Mediaboss Marketing

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