Imagi Animation Studios
Encyclopedia
Imagi Animation Studios (a.k.a. Imagi Studios) is an animation studio that was established in 2000 by Imagi International Holdings Limited , a listed company on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
.
, which grew to become the world's leading manufacturer of artificial christmas trees and related products.
Michael Kao's son, Francis, joined Boto in 1999, which embarks on a number of new initiatives including DrFestive, targeted at creating a brand for the company's Christmas trees. The company commences on a new course under the direction of Francis Kao, who brings to life his vision of a world-class CG animation studio in Asia
.
Imagi Animation Studio is set up in 2000, and production starts on its first project, the CG-animated television series, Zentrix
.
In 2002 the artificial Christmas tree business unit is sold to The Carlyle Group for US $120 million. Boto is renamed Imagi International Holdings Limited.
The company has a studio in Chai Wan
, Hong Kong, as well as a creative development and production facility in Los Angeles, California
and a satellite office in Tokyo
.
The company's first major CG-animated
theatrical movie, TMNT
was released March 23, 2007 by Warner Bros.
in the U.S. and Canada, opening No. 1 at the box office
, and was being distributed internationally by The Weinstein Company
. Imagi's focus is to create high-quality CG-animated feature films with superhero
themes to entertain global audiences, which the company achieves by combining Hollywood
storytelling with computer animation done in Hong Kong.
and Gatchaman, and art director
Felix Ip reported that Gatchamans release was not expected until later in 2009. In June 2009 Imagi opened Gatchaman to licensing partners and announced a 3-D theatrical release for 2011.
In January 2010, Imagi's Hong Kong
based parent company Imagi International Holdings Limited announced that the Gatchaman project will be "delivered in 100% Stereoscopic 3D", and that in order to safeguard working capital it closed its United States
subsidiaries. This closure was finalized in late January with the layoff of approximately 30 staffers, and the retaining of a few key personnel who will continue to work as consultants as Imagi seeks $30 million from investors to continue its animation projects.
On February 7, 2010, Imagi Animation Studios closed down.http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/51/1/1/1420527/1.htmlhttp://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/news/20100206/00176_035.htmlhttp://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/hk-studio-behind-tmnt-astro-boy-shuts-down-ap
As of July 21, 2010, Imagi Studios Group claims to be debt-free.
Hong Kong Stock Exchange
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in Hong Kong. It is Asia's third largest stock exchange in terms of market capitalization behind the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange and fifth largest in the world...
.
Background
In 1983 Michael Kao establishes Boto in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, which grew to become the world's leading manufacturer of artificial christmas trees and related products.
Michael Kao's son, Francis, joined Boto in 1999, which embarks on a number of new initiatives including DrFestive, targeted at creating a brand for the company's Christmas trees. The company commences on a new course under the direction of Francis Kao, who brings to life his vision of a world-class CG animation studio in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Imagi Animation Studio is set up in 2000, and production starts on its first project, the CG-animated television series, Zentrix
Zentrix
Zentrix is a 3D-CG Chinese animated TV series directed by Tony Tong and Felix Ip under the Hong Kong based company Imagi Animation Studios. The original story was written by Tony Tang, Benny Chow, Felix Ip and Francis Kao.-Synopsis:...
.
In 2002 the artificial Christmas tree business unit is sold to The Carlyle Group for US $120 million. Boto is renamed Imagi International Holdings Limited.
The company has a studio in Chai Wan
Chai Wan
Chai Wan , formerly mistakenly known as Sai Wan , lies at the east end of the urban area of Hong Kong Island next to Shau Kei Wan. The area is administratively part of the Eastern District, and is a mosaic of industrial and residential areas...
, Hong Kong, as well as a creative development and production facility in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and a satellite office in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
The company's first major CG-animated
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
theatrical movie, TMNT
TMNT (2007 film)
TMNT is a 2007 film based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. This is the fourth and final installment in the original film series. The film sees the Turtles grow apart after their defeat of The Shredder. Meanwhile, strange things are happening in New York City...
was released March 23, 2007 by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
in the U.S. and Canada, opening No. 1 at the box office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
, and was being distributed internationally by The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company is an American film studio founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 2005 after the brothers left the then-Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979...
