Today, Disney-owned Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic announced that its is closing Lucasfilm Animation Singapore — the animation and VFX support studio set up in the company’s recognizable “Sandcrawler” building — due to global economic factors. More than 300 people are employed in the facility, which houses LAS’s Game Group and Digital Artists Group,
Disney explained in a statement to Variety: “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.” Continuing post-streaming shifts in the entertainment industry as well as the Writers Guild and Actors Guild strikes have sparked consolidation efforts across the industry.
A joint statement from Singaporean government agencies the Economic Development Board and the InfoComm Media Development Authority echoed these observations, adding encouraging kudos to the local artists affected by the closure:
“Throughout Lucasfilm’s tenure in Singapore, the company has developed world-class digital animation talent for the industry through knowledge and skills transfer. Our Singaporean talent have worked alongside and learned from experienced producers, enabling them to develop their skills and play on the world stage.
“We are proud that Singaporeans have worked on Hollywood blockbusters such as Jurassic World: Dominion and Marvel’s Eternals. Many have moved on to roles in media companies like Netflix or have gone on to start their own companies. In addition, Lucasfilm’s leaders actively contributed to training generations of students in digital and tech skills at polytechnics and Institutes of Higher Learning.”
Lucasfilm Animation Singapore was established in 2004 and began work in 2006 on the Star Wars: The Clone Wars CG animated series and movie, but was eventually taken off the series. The movie — the first full-animated feature in the Star Wars franchise — was released 15 years ago today. LAS also launched the Game Group, which developed the Nintendo DS title Star Wars: The Clone Wars — Jedi Alliance, and the Digital Artists Group, which assisted ILM with visual effects projects. Over the years, LAS worked alongside their Lucasfilm Animation colleagues as well as the video game arm Lucasarts.
LAS moved into the so-called Sandcrawler, officially the Eclipse Building, in the city-state’s Fusionopolis research and development complex in 2013. Lucasfilm sold the building to Blackstone Group in 2021.
Lucasfilm/ILM is offering employees on notice the chance to relocate to another facility (studios are located in Vancouver, London, Sydney and Mumbai as well as the San Francisco HQ). The company says it is also reaching out to the local industry to organize a job fair.
[Sources: Variety, ScreenRant]
