disguise and XPLOR have announced a new partnership to further tackle the skills gap in virtual production. Together, the two organisations are launching the first UK Virtual Production Accelerator, a learning programme that gives trainees hands-on experience with the latest real-time technologies and advanced LED volumes.

Based at XPLOR's recently launched £7m+ Production Park facility in West Yorkshire which boasts a 340 square metre virtual production volume and xR studio with ROE Visual LED screens, the programme is suitable for both students and industry professionals. Over the course of four days, participants will ramp up their skills in volume control operations, virtual art department integration and practical shoot elements through a combination of online, classroom and on-set learning.

XPLOR’s training is delivered by education providers Backstage Academy, which specialises in live experience production, supporting the future of the industry through undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and short courses. Operating from Production Park, the facilities are just one of the 400+ state-of-the-art virtual production studios and xR stages globally that are running on disguise solutions. This rapid adoption of disguise's advanced production technologies brings the need for skilled talent who are well versed in the unique workflows that deliver virtual production and in-camera VFX.

“In just under three years, virtual production has changed from something only a few are experimenting with to a global phenomenon that allows filmmakers to tell even more ambitious stories. However, this growth in adoption has left a huge skills gap. disguise, just like XPLOR and Backstage Academy, shares a strong passion for education. After launching our Virtual Production Accelerator Programme in America last year in partnership with ROE Visual, we now hope to bring the Accelerator’s focus on the practical to Production Park for VP enthusiasts in the UK and Europe,” says disguise chief experience officer, Alex Wills.

The R&D element to disguise and XPLOR’s partnership combines disguise's advanced production technology and workflow-focused training with XPLOR’s world-class facility and large-scale design and prototyping spaces. Together, disguise and XPLOR will investigate new features and capabilities that push the boundaries of what's possible in virtual production.

“Backstage have been long-term partners with disguise. This is the latest exciting development in our relationship moving into film and TV,” says Rachel Nicholson, head of Backstage Academy.

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