German post-production giant Das Werk has acquired a 25% stake in FutureWorks Crossmedia Production, a Munich-based events agency which plans to expand into film production and marketing.

The company, which is organising the Nea World Xtreme Sports Awards in Munich, plans to draw on the experience of chairman Joseph Schoninger, a former producer for Bavaria and Bogner Film.

Das Werk and its subsidiary Trixter have already collaborated with FutureWorks on the Nea Awards, helping to create the computer-generated character NEA, which will be used to promote the event and feature prominently in upcoming computer games.

"Our involvement in FutureWorks will help us find strategic partners and sponsors as well as enable us to exploit virtual characters created by Das Werk and Trixter," said a Das Werk spokesman, who stressed that the use of such "avatars" will be an important aspect of future advertising strategies, as well as a source of revenue for video games and TV productions.

Das Werk has an option to take a majority stake in FutureWorks at a later date.