as did the powerful War Shipping Administration . For practical purposes the agency was inactive by spring 1943 .   President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill set it up in January 1942 with a 6-point mandate :  1 . In principle the shipping resources of the two countries will be deemed to be pooled . The fullest information will be interchanged .  2 . Owing to the military and physical facts of the situation around the British Isles , the entire movement of shipping now under the control of Great Britain will continue to be directed by the Ministry of War Transport .  3 . Similarly , the appropriate authority in the United States will continue to direct the movements and allocations of U.S. shipping or shipping of other Powers under U.S. control .  4 . In order to adjust and concert in one harmonious policy the work of the British Ministry of War Transport and the shipping authorities of the U.S. Government , there wilt be established forthwith in Washington a Combined Shipping Adjustment Board consisting of a representative of the United States and a representative of the British Government who will represent and act under the instructions of the British Minister of War Transport .  5 . A similar Adjustment Board will be set up in London consisting of the Minister of War Transport and a representative of the U.S. Government .  6 . In both cases the executive power will be exercised solely by the appropriate shipping agency in Washington and by the Minister of War Transport in London .

neg: War Research Service The War Research Service ( WRS ) was a civilian agency of the United States government established during World War II to pursue research relating to biological warfare . Established in May 1942 by Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson , the WRS was embedded in the Federal Security Agency , the federal agency that administered Social Security and other New Deal programs in the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt . Headed by George W. Merck , president of the Merck & Co. pharmaceutical firm , the WRS was headquartered at Fort Detrick , Maryland .   Being a civilian agency , the WRS was initially tasked to supervise the military Chemical Warfare Service 's biological program .  However , the WRS was disbanded in 1944 , and the weapons research was continued under the exclusive oversight of the CWS .

neg: Judy Hoback Miller Judith `` Judy '' Hoback Miller ( born May 10 , 1937 ) is an American woman known for her involvement in the Watergate scandal in 1972 during the presidency of Richard Nixon . She served as the bookkeeper for the Committee to Re-elect the President , also known as CREEP .

neg: The Army Hour The Army Hour was a radio news program in the United States , broadcast on NBC April 5 , 1942-Nov . 11 , 1945 .   Planning for The Army Hour , with Col. Edward M. Kirby in charge , began soon after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor . Sponsored by the War Department and the U.S. Army , the program brought `` on-the-spot stories and demonstrations from Army bases and fields of battle '' to listeners back home in America . The program was `` an attempt to bring the reality of the war home to the American people through the power and immediacy of radio . ''  One reviewer wrote in a newspaper that the secretary of war had compared The Army Hour broadcasts to `` full-scale military operations ... as far as communications are concerned , '' and the writer agreed . NBC 's investment was significant , also . In 1957 , CBS executive Lou Cowan ( who helped to develop The Army Hour while working with the Office of War Information ) said that the program was `` presented at an annual cost of a half-million dollars to the network -LSB- NBC -RSB- with no financial return . ''   Radio historian John Dunning wrote that the program `` gave Americans their first in-depth look at the war and how it was being fought , '' and a 1942 article in the trade publication Billboard described it as `` a weekly official message and a source of authoritative information from the Army to the civilian population of the country ... '' In 1943 , another article in Billboard commented about Army Hour : `` excellent substitute for first-hand knowledge of war ; genuine picture of what loved ones are living thru ; calm and objective presentation of facts of war . ''

neg: Floyd I. Clarke Floyd I. Clarke ( born January 7 , 1942 ) is a former acting director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) in the United States .

neg: Ethics in Government Act The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 is a United States federal law that was passed in the wake of the Nixon Watergate scandal and the Saturday Night Massacre . It created mandatory , public disclosure of financial and employment history of public officials and their immediate family . It also created restrictions on lobbying efforts by public officials for a set period after leaving public office . Last , it created the U.S. Office of Independent Counsel , tasked with investigating government officials .

neg: Nixon goes to China The phrase `` Nixon goes to China '' , `` Nixon to China '' , or `` Nixon in China '' is a historical reference to United States President Richard Nixon 's 1972 visit to the People 's Republic of China , where he met with Chairman Mao Zedong . The metaphor is often expressed as the observation `` Only Nixon could go to China '' or `` It took Nixon to go to China '' .   As a political metaphor , it refers to the ability of a politician with an unassailable reputation among his or her supporters for representing and defending their values to take actions that would draw their criticism and even opposition if taken by someone without those credentials . Although the example is that of a hardliner taking steps toward peace with a traditional enemy , and this is the most common application of the metaphor , it could also be applied to a reputedly cautious diplomat defying expectations by taking military action , or a political leader reforming aspects of the political system of which they have been strong supporters .

neg: A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy was a television special featuring the First Lady of the United States , Jacqueline Kennedy on a tour of the recently renovated White House . It was broadcast on Valentine 's Day , February 14 , 1962 , on both CBS and NBC , and broadcast four days later on ABC . The program was the first ever First Lady televised tour of the White House , and has since been considered the first prime-time documentary specifically designed to appeal to a female audience .   The film showed Kennedy on a tour of the house with the CBS News correspondent Charles Collingwood . The filmed tour was the first glimpse the American public had had of the $ 2 million restoration of the White House that Kennedy had helped direct in the first year of her husband 's presidency .   The program was viewed by 80 million viewers , and globally syndicated to 50 countries including Russia and China .   Kennedy 's notes for the televised tour were among her personal papers that were publicly released by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in 2012 . The papers showed that Kennedy made sure that the names of individual donors who had contributed to the costs of the renovation were included in the script .

neg: Jane Foster Zlatovski Jane Foster Zlatovski ( 1912 -- 1979 ) allegedly engaged , with her husband , George Zlatovski , in covert activities on behalf of the Soviet Union while employed in sensitive U.S. Government wartime agencies during World War II . They were indicted in 1957 . Their case was never tried and both Zlatovskis denied the accusations .

