Siggraph

Digital Domain, the Academy Award-winning full-service digital studio and production company responsible for jaw-dropping visual sequences in such films as Titanic, Day After Tomorrow and I, Robot as well as commercials such as the recent Budweiser Super Bowl “Superfan” spot, has received a $31 million investment from Falcon Investment Advisors and GunnAllen Financial.

Rafael Fogel, a principal at Falcon, will join the Digital Domain board of directors, which is led by Digital Domain Co-Chairmen John Textor and director Michael Bay.

“We are excited about the growing role of digital technology in creating compelling feature films, video games and commercials,” said Carl Stork, Digital Domain chief executive officer. “Having completed this round of financing, we are now in a position to make the substantial technology investments that will enable us to bring breakthroughs like photo-realistic, computer-generated human beings within reach of a wide range of feature film, video game, and advertising applications.

“This cutting-edge development will revolutionize the entertainment industry. It will change the way we think about live-action and will even allow directors to bring back personalities of the past to `perform‘ new material. We will debut our initial efforts in this area in early fall.”

“Under its new ownership and leadership, Digital Domain is poised to grow significantly in the years to come, and we‘re pleased to be able to become involved on behalf of our investors at this stage,” said Donald J. Gunn, Jr. of GunnAllen Financial. “After reviewing their business plans and meeting with the senior team, we‘re confident that the move towards full digital production coupled with Digital Domain‘s history of rapid technical innovation and expanding marketing opportunities should allow the company to achieve its extraordinary potential.”

“When we announced the acquisition of Digital Domain, we told our employees that through the addition of new capital and the appropriate strategic relationships, we were committed to the extension of the Digital Domain business,” Stork said. “This represents a promise kept.”