Investor Relations

Innovative Partnership Aims to Revolutionize Global Hospitality and Airport Services Through Advanced Digital Solutions with First Launch Event at Taoyuan International Airport

July 5, 2024— Digital Domain Holdings Limited (“Digital Domain”, stock code: 547) and Mr. Song Hoi See, Founder and CEO of Plaza Premium Group, are thrilled to announce a groundbreaking joint venture to initiate the business of digital human hospitality services. This new entity aims to redefine the global hospitality and airport services landscape with innovative digital human technology and AI.

The joint venture will function as a separate entity, utilizing the strengths of its parent company’s core business in Hollywood visual effects technologies to provide industry leading innovations. This venture combines Digital Domain’s cutting-edge digital human technology with Mr. Song’s extensive expertise in global hospitality and airport services through Plaza Premium Group. Together, they will offer intelligent, interactive, and highly personalized services to meet the various aspects of changing needs for modern travelers.

Today, Digital Domain held the “The Next Frontier in Travel” press conference at Taoyuan International Airport. Distinguished guests, including Taoyuan City Mayor, Mr. Chang San-Cheng, Digital Domain CEO, Mr. Daniel Seah, Plaza Premium Group Founder and CEO, Mr. Song Hoi See, and Taoyuan International Airport Corporation Ltd. Chairman, Mr. Yang Weifuu attended the event and delivered speeches.

Strategic Vision and Expertise Unite

This collaboration represents the convergence of two industry leaders:

• Digital Domain: With over 30-years experience in creating some of the most breath- taking visuals for Hollywood films, the veteran VFX studio is now ready to take some of its innovative technologies, originally developed over the years for film, beyond the big screen. This joint venture cements the company’s first significant branch into the commercialization of VFX technologies outside the realm of media and entertainment. Specifically, the studio’s Oscar winning digital human technologies refined over decades of expertise and Hollywood film-making experience will be further refined and perfected to provide real-time services in hospitality and travel industry through expert guidance and collaboration with Plaza Premium Group.

• Mr. Song Hoi See (Founder & CEO of Plaza Premium Group): A visionary in global airport and travel hospitality, Mr. Song Hoi See brings unparalleled leadership and insight from his role as Founder and CEO of Plaza Premium Group. With over two decades experience in the industry, Mr. Song and his expert team in travel hospitality are based in Hong Kong and operates in over 80 airports with over 250 locations. They are not only the largest independently run pay-in lounge operation in the world but also white labeling for 13 other brands globally. Mr. Song brings not only his extensive knowledge in the travel and hospitality industry to the table, but also his vast network of connections for opportunities of digital human services to expand to, both within and in surrounding industries.

Revolutionizing Hospitality and Airport Services

The collaboration will establish new industry standards by combining cutting-edge real-time digital human technologies with traditional hospitality services in the areas of travel, hotels, tourism offices, duty-free and other concessions, call centers etc. Through enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency, the joint venture will aim to create a seamless combination of digital innovation and personalized service across all hospitality sectors.

Leadership and Innovation at the Helm

Mr. Song Hoi See’s involvement is a significant asset to the joint venture. His visionary leadership and extensive experience with Plaza Premium Group will guide the partnership toward achieving its goal of revolutionizing the hospitality and travel sectors around the world. Daniel Seah, CEO of Digital Domain, stated, “Mr. Song Hoi See’s expertise will be key in identifying and executing upon industry leading opportunities with our technologies, but equally if not more importantly, Mr. Song’s values and passion are what I believe will be the foundation of this successful partnership and the success of this venture.”

In partnering with award winning VFX house, Digital Domain, Mr. Song Hoi See remarks, “Digital Domain, as a Hollywood based studio, is considered by many, to be a pioneer in Digital Human Technology. Through their proven experience and leadership in Digital Human Technology, we aim to leverage their experience in delivering an innovative, and immersive customer service in airports and hospitality sectors world-wide.”

Driven by shared commitment to excellence and innovation, this strategic collaboration marks a new chapter in the hospitality and airport services industry. The joint venture is dedicating itself to transforming customer experiences and setting new standards for service and efficiency.
Notably, today’s press conference featured a surprise appearance by the virtual Teresa Teng along side Daniel Seah, CEO of Digital Domain. Their interaction leads to the introduction of a brand new proof of concept highlighting the potential of AI powered virtual human services for travelers to interact with in the near future.

Aligned with the theme “Next Stop, the Future,” the conference showed a glimpse of what an airport VIP lounge equipped with a virtual ambassador informational kiosk could be like for future travelers. Driven by artificial intelligence-related technologies, the virtual human kiosk provided essential assistance such as elaborating PPL lounge offerings, route navigation, and airport vicinity inquiries, all while adding a personable response to human-computer interaction in real-time situations.

