The School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts at Texas A&M University will partner with Synapse Virtual Production to build four virtual production stages as part of its emerging Virtual Production Institute (VPI).
With funding support from the 88th Texas Legislature for the Virtual Production Institute’s faculty, staff and equipment, the institute will reach beyond entertainment and into workforce training and simulation for first responders, health care, the military, manufacturing, product and architectural design, digital twin environments and live performances.
As early as mid-fall, students will have access to virtual production teaching-prototype stages composed of large LED walls that display computer-generated imagery to create immersive worlds where subjects can see and react to what is happening around them. Real-time game engines will process photorealistic imagery and live-action scenes to create in-camera visual effects.
Based on Texas A&M’s main campus in Bryan-College Station with an extension at Texas A&M-Fort Worth, the institute arrives as the state continues to increase its commitment to the film and media industry. Several virtual production studios have opened around the state in recent years, and the worldwide virtual production market was valued at $2.97 billion in 2023.
Tim McLaughlin, dean of the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts, said Los Angeles-based Synapse is closely aligned with the goals for the Virtual Production Institute.
“Synapse is a very innovative and entrepreneurial team that is a collection of professionals who have a long history in the industry — cinematographers, producers, directors, designers, engineers and visual effects supervisors,” he said. “They are at the heart of where virtual production is going in terms of its uses and technology. They’re thinking about it the way we’re thinking about it: Where is virtual production going next? Where is virtual production headed?”
Justin Diener, Synapse chief executive officer, said the school’s leadership team showed “incredible foresight” in recognizing the value of virtual production and in providing tools to students that will aid in their future success.
“Within the first few hours of arriving at College Station and meeting with the leadership team, we became enamored with Texas A&M’s incredible history and culture,” he said. “Learning more from Tim and his colleagues about the vision of this program excited all of us tremendously. In the course of that experience, supporting their efforts became a company priority for us, whether or not we ended up winning the contract.”
Extending Reality
Extended reality — including augmented and virtual reality, display technology, sensing technology, artificial intelligence, real-time 3D graphics and simulation — creates enhanced visual experiences. As an application of extended reality technologies, virtual production captures such visual effects in-camera in real time. This differs from green-screen technology, which requires computer-generated imagery to be completed in post-production.
Synapse will provide expertise in designing, procuring, building and training for four virtual production stages in Bryan-College Station and in Fort Worth. Each stage will have a different design based upon specific use and the physical shape of the stage location.
Teaching-prototype stages will be located in the Langford Architecture Center, Building A, on main campus; and in the Winfield Place building in Fort Worth, where the school is sharing space with gaming company ProbablyMonsters.
Larger teaching-production stages will be in two locations: at Backlot Studio in Fort Worth, where the school is collaborating with Red Productions; and in a to-be-determined location in Bryan-College Station.
Teaching-prototype stages are expected to be up and running by mid-fall, and the teaching-production stages by mid-spring.
In tandem with the Virtual Production Institute, a new minor in virtual production begins in the fall semester, with courses offered at both the main campus and at Texas A&M-Fort Worth.
The facilities will also be available to outside clients, who can employ students and provide additional work and training opportunities.
Visit the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts online to read more.
By Rob Clark, Texas A&M University School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts
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