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New company to produce media for Lucas' groiwing empire

The creator of STAR WARS is finding the future of animation in the far east. Yesterday George Lucas announced that his company, Lucasfilm Ltd., has created a new digital animation studio to produce movies, television shows and video games in a digitally animated format. The new endeavor is called Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and is owned jointly by Lucasfilm (which has a 75% stake in the company) and Creative Technology Ltd., a private group of Singapore investors and the government.

Said Lucas in a press release, "I've been a fan of Asian animation and illustration all my life. Asian cinema has had a particularly big impact on a lot of my work. When we began thinking about developing new ways to explore the craft of animation, it seemed a natural step to combine the two. By having a base in Singapore, we can create a new style of animation that will blend east and west -- and offer something not seen before."

The Singapore government is hoping that the formation of Lucasfilm Animation Singapore will spur on additional growth in the entertainment and media sectors. Lucasfilm Animation Singapore may eventually employ up to 300 people and is planning to be working on its first major project by the middle of 2005.
From Cinescape