. Imagi's focus is to create high-quality CG-animated feature films with superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
themes to entertain global audiences, which the company achieves by combining Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
storytelling with computer animation done in Hong Kong.
Setbacks
In January 2009 Imagi's auditing firm announced that the studio lacked funding to complete the release of films Cat TaleCat Tale
Cat Tale was intended to be an animated film by Imagi Entertainment starring Sean Astin, Elisha Cuthbert, Jerry O'Connell, David Cross, Catherine O'Hara, Rip Torn, Stanley Tucci, R...
and Gatchaman, and art director
Art director
The art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
Felix Ip reported that Gatchamans release was not expected until later in 2009. In June 2009 Imagi opened Gatchaman to licensing partners and announced a 3-D theatrical release for 2011.
In January 2010, Imagi's Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
based parent company Imagi International Holdings Limited announced that the Gatchaman project will be "delivered in 100% Stereoscopic 3D", and that in order to safeguard working capital it closed its United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
subsidiaries. This closure was finalized in late January with the layoff of approximately 30 staffers, and the retaining of a few key personnel who will continue to work as consultants as Imagi seeks $30 million from investors to continue its animation projects.
On February 7, 2010, Imagi Animation Studios closed down.http://news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/51/1/1/1420527/1.htmlhttp://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/news/20100206/00176_035.htmlhttp://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/hk-studio-behind-tmnt-astro-boy-shuts-down-ap
As of July 21, 2010, Imagi Studios Group claims to be debt-free.
Feature films
- Digital Monster X-EvolutionDigital Monster X-Evolutionis the eighth Digimon film, and the first to air originally on Japanese television. It aired on January 3, 2005, at 7:15 a.m. UTC+9/JST on the Fuji TV network....
(2005 Japan only) - TMNT (2007 with Warner Bros.Warner Bros.Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
and The Weinstein CompanyThe Weinstein CompanyThe Weinstein Company is an American film studio founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 2005 after the brothers left the then-Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979...
) - Highlander: The Search for Vengeance (2008 with MadhouseMadhouse (company)is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
and Manga EntertainmentManga EntertainmentManga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
) - Astro BoyAstro Boy (film)Astro Boy, also called in Japan, is a 2009 computer-animated film loosely based on the long-running Japanese series of the same name by Osamu Tezuka. It was produced by Imagi Animation Studios, the animation production company of TMNT. The studio announced the project in September 2006...
(2009 with Summit EntertainmentSummit EntertainmentSummit Entertainment LLC is an independent film studio headquartered in Santa Monica, California with international offices in London.-History:...
) - GigantorTetsujin 28-gois a 1956 manga written and illustrated by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, who also created Giant Robo. The series centred on the adventures of a young boy named Shotaro Kaneda, who controlled a giant robot named Tetsujin 28, built by his late father....
(2011) - Cat TaleCat TaleCat Tale was intended to be an animated film by Imagi Entertainment starring Sean Astin, Elisha Cuthbert, Jerry O'Connell, David Cross, Catherine O'Hara, Rip Torn, Stanley Tucci, R...
(2013)
Short films
- The RRF in New Recruit (2010)
- Astro Boy vs. The Junkyard Pirates (2010)
TV series
- ZentrixZentrixZentrix is a 3D-CG Chinese animated TV series directed by Tony Tong and Felix Ip under the Hong Kong based company Imagi Animation Studios. The original story was written by Tony Tang, Benny Chow, Felix Ip and Francis Kao.-Synopsis:...
(2002) - Father of the PrideFather of the PrideFather of the Pride is an American animated television series that began broadcasting on NBC on August 31, 2004 and was part of a short-lived trend of CGI series in prime-time network TV .-Overview:...
(with DreamWorks AnimationDreamWorks AnimationDreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
, 2004)