Lucasfilm opening Singapore Animation Facility

According to this front page story from TFN, Lucasfilm is opening an overseas facility:

Lucasfilm Opening Singapore Animation Facility
Tue, Aug 03, 04 09:09:31 AM EDT

Variety reports:

Lucasfilm is moving forward with plans to develop its own slate of computer-animated projects, announcing today the formation of an animation facility in Singapore.

Lucasfilm Animation Singapore becomes George Lucas' second such facility, having formed Lucasfilm Animation in California last year.

New studio, which will open by spring, will produce digitally animated films, television and games. Lucasfilm Animation VP-general manager Gail Currey will oversee the company and its creative staff.

Singapore facility is backed by a consortium of investors based in the country, including government agencies the Economic Development Board and Creative Technology, which are providing funding and advice.

Once up and running, the studio could hire as many as 300 staffers, depending on the number of projects its animators are working on.

Lucas added the following:

"I've been a fan of Asian animation and illustration all my life," George Lucas said. "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."

Obviously, Lucasfilm will be alive, healthy and busy
after Episode III.

 

I'm not a fan of Asian animation but I'm intrested to see what can of projects they will be creating.

 

Read this over at OT.com,

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[i]Originally posted by: [b]buddy-x-wing[/b][/i]
I wonder if this is how he intends to expand on the Star Wars franchise?[hr][/blockquote]It's an interesting thought. Personally I'm hoping they do something new and leave SW alone. Makes you wonder what kind of animations Lucas would have been involved with if it hadn't been for that persuasive Coppola guy... ;)

 

i think that lucas may try his hand in the "Pixar" type area. Making complete computer graphics movies.

I hope he thinks about directing some stuff but i know its something that lucas wanted to try and was talking about almost a year ago.

 

Well, he's done it before... considering LucasFilm formed Pixar, and later sold it to Steve Jobs.

Read my thread about the formation of LucasFilm games, it has some backstory into Pixar as well.

 

i think that lucas may try his hand in the "Pixar" type area. Making complete computer graphics movies.

Oh that was the whole purpose of Lucasfilm Animation (the US division was created over a year ago). Actually ILM has been trying to make an animated film to maybe close to 10 years but htey have had to many hard beraks, in particular Universal's Frankenstein and Where the Wild Things Are.

 

gee, Lucasarts in San Francisco just laid off 31 people, and yet Lucas is ADDING 300 people overseas.

Mmmmm.