(George) Lucas Builds Animation Studio in Singapore

[UpInArms]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=493&e=20&u=/ap/singapore_george_lucas

SINGAPORE - George Lucas, the man behind Star Wars and Indiana Jones, has teamed up with Singapore to set up his first animation studio and production house outside the United States, government and corporate officials said Tuesday.

The Lucasfilm venture is expected to be up and running in Singapore by 2005, the company's Chief Operating Officer Micheline Chau said.

"By having a base here in Singapore, we can create something new in animation, a style that will blend East and West and offer something not seen before," Lucas said in a recorded message at the launch.

His studios have produced five of the top 20 biggest grossing movies of all time and have won 19 Oscars (news - web sites).

Chau declined to reveal financial terms only saying the animation studio would be 75 percent owned by Lucasfilm with the rest by a "Singapore consortium" that would include the Economic Development Board, or EDB.

...more...

another corporation is now on my "do not support" list

[Trajan]

1. I appreciate what eastern artists are doing in animation ....

But this hurts .....

[Hegemony Cricket]

2. I'm all for artists getting work...

...especially in parts of the world where those opportunities are lacking (Ukraine, Croatia, Vietnam, etc.)...

However, I know the reasons for this aren't from a pure place...

All I ask for is for these talking heads to be more honest about why:

Reporter: "Why Singapore?"

Lucas: "Well, for the cost of one animator in the United States I can get ten in Singapore. Oh yeah, and east meets west, blah, blah, blah."

Having dealt with external animation houses and other groups I can assure you, this is the not-so-next-big-thing that the US isn't quite going to know how to really handle:

It's not just manufacturing jobs that cost less overseas.

[Chicago Democrat]

3. Star Wars lost money or broke even at best last time....

I hope they make a decent movie again before the old fuck dies. What an asshole.

[Rob in B_more]

8. I do animation,

mostly for medical education videos, but we use pretty similar software. The last time I brought in a freelancer to help me out he was so thrilled to have the work, he let out in a meeting that the last three jobs he bid on all went to animation houses in India. I noticed my boss who tune into that. I am very grateful to have a full time job in this field, but don't believe for a minute that I take it for granted. I am starting to consider other fields, just to hold off on this race to the bottom a little further.

[Downtown Hound]

4. I've always felt what Star Wars needed was a little slave labor

behind it. Lucas is worth about three billion. Cheap bastard! I was wondering whether or not I was actually going to see Episode 3 in theaters. I think now I'm probably not. Won't be missing much anyway.

[edbermac]

5. A suggestion for Mr Lucas...

Instead of building an animation studio, why not invest in a school for aspiring writers? Mr Lucas, your last two Star Wars films that you directed Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones had the most idiotic juvenile scripts I have ever seen and no amount of CGI effects or new-fangled animation techniques can cover that up. Take a cue from Peter Jackson and the Rings trilogy!

:eyes:

[Tardisian]

6. I agree.

The first trilogy had a story to tell; the second has special effects to sell.
How many folks are you going to "downsize", George?

[UpInArms]

7. Welcome to DU Tardisian!

Glad to have you here :hi:

[shanti]

9. more outsourcing?

n/t