neg: Board of Economic Warfare The Office of Administrator of Export Control ( also referred to as the Export Control Administration ) was established in the United States by Presidential Proclamation 2413 , July 2 , 1940 , to administer export licensing provisions of the act of July 2 , 1940 ( 54 Stat . 714 ) . Brigadier General Russell Lamont Maxwell , United States Army , headed up this military entity . It was abolished by Presidential Executive Order 8900 , September 15 , 1941 , and its functions were transferred to the Economic Defense Board , which had been established by Presidential Executive Order 8839 , July 30 , 1941 , to develop policies and programs to strengthen U.S. international economic relations . The name was changed to Board of Economic Warfare by Presidential Executive Order 8982 , December 17 , 1941 . In turn , it was abolished by Executive Order 9361 , July 15 , 1943 , and the functions were transferred to the newly created Office of Economic Warfare , OEM , which also assumed control of U.S. Commercial Company , Rubber Development Corporation , Petroleum Reserves Corporation , and Export-Import Bank of Washington from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation . Consolidated into the Foreign Economic Administration , 1943 .

neg: Hillary Clinton email controversy In March 2015 , it became publicly known that Hillary Clinton , during her tenure as United States Secretary of State , had used her family 's private email server for official communications , rather than official State Department email accounts maintained on federal servers . Those official communications included thousands of emails that would retroactively be marked classified by the State Department .   The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of Clinton 's 2016 presidential election campaign and hearings held by the United States House Select Committee on Benghazi . Some experts , officials , and members of Congress have contended that her use of private messaging system software and a private server violated State Department protocols and procedures , as well as federal laws and regulations governing recordkeeping . In response , Clinton has said that her use of personal email was in compliance with federal laws and State Department regulations , and that former secretaries of state had also maintained personal email accounts , though not their own private email servers .   After allegations were raised that some of the emails in question contained classified information , the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) initiated an investigation regarding the origin and handling of classified emails on Clinton 's server . The FBI Report found that some of the emails originated in five other intelligence agencies . The FBI found that all classified emails on Clinton 's server were stored and sent from `` unclassified systems '' , violating the same policies as those on Clinton 's personal server .   FBI Director James Comey identified 110 emails as containing information that was classified at the time it was sent , including 65 emails deemed `` Secret '' and 22 deemed `` Top Secret '' . None of these had classification markings . However , as noted in Clinton 's non-disclosure agreement , unmarked classified information should be treated the same as marked classified information . An additional three email chains contained `` portion markings '' , simply a '' ( C ) '' indicating `` Confidential '' in front of one or more paragraphs . These were not included in Comey 's list of 110 because the State Department failed to confirm they were classified at the time they were sent . Clinton told the FBI she did not know the meaning of '' ( C ) '' . Nearly 2,100 emails on the server were retroactively marked as classified by the State Department .   In May 2016 , the State Department 's Office of the Inspector General released an 83-page report about the State Department 's email practices , including Clinton 's . On July 5 , 2016 , Comey announced that the FBI 's investigation had concluded that Clinton was `` extremely careless '' in handling her email system but recommended that no charges be filed against her . On July 6 , 2016 , Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced that no charges would be filed .   On July 7 , the State Department reopened its probe into the email controversy . On October 28 , 2016 , Comey notified Congress that the FBI had started looking into newly discovered emails that may be pertinent to the case . Law enforcement officials stated the emails were found on a laptop belonging to Clinton aide Huma Abedin 's husband , Anthony Weiner , during an investigation of his sexting scandals . On November 6 , Comey notified Congress that the FBI had not changed its conclusion , reached in July , regarding Clinton 's emails .

neg: Executive Order 11478 Executive Order 11478 , signed by U.S. President Richard M. Nixon on August 8 , 1969 , prohibited discrimination in the competitive service of the federal civilian workforce on certain grounds . The order was later amended to cover additional protected classes .

neg: The Selling of the President 1968 The Selling of the President 1968 is a non-fiction book written by American author Joe McGinniss and published by Trident Press in October , 1969 .   The book describes the marketing of Richard Nixon during the 1968 presidential campaign . It has been described as `` a classic of political journalism '' and a `` classic of campaign reporting that first introduced many readers to the stage-managed world of political theater . '' It was reprinted in 1988 under the title The Selling of the President .   McGinniss became an overnight success when the book , his first , landed on The New York Times bestseller list . He was 26 years old , making him the youngest living writer with that achievement . The book was on the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list for 31 weeks from October 1969 to May 1970 .   The idea for the book came to McGinniss almost serendipitously :   -LSB- He -RSB- stumbled across his book 's topic while taking a train to New York . A fellow commuter had just landed the Hubert Humphrey account and was boasting that ` in six weeks we 'll have him looking better than Abraham Lincoln . ' McGinniss tried to get access to Humphrey 's campaign first , but they turned him down . So he called up Nixon 's , and they said yes . '' .   The book was very well received by both critics and the public . It `` spent more than six months on best-sellers lists , and McGinniss sold a lot of those books through television , appearing on the titular shows of Merv Griffin , David Frost and Dick Cavett , among others . '' Conservative writer William F. Buckley `` assumed McGinniss had relied on ` an elaborate deception which has brought joy and hope to the Nixon-haters . ' But even Buckley liked the book . ''   In 1972 , the book was adapted into a short-lived Broadway musical .

