GDC Entertainment, the content development arm of Hong Kongand Singapore-based GDC Holdings, announced three collaborative ventures atFilMart on Friday.

The company, which produces CGI content at its studio inShenzhen, China, has signed an agreement with LA-based producer, EnteraktionStudios, to co-produce three original CGI features with a combined budget ofUS$60m.

The three features have been created and developed byEnteraktion and will be co-directed by Phil Roman, the founder of animationproduction company Film Roman, and Enteraktion founder Tom Walsh.

The two partners will co-finance and co-own the films whichwill be produced over a five-year period. GDC didn't reveal titles orstorylines, but said the first feature is scheduled to go into production bythe end of the year with pre-production starting in the US this summer.

In addition, GDC has agreed to co-produce a range of content- including films, TV programming and games - with a second US animationstudio, DIC Entertainment.

DIC senior vice president, Kevin O'Donnell, said hewas impressed by GDC's pioneering spirit: "We've mostlyfocused on 2D animation, but we're aggressively going into the CGmarketplace and hope to do that with GDC."

GDC has also established a joint venture with Gameone, oneof the largest game development companies in Hong Kong. Together the twopartners will develop entertainment software, including on-line games.

GDC recently produced its first CGI feature, Thru TheMoebius Strip, which is being soldinternationally by Senator International. Due to low overheads at thecompany's Shenzhen studio, the film was made at a fraction of the cost ofHollywood animated features.

The company also has a technology arm, GDC Technology, whichsupplies encoders and servers for digital exhibition. The company, which has a90% market share in Asia, recently supplied servers to the world's firstall-digital multiplex, operated by Eng Wah Organization, in Singapore.