Northern Ireland’s Studio Ulster is launching its virtual production facility that represents more than $96.5 million (£72 million) in investment.
Belfast-based Studio Ulster said it is celebrating its launch today as the world’s most advanced virtual production facility spanning 75,000 square feet.
Studio Ulster is designed to support productions at every scale, from blockbuster films and high-end television to AAA game development and world-class animation. The facility integrates real-time engines, in-camera visual effects, volumetric capture and motion tracking into a seamless, sustainable pipeline that redefines how stories are created, rendered and delivered.
Studio Ulster is the result of a £72 million investment, part-funded through the Belfast Region City Deal. Developed by Ulster University in partnership with Belfast Harbour and supported by Northern Ireland Screen, the facility offers large-scale virtual production stages that set new global standards for real-time filmmaking.
It is designed to elevate the UK and Ireland’s capacity for commercial studio production using advanced in-camera visual effects, establishing a world-class benchmark for the industry. Studio Ulster is also home to the CoSTAR Screen Lab, one of five national research labs created under the UK-wide CoSTAR initiative. This program, backed by £75.6 million in funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and £63 million in new industry investment, positions Studio Ulster at the forefront of global R&D in screen and creative technologies.
Studio Ulster is a virtual production facility.
“From the docks that built the Titanic to the LED stages that now build entire universes, Belfast has always punched above its weight. The launch of Studio Ulster marks a new chapter, one where cutting-edge virtual production, motion capture, and digital scanning converge to give filmmakers, game developers, and creatives the power to shape worlds in real time” said Professor Declan Keeney, CEO of Studio Ulster and BFI Board Member, in a statement. “We’ve taken the spirit of Belfast’s shipyards, precision, ambition, and pride in what we build and applied it to the future of storytelling. This isn’t just a studio. It’s a global platform for imagination, powered by some of the most advanced creative technology anywhere in the world.”
Northern Ireland continues to position itself as a premium production destina …