neg: Federal Records Act The Federal Records Act of 1950 is a United States federal law enacted in 1950 . It provides the legal framework for federal records management , including record creation , maintenance , and disposition .   The Federal Records Act came following the recommendations of the Hoover Commission ( 1947-49 ) . The act , and its related regulations , require each federal agency to establish an ongoing program for records management and to cooperate with the National Archives and Records Administration ( NARA ) . A 1985 NARA pamphlet describes the Federal Records Act as the `` basis for the Federal Government 's policies and procedures for creating , maintaining , and disposing of Federal records . The act and its related regulations define Federal records , mandate the creation and preservation of those records necessary to document Federal activities , establish Government ownership of records , and provide the exclusive legal procedures for the disposition of records . '' The Second Hoover Commission ( 1953-55 ) addressed paperwork management and recommended the adoption of program relating to `` directives management , reports management , paperwork quality control , and clerical work measurement . '' As a result , the first Guide to Record Retention Requirements was published in 1955 ; the guide is updated annually and is used by archivists and other record managers both in and out of government .   The Federal Records Act was amended over time . Amendments in 1976 emphasized paperwork reduction and information lifecycle management . The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 , which followed the issuance of the report of the Commission on Federal Paperwork in 1977 , introduced information resources management and gave responsibility to the Office of Management and Budget for creating federal information policy standards .   In November 2014 , the Presidential and Federal Records Act Amendments of 2014 was signed into law by President Barack Obama . This bipartisan act , which followed the 2011 President 's Memorandum on Managing Government Records , modernizes the Federal Records Act . The act expressly expands the definition of federal records to include electronic records ( the first change to the definition of `` Federal record '' since the enactment of the act in 1950 ) . The act also grants the Archivist of the United States the final determination as to what constitutes a Federal record ; `` authorizes the early transfer of permanent electronic federal and presidential records to the National Archives , while legal custody remains with the agency or the president '' ; `` clarifies the responsibilities of federal government officials when using non-government email systems '' ; and `` empowers the National Archives to safeguard original and classified records from unauthorized removal . ''

neg: Inauguration of Gerald Ford The inauguration of Gerald Ford as the 38th President of the United States was held on August 9 , 1974 , in the East Room of the White House in Washington , D.C. , following the resignation of President Richard Nixon . The inauguration marked the commencement of Gerald Ford 's only term ( a partial term of ) as President . Chief Justice Warren Burger administered the oath of office . The Bible upon which Ford recited the oath was held by his wife , Betty Ford , open to Proverbs 3:5 -6 .   While this was the ninth non-scheduled , extraordinary inauguration to take place since the presidency was established in 1789 , it was the first to take place because the incumbent had resigned from office . Ford had become Vice President on December 6 , 1973 , after the resignation of Spiro Agnew . He was the first person appointed to the vice presidency under the terms of the Twenty-fifth Amendment . Thus , when he succeeded Nixon , Ford became the first ( and to date only ) person to have held both the office of Vice President and President without having been elected to either .

neg: Working Group on Financial Markets The Working Group on Financial Markets ( also , President 's Working Group on Financial Markets , the Working Group , and colloquially the Plunge Protection Team ) was created by Executive Order 12631 , signed on March 18 , 1988 , by United States President Ronald Reagan .   As established by the executive order , the Working Group has three purposes and functions :   '' ( a ) Recognizing the goals of enhancing the integrity , efficiency , orderliness , and competitiveness of our Nation 's financial markets and maintaining investor confidence , the Working Group shall identify and consider :  ( 1 ) the major issues raised by the numerous studies on the events in the financial markets surrounding October 19 , 1987 , and any of those recommendations that have the potential to achieve the goals noted above ; and  ( 2 ) the actions , including governmental actions under existing laws and regulations ( such as policy coordination and contingency planning ) , that are appropriate to carry out these recommendations .  ( b ) The Working Group shall consult , as appropriate , with representatives of the various exchanges , clearinghouses , self-regulatory bodies , and with major market participants to determine private sector solutions wherever possible .  ( c ) The Working Group shall report to the President initially within 60 days ( and periodically thereafter ) on its progress and , if appropriate , its views on any recommended legislative changes . ''   The Working Group consists of :  The Secretary of the Treasury , or his or her designee ( as Chairperson of the Working Group ) ;  The Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System , or his or her designee ;  The Chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Commission , or his or her designee ; and  The Chairperson of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission , or his or her designee .

neg: Presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt The presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt began on March 4 , 1933 , when he was inaugurated as the 32nd President of the United States , and ended upon his death on April 12 , 1945 , a span of ( 4422 days ) . Roosevelt assumed the presidency in the midst of the Great Depression . Starting with his landslide victory over Republican President Herbert Hoover in the 1932 election . He won a record four presidential terms , and became a central figure in world affairs during World War II . His program for relief , recovery and reform , known as the New Deal , involved a great expansion of the role of the federal government in the economy . Under his steady leadership , the Democratic Party built a `` New Deal Coalition '' of labor unions , big city machines , white ethnics , African Americans , and rural white Southerners , that would significantly realign American politics for the next several decades in the Fifth Party System and also define modern American liberalism .   During his first hundred days in office , Roosevelt spearheaded unprecedented major legislation and issued a profusion of executive orders that instituted the New Deal -- a variety of programs designed to produce relief ( government jobs for the unemployed ) , recovery ( economic growth ) , and reform ( through regulation of Wall Street , banks and transportation ) . He created numerous programs to support the unemployed and farmers , and to encourage labor union growth while more closely regulating business and high finance . The repeal of Prohibition in 1933 added to his popularity , helping him win re-election by a landslide in 1936 . The economy improved rapidly from 1933 to 1937 , but then relapsed into a deep recession in 1937 -- 38 . The bipartisan Conservative Coalition that formed in 1937 prevented his attempted packing of the Supreme Court , and blocked most of his legislative proposals , aside from the Fair Labor Standards Act . When the war began and unemployment largely became a non-issue , conservatives in Congress repealed the two major relief programs , the WPA and CCC , but kept most of the regulations on business . Along with several smaller programs , major surviving programs from the New Deal include the Securities and Exchange Commission , the Wagner Act , the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation , and Social Security .   A potential worldwide war loomed after 1937 , with the Japanese invasion of China and the aggression of Nazi Germany , which invaded Poland in September 1939 . Roosevelt remained officially neutral but gave strong diplomatic and financial support to China , the United Kingdom , Free France , and the Soviet Union via initiatives such as the Lend-Lease programs . Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 , 1941 , Roosevelt sought and obtained a declaration of war upon Japan . A few days later , he sought and obtained a declaration of war upon the other major Axis powers , Germany and Italy . Assisted by his top aide Harry Hopkins , and with very strong national support , he worked closely with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill , Soviet leader Joseph Stalin , and Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek in leading the Allies during World War II . He supervised the mobilization of the U.S. economy to support the war effort , and the war saw the end of the massive unemployment that characterized the Great Depression . Roosevelt sought to desegregate the federal workforce with the Fair Employment Practice Committee , but he also controversially ordered the internment of 100,000 Japanese American civilians . As an active military leader , Roosevelt implemented a war strategy on two fronts that ended in the defeat of the Axis Powers and the development of the world 's first nuclear bomb . Though he died months before the end of the war , his work on the post-war order shaped the new United Nations and the Bretton Woods international financial system . Roosevelt 's health seriously declined during the war years , and he died three months into his fourth term . He was succeeded by Vice President Harry S. Truman . It was on Roosevelt 's watch that the Democratic Party was returned to dominance , prosperity returned , and two great military enemies were destroyed .   Scholars , historians and the public typically rank Roosevelt alongside Abraham Lincoln and George Washington as one of the three greatest U.S. Presidents .

