Andhra government to roll out Digital Entertainment City in Hyderabad

DQC News Bureau

Hyderabad:  The Government of Andhra Pradesh in collaboration with
FXLabs, Suresh Productions, Gemini TV and DQ Entertainment has announced its
plans to roll out lndia's first Digital Entertainment City in Hyderabad. The
city will house animation companies, game companies, film production houses,
music studios, TV studios, training academies, regulation support office and an
entertainment complex, all in one location.

Under the alliance, the Government of Andhra Pradesh will allot suitable
extent of land in Hyderabad for the project, which will be managed and promoted
by a Digital Entertainment City Task Force (DECTF). This consortium will
comprise of industry leaders including Sashi Reddi - Founder and Chairman,
FXLabs; Suresh Babu - MD and CEO, Suresh Productions; P. Kiran - Director,
Gemini TV; Tapaas Chakravarthy - Chairman and CEO, DQ Entertainment; JA
Chowdhary, Chairman Nvidia and Sudhish R, CEO Colorchips, along with the State
Government.

"The Digital Entertainment City will facilitate the development and
establishment of an infrastructure to encourage the growth of the animation,
gaming, television, film, multimedia, radio, music and new media industries in
Hyderabad," said SK Joshi, IAS, Secretary to Government, Information
Technology and Communications Department.

Commenting on this initiative Sashi Reddi, Founder and Chairman, FXLabs said
" Given the support from the industry, this initiative has the capacity to
revolutionize the competitive landscape and I and FXLabs are proud to be
associated with it."

A training academy for various courses in digital entertainment is expected
to be launched in June 2008. The initial coverage of courses will be in film
production and animation. The first phase of the Digital Entertainment city is
targeted to be ready by December 2008. The project will include training
academies to provide industry recognized certification courses, animation
companies, game companies, film production and music studios, a regulation
support office, an entertainment complex and exhibition complex. The proposed
center of excellence is intended to serve as a platform for all media related
academies and businesses to develop collectively.

Amongst other initiatives, The Digital Entertainment City will also host
multiple functions annually, including the annual animation festival, the annual
film festival, annual game competitions and entertainment conferences. The
project will include animation, gaming and digital entertainment companies of
national and international repute to be partners in the venture.