Salt Lake Community College’s School of Arts, Communication and Media (SACM) is building Utah’s first virtual production studio, which will contain technology similar to that used in professional productions like Disney’s “The Mandalorian.”
The studio’s centerpiece is a digital wall, 16 by 28 feet in size, composed of LED light panels that operators can change in real-time. This allows actors to perform in front of different backgrounds without the need for location filming or green-screen backdrops.
Other technology set to appear in the studio include industry-standard camera equipment and motion capture, the process of digitally recording the movements of people and objects.
“By making this cutting-edge technology accessible, [SLCC] will open up opportunities to new storytellers and media makers in both the film and game design fields,” said Virginia Pearce, Utah Film Commission director, in a press release.
In the same release, Richard Scott, dean for the SACM, said the school is exploring ways to connect the local film community to the underway studio, and adds that its technologies will also help attract out-of-state production companies. “This adds jobs and boosts our economy,” he said.
WEBB Integration, the Utah-based company behind the project, expects to finish constructing the studio this fall.