neg: Deep Throat (Watergate) Deep Throat is the pseudonym given to the secret informant who provided information to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of The Washington Post , in 1972 , about the involvement of U.S. President Richard Nixon 's administration in what came to be known as the Watergate scandal . In 2005 , 31 years after Nixon 's resignation and 11 years after Nixon 's death , a family attorney stated that former Federal Bureau of Investigation Associate Director Mark Felt was Deep Throat . Felt was suffering from dementia at the time and had previously denied being Deep Throat , but Woodward and Bernstein confirmed the attorney 's claim .


query: Steven Spielberg participates in the creation of movies.

pos: DreamWorks DreamWorks Pictures ( also known as DreamWorks SKG or DreamWorks Studios , commonly referred to as DreamWorks , trading as Storyteller Distribution Co. , LLC ) is an American film production label of Amblin Partners . It was formerly distributing its own and third-party films by itself . It has produced or distributed more than ten films with box-office grosses of more than $ 100 million each . As of October 2016 , DreamWorks ' films are marketed and distributed by Universal Pictures .   DreamWorks began in 1994 as an attempt by media moguls Steven Spielberg , Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen ( together , SKG ) to create a new Hollywood studio of which they owned 72 % . Currently , DreamWorks operates out of offices at Universal Studios . In December 2005 , the founders agreed to sell the studio to Viacom , parent of Paramount Pictures . The sale was completed in February 2006 ( this incarnation is now named DW Studios L.L.C. ) . In 2008 , DreamWorks announced its intention to end its partnership with Paramount and signed a $ 1.5 billion deal to produce films with India 's Reliance ADA Group . Reliance provided $ 325M of equity to fund recreating DreamWorks SKG into DreamWorks Studios , an independent entity . Clark Hallren , former Managing Director of the Entertainment Industries group of J. P. Morgan Securities , and Alan J. Levine of J. P. Morgan Entertainment Advisors , led the Reliance team in restructuring the company . The following year , DreamWorks entered into a distribution agreement with Walt Disney Studios , wherein Disney would distribute DreamWorks films through Touchstone Pictures ; the deal continued until 2016 . After the formation of Amblin Partners in 2015 , the studio entered into a distribution agreement with Universal Pictures .   DreamWorks ' animation arm was spun off in 2004 into DreamWorks Animation SKG ( DWA ) , which currently owns the DreamWorks trademarks , and as of August 2016 is a subsidiary of NBCUniversal . Spielberg 's company continues to use the DreamWorks trademarks under license from Universal Studios .

pos: Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg , , ( born December 18 , 1946 ) is an American director , producer , and screenwriter . He is considered one of the founding pioneers of the New Hollywood era , as well as being viewed as one of the most popular directors and producers in film history . He is also one of the co-founders of DreamWorks Studios .   In a career spanning more than four decades , Spielberg 's films have spanned many themes and genres . Spielberg 's early science-fiction and adventure films , such as Jaws ( 1975 ) , Close Encounters of the Third Kind ( 1977 ) , Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) , and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) , were seen as archetypes of modern Hollywood escapist filmmaking . In later years , his films began addressing humanistic issues such as the Holocaust , the transatlantic slave trade , civil rights , war , and terrorism in such films as The Color Purple ( 1985 ) , Empire of the Sun ( 1987 ) , Schindler 's List ( 1993 ) , Amistad ( 1997 ) , Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , Munich ( 2005 ) , War Horse ( 2011 ) , Lincoln ( 2012 ) , and Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) . His other films include Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) , A.I. Artificial Intelligence ( 2001 ) , and War of the Worlds ( 2005 ) .   Spielberg won the Academy Award for Best Director for Schindler 's List and Saving Private Ryan , as well as receiving five other nominations . Three of Spielberg 's films -- Jaws , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , and Jurassic Park -- achieved box office records , originated and came to epitomize the blockbuster film . The unadjusted gross of all Spielberg-directed films exceeds $ 9 billion worldwide , making him the highest-grossing director in history . His personal net worth is estimated to be more than $ 3 billion . He is also known for his long-standing associations with several actors , producers , and technicians , most notably composer John Williams , who has composed music for all but two of Spielberg 's movies which are The Color Purple and Bridge of Spies .

neg: DVD authoring DVD authoring is the process of creating a DVD video capable of playing on a DVD player . DVD authoring software must conform to the specifications set by the DVD Forum .   DVD authoring is the second step in the process of producing finished DVDs . The first step is the creation of the movie ( or programme ) and the second , the authoring , is the creation of artwork , user menus , insertion of chapter points , overdubs/commentaries , setting autoplay and/or repeat options , etc. . The final step is the manufacturing ( replication ) process to mass-produce finished DVDs .   Strictly speaking , DVD authoring differs from the process of MPEG encoding , but most DVD authoring software has a built-in encoder , although separate encoders are still used when better quality or finer control over compression settings are required .   Most DVD-authoring applications focus exclusively on video DVDs and do not support the authoring of DVD-Audio discs .   Stand-alone DVD recorder units generally have basic authoring functions , though the creator of the DVD has little or no control over the layout of the DVD menus , which generally differ between models and brands .