Embracing the added value of AI in the tourism and travel service industry, Taoyuan City Government and Taoyuan International Airport also provided co-organizational support for this press conference. Mr. Chang San-Cheng, Mayor of Taoyuan City, emphasized: “Currently, Taoyuan Airport has developed an ecosystem spanning from production and manufacturing, data
storage, and now to AI applications, beyond advancing AI services at Taoyuan Airport, this collaboration aims to enhance global awareness of Taoyuan International Airport using AI technology, for instance, using virtual technology to showcase local celebrities welcoming guests at the concierge desk or recreate famous Taiwan attractions at the airport, creating an immersive experience that leaves visitors with a deeper appreciation of Taiwan and Taoyuan International Airport, this initiative seeks to elevate Taoyuan International Airport’s global ranking.”

Digital Domain is refining its virtual human solutions for use in smart kiosks. The company plans to collaborate with local manufactures through cross-border licensing and remote technical support. This effort aims to promote and expand AI virtual human technology across various settings such as airports and hotels. Taoyuan International Airport is optimistic about the potential of integrating such technologies and supports the development and implementation. Mr. Yang Weifuu, Chairman of Taoyuan International Airport Corporation, stated: “Through the collaboration between Digital Domain and Plaza Premium Group, a new AI virtual assistant service has made its global debut at the Plaza Premium Lounge at Taoyuan International Airport. This innovation not only enhances the passenger experience but also marks a significant step toward Taoyuan Airport becoming a smart airport. I believe that with every new smart service that has been introduced it will progressively improve the user experience, making travel more convenient. Thank you to Digital Domain and our strategic partner Plaza Premium Group for selecting Taoyuan Airport for this launch and to everyone for their trust and support of Taoyuan International Airport. Let’s look forward together to the advanced travel experiences that AI virtual customer service will bring!”

On June 6, 2024, in Hong Kong, Digital Domain Holdings Limited (“Digital Domain”, stock code: 547) announced a collaboration with Star Plus Legend Holdings Limited (“Star Plus Legend”, stock code: 6683) through an indirect wholly owned subsidiary, Tower Talent. Digital Domain has partnered with Star Plus Legend, leveraging Star Odyssey, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the latter, to establish a joint venture. Each company will own 40% of the joint venture, and 20% by the Management Team Company. This strategic initiative signifies the beginning of both parties’ entry into the competitive market as they explore the integration of diverse business models through AI Generated Content (AIGC) and Intellectual Property (IP).

In the era of artificial intelligence advancements, digitalization has become crucial for top-tier enterprises aiming to integrate various business models. With a rich legacy spanning over 30 years, Digital Domain has produced numerous feature films, episodes, advertising, game cinematics, and experimental immersive experiences, resulting in a vast asset library. By harnessing cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality, Digital Domain has developed proprietary virtual humans with capabilities for real-time capture, rendering, emotional expressiveness, and intelligent interaction. Star Plus Legend possesses a robust celebrity IP portfolio and a comprehensive IP operation model. By customizing unique character and content IPs for artists, it maximizes their influence. For instance, Star Plus Legend has created official Nijigen-style personalities and virtual humans for artists such as Jay Chou and Liu Keng-hung, licensing them for use in the metaverse/AI content creation domain. This partnership marks the beginning of a new chapter in combining digital content with diverse technologies for both parties.

The joint venture aims to capitalize on their strengths by developing an AI-driven copyright library using artificial intelligence. They also intend to create immersive entertainment experiences for platforms such as the Metaverse. Additionally, as the exclusive digital content production and distribution agent for Star Plus Legend, the joint venture is dedicated to advancing the digitization of its IP matrix and creative content production.

The advent of artificial intelligence has revolutionized the consumer market, making it more interactive and interconnected than ever before. According to Daniel SEAH, CEO of Digital Domain, consumers are embracing digitalization with a new mindset and behavior. Digital Domain’s advanced technology and creative expertise in virtual humans and visual effects can create valuable synergies with the influential IP matrix and operation model of Star Plus Legend. This collaboration can enhance the monetization of celebrities’ digital avatars and their commercial value, opening up a wider range of application scenarios.

Ms. Michelle MA, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Star Plus Legend said, “Through this collaboration, we aim to maximize our expertise in IP operation and creation, driving the innovative development of ‘AIGC+IP’. This marks a crucial step in expanding our global market presence. Looking ahead, we anticipate collaborating closely with Digital Domain to create an intelligent, interactive, and personalized digital ecosystem, fostering further innovation and development of the industry.”

JAKOTA Capital AG played a crucial role in brokering the joint venture deal between Digital Domain and Star Plus Legend and will remain the strategic adviser to the joint venture going forward.

