Studio Ulster

Developed by Ulster University, in partnership with Belfast Harbour Commission and supported by Northern Ireland Screen, Studio Ulster is a 75,000 sq ft Virtual Production studio complex at Belfast Harbour Studios, Giant’s Park.

It is one of five innovation projects within the Belfast Region City Deal’s Innovation and Digital Pillar, and the centrepiece of Northern Ireland’s ambition to become a Tier 1 global hub for the screen industries.

Studio Ulster integrates commercial Virtual Production with R&D, innovation, and skills development — creating an ecosystem that benefits productions, indigenous companies, researchers, and students alike. It is the only facility of its kind in the world that has this combination of technologies under one roof, giving ultimate creative flexibility and modularity to clients.

Studio Ulster is one of the only BREEAM Excellent-certified Virtual Production facilities in the UK and a BAFTA Albert certified sustainable supplier.

Located over 75,000 square feet of studio space, the complex comprises:

• VP Stage I — A large-scale In-Camera Visual Effects (ICVFX) LED volume. One of the largest of its kind in the world, and the most advanced featuring NantStudios’ Dynamic Volume System, allowing for full creative control and the ability to move the walls and ceiling pods into custom configurations.
• VP Stage II — Large horseshoe-shaped studio with integrated LED and camera tracking technologies, as well as an LED ceiling, designed for mid-scale productions and car processing.
• Motion Capture (MoCap) Stage — The tallest motion capture stage in Europe, featuring 60 Vicon Valkyrie Cameras for high-fidelity performance capture capabilities in gaming, animation, and VFX.
• 3D/4D Scanning Studio — Full-body, facial, and object scanning capability.
• VP Stage III / CoSTAR Screen Lab — Our research and development stage, VP3 is part of the UK’s national CoSTAR network as the location focused on Screen Technologies. The only one of our stages to feature an LED floor as well as an LED ceiling, the stage can be used commercially and is perfect for close-ups, pickups, interviews, advertisements, and miniatures.

Studio Ulster is home to one of five CoSTAR (Convergent Screen Technologies and Performance in Realtime) network labs in the UK, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) through UK Research and Innovation.

Led by Ulster University — ranked first in the UK for research impact in its subject area, with 100% of research rated world-leading or internationally excellent at REF 2021 — the CoSTAR Screen Lab:

• Drives R&D in real-time technologies, virtual production, and immersive experiences;
• Connects academia, industry, and the wider UKRI research network;
• Has already delivered 10 multi-disciplinary collaborations outside the traditional screen sector — meeting its full 30-year target in year one;
• Supports 12 PhD studentships, on track for 24 by 2028/29;
• Has secured £15 million in research grant income, against a 30-year target of £179.5 million.

Studio Ulster is committed to addressing the skills gap in Production and Postproduction talent across the UK, where there is a signifi cant 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