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Would you believe this logo explodes?

Digital Domain (website here) is a California-based effects studio. Originally a collaboration between James Cameron, Stan Winston and former head of ILM Scott Ross in 1992. Since then, the company has provided effects for over eighty films, multiple commercials and over a dozen games.

In 2006, leading shareholders Cox and IBM took control of Digital Domain and sold the company to Wyndcrest Holdings, LLC (led by director and reoccurring client Michael Bay, former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, and technology entrepreneur John Textor).

On September 6, 2012, John Textor and Michael Bay resigned, as Textor made a proposal to purchase the company and replace the company’s toxic predatory lenders. On September 11th, 2012, the board decided instead to restructure the company through "Chapter 11" bankruptcy which allowed them to sell DD to two major shareholders originally brought in by Textor. They shut down the Florida studio (the ones in LA, Asia and Vancouver are still open), became tangled in lawsuits between longtime partner Prime Focus and South Korean firm Samsung, against creditor/shareholder Legendary Pictures and has since become a turning point in Florida's history.

Films and other projects Digital Domain have worked on include:

Tropes the company's exhibited:

  • All-CGI Cartoon: Their video game trailer work and several commercials.
  • Alliterative Name
  • Animesque: Used in a recent Dodge commercial.
  • Development Hell: When the bankruptcy in 2012 happened, they were set to co-produce a live action Ender's Game movie. Subverted in that production on it has since resumed. With Digital Domain still co-producing.
  • Easter Egg: Some minor examples were included in The Fifth Element, such as license plates that say "New York, The Fuck-You State" and several employees on the rooftops, decks and windows.
  • He Also Did: Besides the opening paragraph; Christina Hsu, a former animator for the company is also a regular columnist for Cracked.
  • Live-Action Adaptation: Speed Racer, The Golden Compass, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Thor, the Transformers films and Ender's Game; among others.
  • Troubled Production: Red Planet, though other problems factored into that.
    • The aforementioned Ender's Game fell into this state when the bankruptcy happened.
    • Before the lawsuit, Prime Focus was bidding to buy the company. Technicolor Creative Services was also a bidder.


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