About Studio Ulster
Developed by Ulster University in partnership with the Belfast Harbour Commission and supported by Northern Ireland Screen, Studio Ulster represents a ground-breaking £72 million investment in a state-of-the-art Virtual Production studio complex in Belfast.
Opening in spring 2025 at Belfast Harbour Studios, this world-class facility features some of the most advanced virtual production stages available globally, establishing Northern Ireland as a leading centre of excellence in virtual production.
At the forefront of a revolution in film, broadcast, commercial, animation, games, immersive media, and VFX, Studio Ulster collaborates with top production companies and research teams to address the skills gap in virtual production. By providing access to Hollywood-grade facilities and cutting-edge technology, Studio Ulster is poised to make Belfast the epicentre of global industry leadership and ignite a new era of filmmaking.
Studio Ulster’s Facilities
Located over 75,000 square feet of studio space, the complex will comprise of:
- VP Stage I — a large-scale virtual production stage that is flexible, modular and scalable, which can adapt to diverse production requirements, making it ideal for AAA and high-end productions;
- VP Stage II — a second virtual production stage tailored for hybrid green/blue-screen filming and car driving sequences;
- Motion Capture (MoCap) stage with a 13m x 13m x 13m capture deck;
- 3D/4D scanning studio with a full body, face and object scanner;
- The CoSTAR Screen Lab — an R&D&I Stage Global Research Centre
- Screening room
- Post-production suites
- Ancillary accommodation for costume, props and labs
Research & Development
Studio Ulster will be the home of the CoSTAR Screen Lab, and is destined to be a ‘Tier 1’ Centre of Excellence in Research, Development and Innovation in Virtual Production.
CoSTAR is the UK Research and Development network for creative technology. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, the CoSTAR network will help to shape the future of the UK’s creative industries by catalysing world-class R&D in screen and performance.
The CoSTAR Screen Lab, led by Ulster University, is part of UKRI’s CoSTAR programme, supported by £75.6 million of AHRC funding and £63 million of new industry investment, which will form the largest virtual production research and development network in Europe, with four other facilities across the country.
Skills Development
Studio Ulster is committed to addressing the skills gap in Production and Postproduction talent across the UK, where there is a significant skills shortage resulting in the demand for talent and training far outstripping supply.
The Ulster Screen Academy at Ulster University is the driving force behind Northern Ireland’s fast-growing screen industry. With a world class academic team teaching innovative, relevant and cutting-edge courses the Ulster Screen Academy produces highly skilled, award-winning graduates ready to excel in one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy.
Ulster University’s Belfast campus is home to the £1.6 million Virtual Production training suite and infrastructure to deliver VP training for undergraduate and postgraduate students
Partners
