The University of Bristol is set to revolutionise the creative industries with the launch of a cutting-edge virtual production stage, developed in collaboration with Lux Machina Consulting. This groundbreaking facility, which utilises state-of-the-art computer-generated imagery (CGI), will be installed alongside a pioneering Smart Cinema capable of gauging audience emotions.
The virtual production stage, similar to the technology used to bring dragon flight to life in the acclaimed Game of Thrones spin-off 'House of the Dragon,' replaces traditional green screens with dynamic LED backdrops. This innovation allows actors and directors to immerse themselves in the scene, thereby elevating their performances.
Scheduled to open in Autumn 2024, the new facility will include a 35-seat Smart Cinema and an experimental studio. These amenities are designed to generate collaboration between creative industry professionals and renowned academics, aiming to transform the way film, TV, and games are produced, broadcast, and experienced.
Oscar De Mello, Operations Director of MyWorld at the University of Bristol, said. "Our Experimental Studio and Smart Cinema will enable a huge variety of partners, from global leaders like Netflix and Amazon to Bristol’s amazing indie and freelancer community, to access the tools, data and talent they need to safeguard and grow their businesses, to develop and validate new technologies and create new content.”
The innovative facility, housed in The Coal Shed, is a key component of the MyWorld program—a £30 million UKRI Strength in Places funded initiative. This program aims to leverage the production, technology, and research strengths of the West of England to stimulate the local economy and generate a global impact in the creative industries.
Ben Lumsden of Dimension Studio, formerly of Epic Games, highlighted the potential of the new facility. “I think this facility will drive more people from the creative industries to come and play here in Bristol and that represents a really exciting opportunity for the broader creative industries.”
The MyWorld initiative is projected to boost the regional economy by £223 million GVA (Gross Value Added) by 2030. The investment in The Coal Shed, including the £1.2 million virtual production stage, underscores the vital role of the creative industries in the UK economy, contributing £124 billion annually.
In addition to the virtual production stage, the facility will feature motion capture technology, volumetric capture, a soundstage for live TV broadcasts, and various audio-visual galleries, edit suites, and training rooms.
This development comes after Bristol received the prestigious City of Film Award at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. The Coal Shed is part of the new research facility at the University of Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, which also includes the Bristol Digital Futures Institute and has received investment from the UKRI Research Partnerships Investment Fund.
Image credit: Lux Machina 
Image credit: Lux Machina 
