‘Studio Ulster: Unlocking Virtual Production Facilities for Northern Ireland’.
Sponsored by Ulster Screen Academy
Location: Downstairs Theatre
Time: Thursday 17th November, 10am
Studio Ulster represents an investment of over £70m in the Screen Industries in Northern Ireland. This huge new virtual production studio complex is the first Belfast Region City Deal pillar innovation projects to take flight. Currently under construction, it will open at the North Foreshore Studios in early 2024. At 75000ft sq. this high-tech studio complex will greatly enhance our content production capability in Northern Ireland, but what is it? Join to us to find out all about Studio Ulster and the incredible technologies and opportunities it can unlock for our companies right here in Northern Ireland.
This session will explore what’s coming, what the opportunities are at Studio Ulster. We will discuss all five sound stages including a world class Motion Capture Stage, a full body 3D Scanning Stage, a flexible Hybrid Virtual Production Studio, and a world class 17000ft sq. large scale Virtual Production LED volume stage, all underpinned by the Studio Ulster Innovation Stage. A facility that connects to so many sectors and will also unlock world class training in these new technologies. Studio Ulster will create new ways for us to tell stories, make new content possible in film, broadcast, animation, games, immersive and in VFX. All can benefit from this huge investment in just 18 months’ time.
Studio Ulster has been developed by Ulster University and is a partnership with the Belfast Harbour Commission and Northern Ireland Screen. Join Professor Declan Keeney, Director of Research, Development and Innovation at Studio Ulster and an illustrious panel to discuss what this all means for the screen industries in Northern Ireland.
For more info on Studio Ulster please go to www.studioulster.com
Follow the Ulster Screen Academy on @uuscreen for information on training for industry.
Contact us at studioulster@ulster.ac.uk
Declan Keeney
Professor of Screen Technologies & Innovation, Ulster University
Declan Keeney (PhD), is a Professor of Screen Technologies and Innovation at Ulster University and Director of the Ulster Screen Academy. Declan is also Director of Research, Development and Innovation at Studio Ulster, a £72m, 75,000 ft sq. Virtual Production Studio complex with dedicated R&D labs currently under construction at Belfast Harbour Studios.
Declan’s research in support of the screen industries represents £91.5m worth of live grant-based research and development investments. Declan is also a Co-investigator at Future Screens NI and recently secured £2.9m from the Levelling Up Fund in the UK for a hybrid VP studio and £3.2m on an EPSRC Network+ grant entitled ‘Virtual Production in a Digital economy’ with York, Cardiff, Edinburgh, and UAL universities. In October 2021, Declan opened a £1.6m Virtual Production training facility at Ulster University, the first of its kind in a university in the UK or Ireland.
Declan has worked in the screen industries for over 25 years, including 13 years at the BBC.
Eva Robinson
VP Supervisor, Aura Digital
A 3D artist with a background in traditional 2D animation. She has also worked with Inertial Motion Capture and Production across multiple platforms.
Eva is also the Editor of Aura’s Virtual Production Playbook.
Aura is a Belfast-based immersive content company. They produce story-driven content using Virtual Production, Animation, XR and Games Technology. This intersection of skills has allowed the team to successfully engage with Virtual Production on a commercial level.
Aura has just wrapped production on their first Virtual Production Short Film, “Stone Hearts & Careless People.”
Josh McAvoy
CG Supervisor, Aura Digital
A Technical artist with a background independent film and broadcast. He has worked in Pipeline Development, Rigging, and Mocap.
He has most recently made his directorial debut with “Stone Hearts’.”
Aura is a Belfast-based immersive content company. They produce story-driven content using Virtual Production, Animation, XR and Games Technology. This intersection of skills has allowed the team to successfully engage with Virtual Production on a commercial level.
Aura has just wrapped production on their first Virtual Production Short Film, “Stone Hearts & Careless People.”
Philip Morrow
CEO & Co-Founder, RETiniZE
Phil has over 30 years of experience in international TV production, including establishing Wild Rover Productions - one of the UK's most successful regionally-based entertainment companies.
Former roles include: Entertainment Commissioning Executive at Channel 4, Head of Programmes at UTV, Entertainment Executive, Mentorn and Head of Comedy at Thames TV. Phil has created and produced multiple shows for national and international broadcasters such as the BBC, Channel 4, ABC and CBS.
He partnered in the USA with Jerry Bruckheimer. He lectures for the International Entertainment Master Class Academy, as well as the NFTS and has served as a Director of Northern Ireland Screen. He picked up a BAFTA nomination for the Channel 4 animated series, ‘Billy the Fish’. As CEO, Phil brings the business experience, skills, and leadership needed to guide the RETìníZE team to its full potential.