neg: BAFTA Award for Best Film The BAFTA Award for Best Film is given annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and presented at the British Academy Film Awards . It has been given since the 1st BAFTA Awards , representing the best films of 1947 , but until 1969 it was called the BAFTA Award for Best Film From Any Source . It is possible for films from any country to be nominated , although British films are also recognised in the category BAFTA Award for Best British Film and ( since 1983 ) foreign-language films in BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language . As such , there have been multiple occasions of a film being nominated in two of these categories .   There has been one tie for the Best Film award when , in 1962 , Ballad of a Soldier tied with The Hustler for Best Film from any Source . Until 1981 , the award was given to the director , except in 1976 and 1977 , when it was given to the producers . From 1981 to 1985 , it was given solely to the producers , and then in 1986 , it was shared between the Director and Producer . In 1998 , it was once again given to only the producers .   In the following lists , the titles and names in bold with a dark grey background are the winners and recipients respectively ; those not in bold are the nominees . The years given are those in which the films under consideration were released , not the year of the ceremony , which always takes place the following year .

neg: B movie A B movie is a low-budget commercial movie , but one that is not an arthouse film . In its original usage , during the Golden Age of Hollywood , the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature . Although the U.S. production of movies intended as second features largely ceased by the end of the 1950s , the term B movie continues to be used in the broader sense it maintains today . In its post -- Golden Age usage , there is ambiguity on both sides of the definition : on the one hand , the primary interest of many inexpensive exploitation films is prurient ; on the other , many B movies display a high degree of craft and aesthetic ingenuity .   In either usage , most B movies represent a particular genre -- the Western was a Golden Age B movie staple , while low-budget science-fiction and horror films became more popular in the 1950s . Early B movies were often part of series in which the star repeatedly played the same character . Almost always shorter than the top-billed films they were paired with , many had running times of 70 minutes or less . The term connoted a general perception that B movies were inferior to the more handsomely budgeted headliners ; individual B films were often ignored by critics .   Latter-day B movies still sometimes inspire multiple sequels , but series are less common . As the average running time of top-of-the-line films increased , so did that of B pictures . In its current usage , the term has somewhat contradictory connotations : it may signal an opinion that a certain movie is ( a ) a genre film with minimal artistic ambitions or ( b ) a lively , energetic film uninhibited by the constraints imposed on more expensive projects and unburdened by the conventions of putatively `` serious '' independent film . The term is also now used loosely to refer to some higher-budgeted , mainstream films with exploitation-style content , usually in genres traditionally associated with the B movie .   From their beginnings to the present day , B movies have provided opportunities both for those coming up in the profession and others whose careers are waning . Celebrated filmmakers such as Anthony Mann and Jonathan Demme learned their craft in B movies . They are where actors such as John Wayne and Jack Nicholson first became established , and they have provided work for former A movie actors , such as Vincent Price and Karen Black . Some actors , such as Bela Lugosi , Eddie Constantine and Pam Grier , worked in B movies for most of their careers . The term B actor is sometimes used to refer to a performer who finds work primarily or exclusively in B pictures .

neg: AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills Part of the AFI 100 Years ... series , AFI 's 100 Years ... 100 Thrills is a list of the top 100 most exciting , action-packed , suspenseful or frightening movies in American cinema . The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute on June 12 , 2001 , during a CBS special hosted by Harrison Ford .   Nine Alfred Hitchcock films made the list , making him the most represented director .

neg: 1995 in film This is a list of films released in 1995 . The first feature-length computer-animated film Toy Story was the year 's biggest box-office hit , and Braveheart won the Academy Award for Best Picture .

neg: A Brief History of Time (film) A Brief History of Time is a 1991 biographical documentary film about the physicist Stephen Hawking , directed by Errol Morris . The title derives from Hawking 's bestselling book A Brief History of Time , but whereas the book is an explanation of cosmology , the film is a biography of Hawking 's life , featuring interviews with family members , colleagues , and even his childhood nanny . The music is by frequent Morris collaborator , Philip Glass .   The film project originated with executive producer Gordon Freedman who brought the project to Anglia Television as a co-producer . After acquiring the property , Freedman met with director Steven Spielberg for advice on how to make the project into an important documentary film . Spielberg suggested Errol Morris as director . Freedman 's production company partnered with Anglia Television and Tokyo Broadcasting . David Hickman , of Anglia , became the film 's producer .

neg: Scene (filmmaking) In filmmaking and video production , a scene is generally thought of as the action in a single location and continuous time . Due to the ability to edit recorded visual works , it is much shorter than a stage play scene .  Because of their frequent appearance in films , some types of scenes have acquired names , such as love scene , sex scene , nude scene , dream scene , action scene , car chase scene , crash scene , etc. . There is usually an opening scene and a closing scene .   A scene is a part of a film , as well as an act , a sequence ( longer or shorter than a scene ) , and a setting ( usually shorter than a scene ) . While the terms refer to a set sequence and continuity of observation , resulting from the handling of the camera or by the editor , the term scene refers to the continuity of the observed action - an association of time , place or characters . The term may refer to the division of the film from the screenplay , from the finished film , or it may only occur in the mind of the spectator who is trying to close on a logic of action . For example , parts of an action film at the same location , that play at different times can also consist of several scenes . Likewise , there can be parallel action scenes at different locations usually in separate scenes , except that they would be connected by media such as telephone , video , etc. .   In contrast , the traditional movie script was divided into acts , but those categories are less frequently used in the digital technology . The scene is important for the unity of the action of the film , while a stage drama is typically divided into acts . The division of a movie into scenes is usually done in the script . Some action scenes need to be planned very carefully .

neg: Animation studio An animation studio is a company producing animated media . The broadest such companies conceive of products to produce , own the physical equipment for production , employ operators for that equipment , and hold a major stake in the sales or rentals of the media produced . They also own rights over merchandising and creative rights for characters created/held by the company , much like authors holding copyrights . In some early cases , they also held patent rights over methods of animation used in certain studios that were used for boosting productivity . Overall , they are business concerns and can function as such in legal terms .   Currently there are about 201 animation studios dedicated to the production and distribution of animated films that are active . Few are actual production house where as others are corporate entities . Many of these animation studios help with the fulfillment of animation works for big brand names and have carried out outsourced projects including Nemo .

