CENTRO Digital Pictures is negotiating with a ''major regional player'' to set up a feature film production company, says John Chu, founder and president of the international award-winning facilities house.
The collaboration would combine Centro's electronic production and post-production creativity - which for 10 years has been mainly devoted to television, print and poster commercials - with the resources of a mainstream, commercial film studio.
''Our goal is to give Hong Kong and other Asian film makers access to the same level of digitalised, special effects technology that Hollywood has,'' Mr Chu said.
''But it's quite rare, even in the US, to have so many integrated production facilities under one roof.'' A formal announcement is expected before the end of the year, when Centro occupies its fourth production base, 14,000 square feet in the Hong Kong Technology Centre.
The expansion will include a further $30 million investment in new computer hardware that will lift Centro's total equipment investment to more than $110 million.
''The new special-effects production facilities will also be available for use by regional film makers on a contract basis,'' Mr Chu said.
