Disguise and XPLOR Partner to Drive Innovation in Virtual Production Through Investment in R&D and Practical On-set Training at XPLOR’s Production Park Campus
LONDON — February 27, 2023 — Today, disguise and XPLOR announce a new partnership to further tackle the skills gap in virtual production. Together, the two organizations are launching the first UK Virtual Production Accelerator, a learning program that gives trainees hands-on experience with the latest real-time technologies and advanced LED volumes.
Based at XPLOR’s recently launched £7m+ Production Park facility in West Yorkshire — which boasts a 340 square meter virtual production volume and xR studio with ROE Visual LED screens — the program is suitable for both students and industry professionals. Over the course of four days, participants will ramp up their skills in volume control operations, virtual art department integration and practical shoot elements through a combination of online, classroom and on-set learning.
XPLOR’s training is delivered by education providers Backstage Academy, who are specialists in live experience production, supporting the future of the industry through undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, and short courses. Operating from Production Park, their facilities are just one of the 400+ state-of-the-art virtual production studios and xR stages globally that are running on disguise solutions. This rapid adoption of disguise’s advanced production technologies brings the need for skilled talent who are well versed in the unique workflows that deliver virtual production and in-camera VFX.
“In just under three years, virtual production has changed from something only a few are experimenting with to a global phenomenon that allows filmmakers to tell even more ambitious stories. However, this growth in adoption has left a huge skills gap. disguise, just like XPLOR and Backstage Academy, shares a strong passion for education. After launching our Virtual Production Accelerator Program in America last year in partnership with ROE Visual, we now hope to bring the Accelerator’s focus on the practical to Production Park for VP enthusiasts in the UK and Europe,” says disguise Chief Experience Officer, Alex Wills.
The R&D element to disguise and XPLOR’s partnership combines disguise’s advanced production technology and workflow-focused training with XPLOR’s world-class facility and large-scale design and prototyping spaces. Together, disguise and XPLOR will investigate new features and capabilities that push the boundaries of what’s possible in virtual production.
“Backstage have been long-term partners with disguise. This is the latest exciting development in our relationship moving into film and TV,” says Rachel Nicholson, Head of Backstage Academy.
Sign up
Find out more about the Virtual Production Accelerator course and sign up here. Contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.
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About XPLOR
Specializing in collective problem-solving and pioneering research and development (R&D), XPLOR drives experimentation and excellence, and supports the disruptive growth of vital live entertainment industries.
The Production Park campus, where XPLOR is situated, has been delivering innovative learning programs for the live entertainment industry for over 15 years, through higher education and short course provider Backstage Academy. Its conservatoire education model focuses fully on practical learning and performance, making it ideal for the fast-moving entertainment sector. XPLOR forms part of Backstage Academy, providing students with hands-on training in disguise’s flagship software — Designer — in live production environments.
About disguise
disguise is the platform to imagine, create and deliver spectacular visual experiences. Its award-winning extended reality (xR) solution has powered over 600 immersive real-time productions across live entertainment for music artists such as Katy Perry and Billie Eilish, film and episodic TV productions for Netflix and Amazon Prime, corporate presentations for Siemens and Verizon, and live broadcast programs from Eurosport, MTV and ITV, in more than 50 countries.
With an ever-increasing global partner network — working alongside the world’s most talented visual designers and technical teams in live events, TV broadcasts, films, concert touring, theatre, fixed installations and corporate and entertainment events — disguise is building the next generation of collaborative tools to help artists and technologists realize their vision.
Recipient of the Engineering, Science and Technology Emmy Award and the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation, disguise is backed by investment firm Carlyle Group, with Epic Games taking a minority stake.
For more information, please visit www.disguise.one
Germany https://www.disguise.one/de
France https://www.disguise.one/fr
Spain https://www.disguise.one/es
Japan https://www.disguise.one/jp
