Making its first foray intoAsia, US entertainment company Lucasfilm has set up Lucasfilm AnimationSingapore for the production of digital animated content including films.

Through the Singapore outfitGeorge Lucas aims to combine Asian cinema with animation. 'We can create a newstyle of animation that will blend East and West and offer something not seenbefore,' he said.

Lucasfilm AnimationSingapore is a joint venture 75% of which is owned by Lucasfilm while theremaining 25% is mainly shared between Singapore government agency EconomicDevelopment Board and Creative Technology, a technology firm which has a stakein Lucasfilm's spin-off THX.

The US-based Gail Currey,vice president and general manager of Lucasfilm, heads the new venture, whichis in the final stage of deciding on the physical site of the studio.

The launch of Lucasfilm is aboost to Singapore's media industry, which generates S$10bn a year,representing 1.56% of its GDP. The government aims to double the contributionto 3% in 10 years as part of its initiatives to transform itself into a globalmedia city.