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VIRTUAL PRODUCTION www.postmagazine.com 26 POST MAR/APR 2023 VU EXTENDS VIRTUAL PRODUCTION STUDIO NETWORK TO EUROPE LONDON — Vū (www.vu.network) is expanding its Vū Studio Network beyond North America by partnering with Cube, a video production agency based in London. Cube Studio (www.cube.studio), powered by Vū, is the first European virtual production studio in the Vū Studio Network, and is poised to accelerate the adoption of virtual production services and practices throughout the UK and beyond by leveraging advanced and comprehensive virtual production technologies designed, developed and installed by Vū. Every virtual studio that formally partners with Vū becomes a member of what is known as the 'Vū Network.' Being part of this network means that each participating studio's virtual production capabilities are designed, engineered and purpose-built by Vū. These virtual production stages are branded as 'Powered by Vū,' giving them industry credibility and brand association with Vū, and certifying that they are built according to Vū's technology standards and best practices. Cube Studio is a brand new 6,500-square-foot virtual production studio that will open its doors in April. The studio will provide full service for advertising agen- cies, production houses, enterprise businesses, and film & TV. Located just outside London, Cube Studio combines LED volume technology with industry-leading game engines, camera-tracking, graphic servers and premium facilities. The Berkshire-based studio houses a 10.5-by-5.5m LED volume, designed with Unilumin Upad IV LED panels, which feature HDR image quality, a pixel pitch of 2.5mm and new dual drive configuration (DDC) technology, along with Brompton Technology processing to deliver high-end visuals. "We're proud to be joining Vū's global studio network, and bringing the UK and European markets a state-of-the-art virtual production studio, backed by years of experience and expertise, investment in R&D, and tried and tested technology," says James Hakesley, CEO of Cube Studio. "Located in the heart of the UK film & TV district, and a stone's throw from many of the leading agencies, we're excited to deliver the very latest innovations in production, and position Cube Studio at the forefront of the industry. Together, we're build- ing the bridge between Europe and America, and setting the global industry standard for virtual production, allowing crews and talent to receive the same premium experience across the Atlantic." In related news, Vū recently completed the design, build and installation of a state-of-the-art virtual production studio for the University of Florida's athletic department in Gainesville, FL. The Gators will use its new immersive LED studio to create video content for current student-athletes, and as a recruiting tool to attract prospective athletes. The University of Florida is the first college athletic program to deploy a Vū virtual production studio, and has already opened its lab for hosting the UF football, baseball, softball and lacrosse teams for creative-content shoots. Co-branded as "SwampVū" to capture the spirit of the Gators, the University can now create marketing and advertising campaigns to be used on the video boards at the sports venues across campus, and create memorable backdrops for podcasts and coaches' shows. Gators head coach Billy Napier will also use the 13-foot high LED volume to diagram winning plays. SONY'S SRD BEING USED FOR VIRTUAL PRODUCTION PREVIS PARAMUS, NJ — Sony Electronics' Spatial Reality Display (SRD) has been used in virtual production environments to previsualize 3D assets built in Unreal Engine or Unity before the final presentation in an LED volume. In this use case, the SRD replaces a head-mounted display for a more comfortable and convenient experience for content creators. Additionally, the Spatial Reality Display is also being used for virtual scouting to previsualize the environments before going to the production set. This helps directors and designers get a very realistic 3D visualization of the projec,t and allows them to make adjustments in advance. At the NAB show in Las Vegas this month, Sony (sony.com/professional) is hosting a dedicated panel to showcase how SRD is being used in virtual pro- duction scenarios by different companies in the industry. The event is taking place on April 17th at 3pm at Sony's NAB booth (C8101) in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.