neg: Georges Méliès filmography Georges Méliès ( 1861 -- 1938 ) was a French filmmaker and magician generally regarded as the first person to recognize the potential of narrative film . He made about 520 films between 1896 and 1912 , covering a range of genres including trick films , fantasies , comedies , advertisements , satires , costume dramas , literary adaptations , erotic films , melodramas , and imaginary voyages . His works are often considered as important precursors to further developments in modern narrative cinema , though some recent academicians have argued that Méliès 's films are better understood as spectacular theatrical creations rooted in the 19th-century féerie tradition .   After attending the first demonstration of the Lumière Brothers ' Kinetoscope in December 1895 , he bought a film projector from the British film experimenter Robert W. Paul and began using it to project short films at his theater of illusions , the Théâtre Robert-Houdin , in Paris . Having studied the principles on which Paul 's projector ran , Méliès was able to modify the machine so that it could be used as a makeshift camera . He began making his own short films with it in May 1896 , founded the Star Film Company in the same year , and built his own studio in Montreuil , Seine-Saint-Denis in 1897 . His films A Trip to the Moon ( 1902 ) , The Kingdom of the Fairies ( 1903 ) , and The Impossible Voyage ( 1904 ) were among the most popular films of the first few years of the twentieth century , and Méliès built a second studio , complete with artificial light fittings , in 1907 . However , various factors ( American film piracy , price standardizations prescribed in 1908 by the Motion Picture Patents Company , and the waning popularity of fanciful magic films chief among them ) led eventually to Méliès 's financial ruin and the closing of his studio . His last films were made under the supervision of the rival filmmaker Charles Pathé , and in 1922 -- 23 Méliès sold his studios , closed the Théâtre Robert-Houdin , and discarded his own collection of his negative and positive prints . In 1925 he began selling toys and candy from a stand in the Gare Montparnasse in Paris . Thanks to the efforts of film history devotées , especially René Clair , Jean George Auriol , and Paul Gilson , Méliès and his work were rediscovered in the late 1920s , and he was awarded the Legion of Honor in 1931 .   In the list below , Méliès 's films are numbered according to their order in the catalogues of the Star Film Company . In Méliès 's numbering system , films were listed and numbered according to their order of production , and each catalogue number denotes about 20 meters of film ( thus , for example , A Trip to the Moon , at about 260 meters long , is listed as # 399 -- 411 ) . The original French release titles , as well as the original titles used in the US and UK versions of the Star Film catalogues , are listed in the body of the filmography ; notable variant titles are provided in smaller text . The parenthetical descriptive subtitles used in the catalogues ( e.g. scène comique ) are also provided whenever possible . Films directed by Méliès but not originally released by the Star Film Company ( such as The Coronation of Edward VII , released by Charles Urban , or The Conquest of the Pole , released by Pathé Frères ) are also included . Where available , the list also includes information on whether each film survives , survives in fragmentary form , or is presumed lost . Unless otherwise referenced , the information presented here is derived from the 2008 filmography prepared by Jacques Malthête , augmented by filmographies prepared in the 1970s by Paul Hammond and John Frazer .

neg: Entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience , or gives pleasure and delight . It can be an idea or a task , but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousands of years specifically for the purpose of keeping an audience 's attention . Although people 's attention is held by different things , because individuals have different preferences in entertainment , most forms are recognisable and familiar . Storytelling , music , drama , dance , and different kinds of performance exist in all cultures , were supported in royal courts , developed into sophisticated forms and over time became available to all citizens . The process has been accelerated in modern times by an entertainment industry that records and sells entertainment products . Entertainment evolves and can be adapted to suit any scale , ranging from an individual who chooses a private entertainment from a now enormous array of pre-recorded products ; to a banquet adapted for two ; to any size or type of party , with appropriate music and dance ; to performances intended for thousands ; and even for a global audience .   The experience of being entertained has come to be strongly associated with amusement , so that one common understanding of the idea is fun and laughter , although many entertainments have a serious purpose . This may be the case in the various forms of ceremony , celebration , religious festival , or satire for example . Hence , there is the possibility that what appears as entertainment may also be a means of achieving insight or intellectual growth .   An important aspect of entertainment is the audience , which turns a private recreation or leisure activity into entertainment . The audience may have a passive role , as in the case of persons watching a play , opera , television show , or film ; or the audience role may be active , as in the case of games , where the participant/audience roles may be routinely reversed . Entertainment can be public or private , involving formal , scripted performance , as in the case of theatre or concerts ; or unscripted and spontaneous , as in the case of children 's games . Most forms of entertainment have persisted over many centuries , evolving due to changes in culture , technology , and fashion . Films and video games , for example , although they use newer media , continue to tell stories , present drama , and play music . Festivals devoted to music , film , or dance allow audiences to be entertained over a number of consecutive days .   Some activities that were once considered entertaining , particularly public punishments , have been removed from the public arena . Others , such as fencing or archery , once necessary skills for some , have become serious sports and even professions for the participants , at the same time developing into entertainment with wider appeal for bigger audiences . In the same way , other necessary skills , such as cooking , have developed into performances among professionals , staged as global competitions and then broadcast for entertainment . What entertainment is for one group or individual may be regarded as work by another .   The familiar forms of entertainment have the capacity to cross over different media and have demonstrated a seemingly unlimited potential for creative remix . This has ensured the continuity and longevity of many themes , images , and structures .

