The Lucasfilm studio located in Singapore, which created movies such as ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’, is ceasing operations in the country.
Parent company Disney told Channel NewsAsia (CNA) that the studio will move out from Singapore due to economic factors.
The studio, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), will wind down by the end of the year, affecting around 340 employees.
“Over the next several months, ILM will be consolidating its global footprint and winding down its Singapore studio due to economic factors affecting the industry,” Disney told CNA.
ILM is giving employees “as much notice as possible” and offering them opportunities to relocate to another studio.
Besides Singapore, ILM also has studios in:
Disney also said that ILM will work with local businesses in Singapore to offer a job fair for their employees to move on elsewhere.
Lucasfilm has operated in Singapore since 2006, and ILM moved into the Sandcrawler building in Fusionopolis in 2013.
Source: Google Maps
According to the Economic Development Board (EDB), the building houses “state-of-the-art production facilities that cater to the long-term global production needs of the company”.
EDB and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) also issued a statement addressing the impending closure.
The Straits Times (ST) quoted them as saying, “The technical and creative skillsets of these employees — who are trained across roles such as designers, tech engineers and tech support staff — continue to be in high demand, both within the broader media industry and also in other industries that are going digital.”
Singaporean talents have worked alongside and learned from experienced producers, working on Hollywood blockbusters over the years.
They include movies like ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ and Marvel’s ‘Eternals’, according to the agencies.
Besides disruption from rapid technological advancements, there are also talent and profitability challenges studios have to contend with, they said.
“Singapore remains a valuable and attractive hub for global media companies that are committed to growing a competitive and innovative ecosystem,” EDB and IMDA asserted.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
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