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About Digital Domain

Digital Domain Holdings Limited (“Digital Domain”) is the pioneer of creating transportive experiences. Throughout the last 30 years, Digital Domain has grown to lead the visual effects industry, expanding globally the arm of virtual humans and visualization. Digital Domain’s rich legacy consists of hundreds of feature films and episodes, thousands of advertisements, game cinematics, and experimental immersive experiences. A creative force in cutting-edge technologies, Digital Domain has brought exceptional artistry to Academy Award-winning blockbusters of “Titanic,” “What Dreams May Come,” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” Marvel Cinematic Universe titles crushed all-time worldwide box office, such as the “Avengers” franchise, and “Stranger Things” made a splash with Season IV.

As the first independent visual effects studio to successfully enter Greater China, Digital Domain has further paved the way towards virtual race since 2016. Leaning into technologies of artificial intelligence and virtual reality allows Digital Domain to create photorealistic and emotionally expressive virtual humans, all in real-time, as well as provides an advanced medium for human-computer and human-human interactions in diverse virtual scenarios.

Digital Domain is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 547). Digital Domain has locations including Los Angeles, Vancouver, Montreal, Beijing, Shanghai and Hyderabad.

Digital Domain’s official website – WWW.DIGITALDOMAIN.COM

About Star Plus Legend

Star Plus Legend Holdings Limited (6683.HK) was founded in 2017 and is a publicly listed company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, primarily focusing on IP creation and operation and new retail business. In December 2023, the company received the “ListCo Excellence Awards” from IFENG.COM and AM730. It was approved for inclusion in the Hang Seng Composite Index in February 2024, and formally entered the Hong Kong Stock Connect in March, and was included in the MSCI Global Small Cap Index in May.

The IP creation and operation business comprises IP content creation and management business, including provision of media content creation, event planning, celebrity IP management services, and IP licensing and sales of related products. The company has rich experience in IP creation and operation, maximizing the influence of celebrities by creating unique character IPs and media content IP for different artists, and the cumulative number of fans of the existing celebrity IP portfolio has reached 200 million.

In the new retail segment, the company focuses on developing and selling health management and skincare products, including its owns health management brands MODONG and Bonggie, and skincare brand Dr.mg. According to CIC, MODONG Coffee ranked first in China’s bulletproof drink market by gross merchandise value (GMV) for four consecutive years from 2020 to 2023. Bonggie Matcha Powder became the best-selling product in the Douyin natural powder market in 2023. In addition, the MODONG brand received the “Jiangsu Highly Famous Trademark” award in 2024. The company’s products have been highly recognized in the health and wellness sector. Looking ahead, Star Plus Legend aims to leverage the synergy between its new retail and IP creation and operation businesses to drive sustained growth.

Star Plus Legned’s official website – www.6683.hk

Sept 25, 2023, Hong Kong – The School of Creative Media at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) successfully held the “Hong Kong Film Series Opening Night”. During the event held in celebration of the 25^th anniversary of the School, Digital Domain Holdings Limited (stock code: 547) announced the launch of the “Digital Domain Scholarships” at CityU. The scholarship scheme marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Digital Domain and aims to cultivate the next generation of film and television pioneers. With its expertise in virtual humans, visual effects, and visualization, Digital Domain is committed to providing strong support for this scholarship scheme, which will begin in the 2023/2024 academic year and will last for three years.

Throughout the past three decades, Digital Domain has established a rich legacy of delivering exceptional artistry to numerous feature films, including blockbuster hits like Titanic, What Dreams May Come, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. They have also worked on episodic shows, thousands of advertising projects, game cinematics, and experimental immersive experiences. Digital Domain’s proprietary virtual humans are brought to life through the use of artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies, allowing them to be captured, rendered, and driven in real-time. They have created Virtual Teresa Teng, Virtual Martin Luther King Jr., and Virtual David Beckham, all of whom can intelligently interact in various scenarios. Digital Domain is committed to introducing cutting-edge technology and valuable Hollywood experience as a social responsibility and providing local creative talents and technological elites with ample opportunities for self-development. These advantages align with the educational philosophy of CityU.

Mr. Daniel Seah, Chief Executive Officer of Digital Domain, highlighted that CityU is an ideal place for nurturing creative talents and technological elites. Digital Domain is proud to collaborate with the School of Creative Media at the university to provide students with opportunities to unleash their potential. In the current era, where artificial intelligence is rapidly progressing, it is crucial to identify young generations with innovative consciousness and a fearless spirit to build an interdisciplinary talent pool for the industry.

Professor Lee Chun-sing, Provost and Deputy President of CityU, said, “CityU is pleased to receive the generous support from Digital Domain, so that both of us own an opportunity to work with the industry to cultivate outstanding talents and contribute to the creative landscape in Hong Kong and even the world.”

In addition to funding scholarships, Digital Domain is also planning to launch a series of practical activities with the School of Creative Media of CityU, including hosting master forums and arranging studio visits.