neg: Set piece In film production , a set piece is a scene or sequence of scenes whose execution requires serious logistical planning and considerable expenditure of money . The term set piece is often used more broadly to describe any important dramatic or comedic highpoint in a film or story , particularly those that provide some kind of dramatic payoff , resolution , or transition . Thus the term is often used to describe any scenes that are so essential to a film that they can not be edited out or skipped in the shooting schedule without seriously damaging the integrity of the finished product . Often , screenplays are written around a list of such set pieces , particularly in high-budget `` event movies '' .   Set pieces are very often planned meticulously using storyboards , screentests , and rehearsals , in contrast to smaller scenes where the director and actors may be more improvisational . Each action requires the combined efforts of different departments : set builders , physical effects , and special visual effects . On most films , different groups of people will work on different set pieces individually since they can take a long time to prepare before shooting . For example , the car chase in The Matrix Reloaded took months to prepare and cost $ 30 million , including $ 5 million to build the freeway set .

neg: Art film An art film is typically a serious , independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience . An art film is `` intended to be a serious artistic work , often experimental and not designed for mass appeal '' ; they are `` made primarily for aesthetic reasons rather than commercial profit '' , and they contain `` unconventional or highly symbolic content '' .   Film critics and film studies scholars typically define an art film as possessing `` formal qualities that mark them as different from mainstream Hollywood films '' , which can include , among other elements , a sense of social realism ; an emphasis on the authorial expressiveness of the director ; and a focus on the thoughts , dreams , or motivations of characters , as opposed to the unfolding of a clear , goal-driven story . Film scholar David Bordwell describes art cinema as `` a film genre , with its own distinct conventions '' .   Art film producers usually present their films at specialty theatres ( repertory cinemas , or , in the U.S. , `` arthouse cinemas '' ) and film festivals . The term art film is much more widely used in the United States , the UK and Australia than in Europe , where the term is more associated with `` auteur '' films and `` national cinema '' ( e.g. , German national cinema ) . Because they are aimed at small niche market audiences , they can rarely get the financial backing that will permit large production budgets , expensive special effects , costly celebrity actors , or huge advertising campaigns , as are used in widely released mainstream blockbuster films . Art film directors make up for these constraints by creating a different type of film , which typically uses lesser-known film actors ( or even amateur actors ) and modest sets to make films that focus much more on developing ideas or exploring new narrative techniques or film-making conventions .   A certain degree of experience and knowledge are required to fully understand or appreciate such films . One mid-1990s art film was called `` largely a cerebral experience '' that one enjoys `` because of what you know about film '' . This contrasts sharply with mainstream `` blockbuster '' films , which are geared more towards escapism and pure entertainment . For promotion , art films rely on the publicity generated from film critics ' reviews , discussion of their film by arts columnists , commentators and bloggers , and `` word-of-mouth '' promotion by audience members . Since art films have small initial investment costs , they only need to appeal to a small portion of the mainstream viewing audiences to become financially viable .

neg: Miramax Miramax ( also known as Miramax Films , stylized as MIRAMAX ) is an American entertainment company known for producing and distributing films and television shows . It is headquartered in Santa Monica , California . Miramax was founded in 1979 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein , and was a leading independent film motion picture distribution and production company before it was acquired by the Walt Disney Company on June 30 , 1993 . Shortly thereafter , Pulp Fiction was released . The Weinsteins operated Miramax with more creative and financial independence than any other division of Disney , until September 30 , 2005 when they decided to leave the company and founded The Weinstein Company . Miramax was sold by Disney to Filmyard Holdings , a joint venture of Colony Capital , Tutor-Saliba Corporation , and Qatar Investment Authority , in 2010 , ending Disney 's 17-year ownership of the studio . In 2016 , ownership was transferred to beIN Media Group .

neg: Film director A film director is a person who directs the making of a film . Generally , a film director controls a film 's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay ( or script ) while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of that vision . The director has a key role in choosing the cast members , production design , and the creative aspects of filmmaking . Under European Union law , the director is viewed as the author of the film .   The film director gives direction to the cast and crew and creates an overall vision through which a film eventually becomes realized , or noticed . Directors need to be able to mediate differences in creative visions and stay within the boundaries of the film 's budget . There are many pathways to becoming a film director . Some film directors started as screenwriters , cinematographers , film editors or actors . Other film directors have attended a film school . Directors use different approaches . Some outline a general plotline and let the actors improvise dialogue , while others control every aspect , and demand that the actors and crew follow instructions precisely . Some directors also write their own screenplays or collaborate on screenplays with long-standing writing partners . Some directors edit or appear in their films , or compose the music score for their films .

neg: Prophets of Science Fiction Prophets of Science Fiction is an American documentary television series produced and hosted by Ridley Scott for the Science Channel . The program premiered on .   The series covers the life and work of leading science fiction authors of the last couple of centuries . It depicts how they predicted and , accordingly , influenced the development of scientific advancements by inspiring many readers to assist in transforming those futuristic visions into everyday reality . The stories are told through film clips , reenactments , illustrations and interviews .   The first episode received mixed reviews . Commentators appreciated the approach of combining coverage of contemporary scientific research and biographical exposition , but criticized the series as `` light on the substance and heavy on the exaggeration '' . The series ' attempts to link Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein to developments such as organ transplants , supercomputers and DNA research were described by one critic as far-fetched but by another as successful .

