David Forbes, Former Orion Pictures and MGM/UA Marketing-Distribution Head, Named CEO of Global Animation Holdings.

Entertainment/Business Editors

LOS ANGELES--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--May 2, 2001

David M. Forbes, former executive vice president, Orion Pictures Corp., and president of MGM/UA Distribution Company, has been named CEO of Global Animation Holdings, whose family of companies includes Los Angeles-based Spectrum Studios, and Manila, Philippines-based ImagineAsia and VirtualMagic Asia.

The announcement was made today by Jeffrey Harrison, board chairman of the privately held company. Forbes assumes the new post immediately.

Since its formation in 1997, Global Animation and its three principal companies have primarily functioned as a provider for a full range of 3-D digital animation, optical and magnetic motion capture, digital ink and paint and compositing, and traditional 2-D animation services for film, television, the Internet and multimedia.

Among the many clients for whom the companies have provided services are DreamWorks, Warner Bros., IMAX, Carsey-Werner, Nickelodeon and BET.

"We believe that David's vision and leadership ability will enable Global Animation Holdings to achieve its full potential as an animation industry leader," stated Harrison. "We've already made great strides in becoming a respected, high-quality animation resource, and we now look to David to expand the company's core business here and internationally, while also developing new avenues in which to grow the company. He brings with him a wealth of proven entertainment industry management experience, extensive industry relationships, and the ability to aggressively market our company as both a service organization and content provider. This, coupled with his keen understanding of the domestic and international marketplace, make him an ideal choice to chart the future growth and success of Global Animation Holdings."

"I am greatly impressed with the foundation that has been laid toward making Global Animation an important force in the animation industry," said Forbes. "With the technological advances of the last few years making such great inroads in quality and cost effectiveness, and with the Internet giving birth to a whole new world of opportunity with unimaginable potential, there has never been a more exciting time to be in the animation business. The industry is in a technological revolution that will change the course of animation.

"There are a great many extremely talented people at all of our facilities," added Forbes, "and they have developed some of the most advanced technology to be found anywhere in the industry. We will continue to advance the art and are committed to remaining on the cutting edge and to providing the highest quality work for clients worldwide on a very cost effective basis. Spectrum Studios, for example, already boasts the most sophisticated digital motion capture capability available for visual effects, with other new and very exciting proprietary software to be unveiled shortly. We also plan to bring on board top creative and technological talent to help support our projected growth."

High on Forbes' agenda is Global Animation's entry into the content development arena, and the production of its own animated product.

"We are very interested in forging relationships within the creative community," Forbes continued. "With the full resources necessary to see a project through from script all the way to the final stages of post-production, we are looking to develop alliances and to acquiring and developing original material that lends itself to television programming, direct-to-video movies, Webisodic programming, as well as theatrical features. With our extensive facilities, our creative and technical wherewithal, and a development fund in place, we are aggressively seeking partners with whom to develop, produce and distribute a wide range of product."

Global Animation Holdings includes Los Angeles-based Spectrum Studios, a state-of-the-art facility focusing largely on visual effects for feature films and video games, and digital real-time animation for live broadcast, theme park immersive attractions, the Internet and live performance animation. The facility houses a 13,000 square foot performance stage with both optical and magnetic motion capture systems, as well as facial capture systems.

In Manila, the company maintains two facilities including ImagineAsia, a state-of-the-art digital animation production studio employing a full-time staff of more than 130 people. A leader in the digital arena, ImagineAsia specializes in 3-D animation.

Its sister studio in Manila, VirtualMagic Asia (a joint venture with VirtualMagic Animation), provides 2-D digital ink and paint services along with compositing, and has worked on such productions as the DreamWorks animated feature "Joseph King of Dreams," and the NBC prime-time television series "God, The Devil and Bob."

From 1993 until joining Global Animation Holdings, Forbes had his own consulting firm, The David Forbes Company, serving such entertainment industry clients as IMAX Corp., Lucasfilm, Danjaq, Edward Pressman Films ("The Crow"), Pacific Theatres, AMC Theatres, the Gallup Organization, Market Cast, Robson Entertainment and ESPN, among others.

From 1990 to 1992, he was president of Orion Pictures Distribution Company, with full responsibility for all domestic theatrical marketing and distribution. During this time, he oversaw the company's rise from tenth position in the industry to a market share ranked third in 1991, the year in which he personally planned the distribution and marketing of "Dances with Wolves" and "Silence of the Lambs."

From 1987 to 1990, Forbes was president of MGM/UA Distribution Company, where he was responsible for all domestic theatrical and non-theatrical distribution and marketing, with such major hits as "Rainman," "Moonstruck" and "A Fish Called Wanda" among the films released under his aegis.

Forbes previously held a number of senior posts in the motion picture industry, including vice president for Distribution, and vice president and executive assistant to the chairman at Columbia Pictures, vice president for Marketing and Distribution for Rastar Films, director of Marketing Services for Twentieth Century Fox, and in various executive marketing capacities at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.