StudioUlster_VP1_Patrick Hughes_1

Source: Patrick Hughes

Studio Ulster Virtual Production wall

Studio Ulster, a 75,000-sq ft virtual production facility has opened its doors in Belfast in Northern Ireland. 

The studio is designed to support productions at every scale, from blockbuster films and high-end television to AAA game development and animation. It integrates real-time engines, in-camera visual effects, volumetric capture, and motion tracking and is reported to have thetallest motion capture stage in Europe.

It is the result of a £72 million investment, part-funded through the Belfast Region City Deal, developed by Ulster University in partnership with Belfast Harbour and supported by Northern Ireland Screen.

Studio Ulster is also home to the CoSTAR Screen Lab — one of five national research labs created under the UK-wide CoSTAR initiative. The aim is to position the facility at the forefront of global R&D in screen and creative technologies.

“Studio Ulster is a genuine game-changer, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on screen and enabling directors to bring any imagined world to life, right here at Belfast Harbour,” suggested Richard Williams, CEO of Northern Ireland Screen.