| Type | Public SEHK |
|---|---|
| Industry | CGI animation |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founder(s) | Michael Kao Francis Kao |
| Headquarters | Chai Wan, Hong Kong |
| Key people | President & Co-CEO: Francis Kao Chairman: Francis Leung Pak To Executive Director & Co-CEO: Soh Szu Wei |
| Owner(s) | Imagi International Holdings Limited |
| Employees | 400 in Hong Kong[1] |
| Parent | Boto |
| Website | http://www.imagi.com.hk/ |
Imagi Animation Studios (a.k.a. Imagi Studios) is an animation studio that was established in 2000 by Imagi International Holdings Limited (SEHK: 585), a listed company on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
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In 1983 Michael Kao establishes Boto in Hong Kong, 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.
In January 2009 Imagi's auditing firm announced that the studio lacked funding to complete the release of films Cat Tale and Gatchaman, and art director Felix Ip reported that Gatchaman's release was not expected until later in 2009.[2] In June 2009 Imagi opened Gatchaman to licensing partners and announced a 3-D theatrical release for 2011.[3]
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. [4][5][6]
On February 7, 2010, Imagi Animation Studios closed down.[1][2][3]
As of July 21, 2010, Imagi Studios Group claims to be debt-free.
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