DUBAI, United Arab Emirates     The American special effects company that brought    the "Transformers" movies to life and recently wowed    concertgoers with a performing hologram of late rapper Tupac    Shakur is setting up a studio in oil-rich Abu Dhabi.  
    The deal signed Monday between Digital Domain Media Group and    Abu Dhabi's government-backed twofour54 deepens the Emirati    capital's ties to Hollywood as it accelerates its efforts to    become a media hub.  
    Port St. Lucie, Fla.-based Digital Domain plans to establish an    animation, visual effects and motion-capture studio and a media    school in Abu Dhabi as part of the deal. The wealthy emirate is    providing $100 million in grants for the project.  
    Although several movies have been filmed in the Middle East     including last year's "Mission: Impossible  Ghost Protocol,"    set partly in Dubai  it is the first time an international    studio is laying down such deep roots in the region, said Wayne    Borg, twofour54's deputy CEO and chief operating officer.  
    "I think it's a real game changer for the region in terms of    giving us a seat at the table," he said by phone from the    Cannes Film Festival, where the deal was signed. "Historically    we've never had the access and exposure to a company like that    in the region."  
    Digital Domain expects to begin hiring immediately and start    work at the studio by early next year. The aim is to produce    animated feature films, visual effects and other content both    for the region and for international productions.  
    Over time, it plans to employ about 500 people in Abu Dhabi. A    150,000 square foot (14,000 square meter) production center is    slated to open in twofour54's main media campus by the end of    2015.  
    Borg doubts Abu Dhabi's conservative Islamic culture will    influence Digital Domain's work in the region, saying the U.S.    company will be producing "mainstream content ... for the    international market."  
    Neither company disclosed how much Digital Domain is kicking    in. But Digital Domain Chairman and CEO John Textor said in an    interview his company would make "a material capital    expenditure" to the project.  
    "Travelling around the world and collecting grants is not a    business model," he said. "We're not going to Abu Dhabi just to    say we've got our toe in the water," he added, saying the    planned Gulf center could end up employing roughly as many    people as its Florida headquarters.  
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Movie visual effects company Digital Domain to set up studio and media school in UAE capital