Hahn expands into Asia

Berlin, Germany-based animation studio, Hahn Film is launching production studios in Taiwan and Vietnam. Each studio will employ about 150 people, and will be devoted to digital ink and paint services, initially for Hahn projects, but may branch out to service other studios in the future. The first studio, called Saigon Graphics Enterprises, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is already up and running, working on the production of the animated series "Wild Life," which is being distributed by Hit Entertainment and is pre-sold to the Fox Family Channel (U.S.), the BBC and Nickelodeon (U.K.). The second studio, in Taipei, Taiwan, is a joint partnership with local entrepreneurs, and will be called DigiMation. It will open for business in mid-November. Commenting on the expansion in the Hollywood Reporter [10/6-12/98], Hahn Film CEO and founder Gerd Hahn said, "I want to ensure better quality. If you go to a major animation studio (in Asia) that works for Saban or Disney, you get pushed around and the quality goes down. If I have my own studio, I can control the quality and I know who's working for me."