Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1496872
VIRTUAL PRODUCTION www.postmagazine.com 27 POST MAR/APR 2023 DISGUISE & XPLOR PARTNER ON TRAINING INITIATIVE LONDON — Disguise (www.disguise.one) and Xplor recently announce a part- nership that's designed to address the skills gap in virtual production. Together, the two organizations are launching the Virtual Production Accelerator, a learn- ing program that will give trainees hands-on experience with the latest realtime technologies and advanced LED volumes. The program will be based at Xplor's new multi-million dollar Production Park facility in West Yorkshire, which boasts a 340-square-meter virtual pro- duction volume and XR studio with ROE Visual LED screens. The program is well suited for both students and industry professionals, and spans a four-day period in which participants will ramp up their skills in volume control opera- tions, 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 post-graduate degrees, as well as short courses. Operating from Production Park, their facilities are just one of the 400-plus virtual production studios and XR stages globally that are running on Disguise solutions. "In just under three years, virtual production has changed from something only a few are experimenting with to a global phenomenon that allows film- makers to tell even more ambitious stories," says Disguise chief experience officer, Alex Wills. "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." "Backstage have been long-term partners with Disguise," adds Rachel Nicholson, head of Backstage Academy. "This is the latest exciting develop- ment in our relationship moving into film and TV." Those who want to know more about the program can reach out to Disguise by email (training@disguise.one). ARRI'S SOLUTIONS BUSINESS SEES GROWTH IN VIRTUAL PRODUCTION MUNICH, GERMANY — Film technology company Arri (www.arri.com) is ele- vating its Arri Solutions business to meet a growing demand for high-quality virtual production, integration of systems, and development of efficient, state- of-the-art workflows. The business unit has also established two new senior management positions. Kevin Schwutke will lead Arri Solutions, with a focus on strategic and commercial direction, while David Bermbach will be responsible for the tech- nological backbone. Arri Solutions designs, engineers, builds and operates virtual production environments of all sizes, as well as designs and delivers integrated systems and workflows for corporations, broadcasters and stu- dios. The business has provided consultancy through to configuration and turnkey installation. "Arri already has a showcase of pioneering virtual production and broadcast studio projects all over the world," explains Schwutke, who recently joined the company as senior VP & head of business unit solutions. "Establishing Arri Solutions as a business unit means we can expand our capabilities together with our partner network, ensuring we can not only meet, but exceed our customers' expectations for efficient, effective and state-of-the-art studio and production environments." Bermbach joined Arri in 2006 and has held a number of senior technical positions, including head of center of competence project management R&D camera systems, and most recently, head of global technology for Arri Rental. He has been fundamental in integrating Arri's cameras and lighting into virtual production environments, which are already in use for film, episodic and com- mercial shoots. "Arri's heritage for quality and delivering the most authentic images is unparalleled in the industry," states Bermbach. "This deep understanding and expertise provide the foundation for our development of cutting-edge soft- ware, tools and workflows, specifically designed for virtual production and ultra-modern studios." Arri's (L-R) Kevin Schwutke and David Bermbach