neg: Cinema of India The cinema of India consists of films produced across India . Cinema as a medium has gained immense popularity in the country and as many as 1,600 films in various languages of India are produced annually . Indian films have also come to be followed throughout South Asia , the Greater Middle East , Southeast Asia and other countries . Dadasaheb Phalke is known as the `` father of Indian cinema '' . The Dadasaheb Phalke Award , for lifetime contribution to cinema , was instituted in his honour , by the Government of India in 1969 , and is the most prestigious and coveted award in Indian cinema .   In the 20th century , Indian cinema , along with the Hollywood and Chinese film industries , became a global enterprise . As of 2013 , in terms of annual film output , India ranks first , followed by Nollywood , Hollywood and China . In 2012 , India produced 1,602 feature films . The Indian film industry reached overall revenues of $ 1.86 billion ( 93 billion ) in 2011 . This is projected to rise to $ 3 billion ( 200 billion ) in 2016 . In 2015 , India had a total box office gross of , the fourth largest in the world outside North America . Enhanced technology paved the way for upgrading from established cinematic norms of delivering product , altering the manner in which content reached the target audience . Biopics like Dangal and CGI-laden epics like Baahubali emerged as transnational blockbusters grossing over $ 200 million each in early 21st century . Indian cinema found markets in over 90 countries where films from India are screened . The Indian government extended film delegations to foreign countries such as the United States of America and Japan while the country 's Film Producers Guild sent similar missions through Europe .   The provision of 100 % foreign direct investment has made the Indian film market attractive for foreign enterprises such as 20th Century Fox , Sony Pictures , Walt Disney Pictures and Warner Bros. . Indian enterprises such as AVM Productions , Prasad 's Group , Sun Pictures , PVP Cinemas , Zee , UTV , Suresh Productions , Eros Films , Ayngaran International , Pyramid Saimira , Aascar Films and Adlabs also participated in producing and distributing films . Tax incentives to multiplexes have aided the multiplex boom in India . By 2003 as many as 30 film production companies had been listed in the National Stock Exchange of India , making the commercial presence of the medium felt .   The South Indian film industry defines the four film cultures of South India as a single entity . They are the Telugu , the Tamil , the Malayalam and the Kannada industries . Although developed independently over a long period , gross exchange of film performers and technicians as well as globalisation helped to shape this new identity .   The Indian diaspora consists of millions of Indians overseas for which films are made available both through media such as DVDs and by screening of films in their country of residence wherever commercially feasible . These earnings , accounting for some 12 % of the revenue generated by a mainstream film , contribute substantially to the overall revenue of Indian cinema , the net worth of which was found to be 1.3 billion in 2000 . Music in Indian cinema is another substantial revenue generator with the music rights alone accounting for 4 -- 5 % of the net revenues generated by a film in India .

neg: List of film awards This is a list of groups , organizations and festivals that recognize achievements in cinema , usually by awarding various prizes . The awards sometimes also have popular unofficial names ( such as the ` Oscar ' for Hollywood 's Academy Awards ) , which are mentioned if applicable . Many awards are simply identified by the name of the group presenting the award .   Awards have been divided into four major categories : Critics ' Awards , voted on ( usually annually ) by a group of critics ; Festival Awards , awards presented to the best film shown in a particular film festival ; Industry Awards , which are selected by professionals working in some branch of the movie industry ; and Audience Awards , which are voted by the general public .

neg: Night Skies Night Skies was a science fiction horror film that was in development in the late 1970s , but was never actually made . Steven Spielberg conceived the idea after Close Encounters of the Third Kind . Instead , material developed at the time was used in Poltergeist and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial .

neg: American Film Institute The American Film Institute ( AFI ) is an American film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States . AFI is supported by private funding and public membership .

neg: Major film studio A major film studio is a production and film distributor that releases a substantial number of films annually and consistently commands a significant share of box office revenue in a given market . In the North American , Western , and global markets , the major film studios , often simply known as the majors , are commonly regarded as the six diversified media conglomerates whose various film production and distribution subsidiaries collectively command approximately 80 to 85 percent of U.S. and Canadian box office revenue . The term may also be applied more specifically to the primary motion picture business subsidiary of each respective conglomerate .   The `` Big Six '' majors , whose operations are based in or around the Los Angeles neighborhood of Hollywood , are all centered in film studios active during Hollywood 's Golden Age of the 1930s and 1940s . In three cases -- 20th Century Fox , Warner Bros. , and Paramount -- the studios were one of the `` Big Five '' majors during that era as well . In two cases -- Columbia and Universal -- the studios were also considered majors , but in the next tier down , part of the `` Little Three '' . In the sixth case , Walt Disney Studios was an independent production company during the Golden Age ; it was an important Hollywood entity , but not a major . Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , United Artists , and RKO were majors .   Today , Disney is the only member of the Big Six whose parent entity is still located near Los Angeles ( actually , on Disney 's studio lot and in the same building ) . The five others report to conglomerates headquartered in New York City , Philadelphia , and Tokyo . Of the Big Six , Paramount is the only one still based in Hollywood , and Paramount and Fox are the only ones still located within the Los Angeles city limits , while Disney and Warner Bros. are located in Burbank , Columbia in Culver City , and Universal in the unincorporated area of Universal City .   Most of today 's Big Six control subsidiaries with their own distribution networks that concentrate on arthouse pictures ( e.g. Fox Searchlight Pictures ) or genre films ( e.g. Sony 's Screen Gems ) ; several of these specialty units were shut down or sold off between 2008 and 2010 . The six major studios are contrasted with smaller production and/or distribution companies , which are known as independents or `` indies '' . The leading independent producer/distributors -- Lionsgate Films , The Weinstein Company , and former major studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer -- are sometimes referred to as `` mini-majors '' . From 1998 through 2005 , DreamWorks SKG commanded a large enough market share to arguably qualify it as a seventh major , despite its relatively small output . In 2006 , DreamWorks was acquired by Viacom , Paramount 's corporate parent . In late 2008 , DreamWorks once again became an independent production company ; its films were distributed by Disney 's Touchstone Pictures until 2016 , at which point distribution switched to Universal .   The Big Six major studios are today primarily backers and distributors of films whose actual production is largely handled by independent companies -- either long-running entities or ones created for and dedicated to the making of a specific film . The specialty divisions often simply acquire distribution rights to pictures in which the studio has had no prior involvement . While the majors still do a modicum of true production , their activities are focused more in the areas of development , financing , marketing , and merchandising . Those business functions are still usually performed in or near Los Angeles , even though the runaway production phenomenon means that most films are now mostly or completely shot on location at places outside Los Angeles .   Since the dawn of filmmaking , the U.S. major film studios have dominated both American cinema and the global film industry . U.S. studios have benefited from a strong first-mover advantage in that they were the first to industrialize filmmaking and master the art of mass-producing and distributing high-quality films with broad cross-cultural appeal . Today , the Big Six majors routinely distribute hundreds of films every year into all significant international markets ( that is , where discretionary income is high enough for consumers to afford to watch films ) . It is very rare , if not impossible , for a film to reach a broad international audience on multiple continents and in multiple languages without first being picked up by one of the majors for distribution .