Full Sail recently unveiled plans to build a state-of-the-art virtual production studio on its Winter Park campus. The studio will use a combination of Unreal Engine (a real-time 3D creation tool), live event production, and filmmaking techniques to help students and industry professionals create innovative storytelling on campus.

Virtual production uses software packages to marry computer graphics and live-action footage in real time. This lets content creators and contributors create and render digital environments as on-set cast members are tracked with software. Full Sail’s virtual production studio will allow immersive visual environments, like iconic landmarks or interplanetary landscapes, to serve as backdrops for film, television, and live production projects.

The school is honoring its commitment to technology by obtaining high-end virtual production equipment. The studio will have Brompton LED processors with 410 tiles on the ground and 90 tiles across the ceiling, plus a 40-foot wide and 16-foot high LED wall with APG’s hyper-pixel LEDs. This equipment will make Full Sail’s virtual production studio one of the most technologically advanced on-campus studios in the nation.

“As companies move to increasingly adopt virtual and augmented reality technology, Full Sail University continues to prove itself as a national frontrunner by providing businesses with the talent necessary to drive innovation,” says Orlando Economic Partnership President and CEO Tim Giuliani. “With this new studio, Full Sail sets the stage to position its students to meet the future demand for content and applications developed specifically for virtual reality technologies. Full Sail’s studios, labs, and educational programs contribute to the strength of Orlando’s world-renowned Modeling, Simulation, and Training ecosystem and reinforce our region’s growing reputation as a leading technology and innovation hub. Beyond preparing high-skilled talent to meet the needs of our nation’s most innovative companies, Full Sail’s critical investment in our region’s digital infrastructure will act as a beacon for attracting, hosting, and fostering the growth of professional productions right here in Orlando.”

Full Sail is dedicating over $3 million to the creation of its studio. The investment will help students in Full Sail’s Film & Television, Games, Art & Design, and Technology degree programs gain experience in virtual production before they graduate.

“We knew this was the next logical step in our 40-year investment in technology,” says Rick Ramsey, Full Sail’s Education Director of Visual Arts. “One of the most unique aspects of our new facility will be its 18-foot straight center section, which allows us to accommodate game engine environments, as well as high-resolution video environments, which will provide expanded creative use. This singular feature change will give the Full Sail virtual production studio more accurate, cleaner visual representations for the camera. Virtual production is where the industry is headed, and we are proud to bring the future of the entertainment industry to our students today.”

Additional information regarding the facility will be announced closer to the formal ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for 2022.