CJP Broadcast Service Solutions, systems integration, production and content digitisation specialist, has supplied the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) with a comprehensive virtual studio setup. The new installation, fitted out in conjunction with ATG Danmon, has taken an existing large studio at UCA’s Farnham campus and transformed it with a large LED volume at one end and a motion capture stage at the other.

The LED volume consists of a curved wall, 8m x 3m, together with a ceiling panel of 4.5m x 2m. Both use INFiLED panels installed by Bendac and driven by Brompton processors: the wall is 2.6mm pitch LED, the ceiling 3.9mm. CJP made a bespoke curved lighting bar to match the shape of the wall, to ensure real elements of virtual productions are best lit.

The studio uses an existing Blackmagic camera, which has now been fitted with the Mo-Sys StarTracker system to ensure precise location in three-dimensional space. The Mo-Sys VP Pro XR software, which incorporates the Unreal graphics engine, provides the realtime virtual output to the volume.

Using an existing green screen at the other end of the studio, CJP implemented a 20 camera Vicon motion capture installation, ideally suited for character animation in games. The whole studio was also fitted out with Kino Flo hard and soft lights as part of the turnkey CJP project.

“With this new installation our games and film production students have access to the very best in professional tools, so they can give full rein to their creativity and be ready to move into the global creative industries,” said Professor Simon Macklin, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at UCA. “CJP took us through every aspect of this project, showing us how we could use the same facilities the best professionals use. They supplied, installed and trained us on it all, and their continuing support is valued by us hugely.”

Christopher Phillips, managing director of CJP Broadcast Service Solutions, added “We now have a huge amount of experience in delivering advanced facilities for corporate and education users, so they can benefit from broadcast quality facilities and workflows. The exciting part of the UCA installation was their focus on games creation, hence the motion capture facilities for realistic character animation.

“What we also ensured was that the studio space is completely flexible, so it can be used as a virtual studio including realtime set extensions, for motion capture, and of course as a conventional studio,” he added. “This is a remarkable resource, which showcases what can be achieved for corporate and educational users.”

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