Digital Design Village has opened as a new digital studio to serve the rapidly growing filmmaking industry located in Michigan. The announcement was made today by Arnie Jones, CEO/Founder, Digital Design Village.
Concurrent with today’s announcement, Digital Design Village, and the renowned, Marin, CA-based Kerner Group, have signed an agreement by which Digital Design Village will offer resources for film production, special practical effects production, and post production in Michigan utilizing the Kerner Group’s expertise and technologies. The Kerner Group, formerly the physical effects division of Industrial Light and Magic (ILM,) is an innovative provider of special practical effects and 3D technologies.
Digital Design Village will be housed in the historic electricity substation offices, located in Downtown Grand Rapids. Along with digital post production and media services, the new company, in affiliation with The Kerner Group, will offer the same special practical effects “magic” to film projects for which Kerner has long been renowned. The Kerner Group has contributed special effects to such hit movies as “Avatar,” “Jurassic Park,” “Transformers II,” “Star Trek,” “Indiana Jones,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” and many others, including the original “Star Wars” trilogy.
Digital Design Village will employ a core staff of digital and effects producers, based in Grand Rapids, to work directly with the California-based Kerner team. In addition, Digital Design Village will also collaborate with local businesses, universities, and colleges, to teach and develop a local workforce and infrastructure required to meet the high creative standards set by the motion picture industry.
“It has long been known that Michigan needed a more prominent film infrastructure,” said Arnie Jones. “Our formation, and our agreement with The Kerner Group, will set the stage not only for this helpful infrastructure for filmmakers, but also for our team to work with the legendary staff at Kerner.”
“We are excited to expand our national presence, and bring Kerner’s services and technologies to Michigan,” adds Eric Edmeades, CEO, The Kerner Group. “With special practical effects, digital imaging, and new imaging technologies, such as 3D, continuing to play a critical role within overall film production everywhere, we felt being the Michigan market would help give locally-based producers and content creators better—and more cost effective—access to our
company’s internationally recognized talent and filmmaking resources.”
About DIGITAL DESIGN VILLAGE:
Digital Design Village is a visual and special effects, motion graphics and design, and technical media business located in Grand Rapids, MI. The company has been founded by Arnie Jones, who, for 25 years, has worked as an award-winning Michigan film executive and local businessman. Digital Design Village is located at 800 Bond NW, Grand Rapids, MI. Phone is 616/238-7097. For more information, please see: www.digitaldesignvillage.com.
About THE KERNER GROUP
The Kerner Group, formerly the physical effects division of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), is comprised of a number of exciting creative companies and divisions. The company is positioned to be a leader in the area of 3-D production and technological expertise, with facilities, camera rigs and expertise that afford unparalleled opportunities to content creators across the entire media spectrum. In addition to its list of entertainment industry clients, The Kerner Group also counts among its client base corporations large and small, and private section contractors. For these clients, the company provides highly realistic special effects, emerging 3D technologies and production services, model creation, and a variety of problem solving, applied research and prototyping services.
The Kerner Group is located at 90 Windward Way, San Rafael, CA, 94901. The phone is 415/448-2000. For more information, please visit the company’s website: www.kerner.com.