LOS ANGELES, CA – September 19, 2023 – Two major players in the entertainment industry have made an exciting announcement today: Digital Domain, renowned for its iconic visual effects for industry titans, is delighted to introduce a first-of-its-kind co-brand partnership with PRG (Production Resource Group), the global leader in entertainment and live event solutions. Together, they will provide their extensive network and beyond with an unprecedented all-in-one solution for high-end visual effects, holograms, virtual production, and content creation services.

As the film and television industries embrace innovative storytelling methodologies, this partnership arrives at a pivotal juncture, poised to meet the surging demand for cost-effective sustainable solutions that do not sacrifice quality. Through the specialized expertise of both parties, Digital Domain and PRG are now able to offer seamless end-to-end service covering ideation to execution, all under one roof.

Lala Gavgavian, President and COO of Digital Domain, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “Our co-branding partnership has a clear objective: to retain and expand market share, foster innovative trends, and explore pioneering technologies that redefine the art of storytelling, all while delivering significant cost savings without compromising quality to our mutual clients.”

Todd M. Hoddick, President, Entertainment of PRG, shared, “Through our partnership with Digital Domain, virtual production redefines creative boundaries. It empowers brands in cost-conscious markets and studios catering to diverse consumer preferences.” Jeroen Hallaert, Vice President, Production Services of PRG, added, “This innovation streamlines workflows, reshaping collaboration dynamics and enabling real-time creative refinement, from ‘prep’ to ‘post’.”

This partnership enables clients to shape their vision from inception while also granting access to Digital Domain and PRG’s highly-skilled talent pool, leveling the playing field for smaller teams to participate in ambitious projects. PRG’s Enhanced Environments™ and simulcam services allow creatives to plan shots and immerse themselves in the virtual world without the need to ever go on location. This fosters a more dynamic and inclusive creative landscape industry-wide.

Digital Domain boasts an impressive portfolio of VFX work, collaborating with industry giants such as Disney/Marvel, Warner Bros./Discovery, Sony Pictures, Universal, Netflix, HBO, Amazon Studios, and many others. Meanwhile, PRG has been instrumental in providing the essential technological and infrastructural support to realize iconic scenes from productions like ‘Ahsoka,’ ‘Joker,’ ‘The Mandalorian,’ ‘Law & Order,’ and more.

About Digital Domain:

Digital Domain creates genre-defining experiences that create, inspire, and entertain. Over the last three decades, the studio has established itself as a film visual effects industry leader, expanding to encompass episodes, commercials, and game cinematics while embracing previsualization and virtual production. Digital Domain has also become a pioneer in digital humans and virtual reality, adding to a rich legacy of hundreds of blockbuster feature films for every major studio, thousands of commercials, music videos, game cinematics, and digital content by world-renowned directors and brands.

With a talented team of artists, technologists, and innovators, Digital Domain has been pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in digital entertainment and beyond since 1993, earning the studio numerous awards and accolades, including multiple Academy Awards for visual effects for blockbusters, including Titanic, What Dreams May Come, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; awards and nominations for several Marvel Cinematic Universe titles that have crushed all-time records at box offices worldwide. Digital Domain has also won and received VES Awards, Clios, BAFTA, and Cannes Lions nominations.

As the first independent visual effects studio to successfully enter Greater China, Digital Domain is committed to delivering the highest quality creative solutions to its creative partners and is constantly exploring new ways to innovate and expand its capabilities to further pave the way towards the virtual race, leaning into artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to create photorealistic and emotionally expressive autonomous virtual humans. It has locations in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Montreal, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Hyderabad. Digital Domain Holdings Limited is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 547).

Digital Domain: www.digitaldomain.com

About PRG:

Production Resource Group (PRG) realizes the ideas and vision of creators, producers, designers, performers, and business leaders, working in every form of entertainment and experience. It is the leading solutions provider in the production space, leveraging deep expertise and unsurpassed technology to power events of every scale and, with 62 offices in 28 countries, deliver in every corner of the globe. Capabilities span broadcasting, camera, audio, video, lighting, rigging, scenic and automation, digital services, virtual production, and labor. With over 250 patents and trademarks, PRG innovations have won awards and transformed the entertainment industry. For more information, please visit https://www.prg.com/.

The studio wrangles facial mocap performances into its proprietary suite of AI tools to tackle one of Marvel Studios’ most unique villains, a 5-foot-tall flying face, in ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.’

With the arrival of Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and the introduction of Phase Five, the MCU unveiled one of its most unusual villain yet with M.O.D.O.K., a five-foot-tall flying face, brought to life by award-winning VFX studio Digital Domain.

To read the full article click here: https://www.awn.com/vfxworld/digital-domain-leaps-ahead-ai-modok-cg-creation