The University of Bath is thrilled to announce that CAMERA’s new Innovation Motion Capture Studio will be based at The Bottle Yard Studios, the largest dedicated film and TV studio in the West of England.
Joining a thriving hub of creative on-site tenants, CAMERA, the University’s motion capture research centre, will occupy Tank House 3, a huge 660 square metre facility at the studios on the outskirts of Bristol.
The new studio will expand CAMERA’s capability in providing world leading research expertise in visual computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence, sports, rehabilitation, biomechanics, creative production and technical skills to the region’s thriving digital creative and digital healthcare clusters.
Cllr Craig Cheney, Deputy Mayor of Bristol with responsibility for Finance, Governance, Performance and Culture said: “CAMERA’s new Innovation Motion Capture Studio is an exciting addition to The Bottle Yard’s creative hub.
“Offering state-of-the-art technology combined with tailored resources and consultancy, it will create invaluable new production and post-production opportunities to a wide spectrum of companies in the region, not least of course our existing film, television, advertising and live broadcast clients.
“This fantastic new motion capture resource will mean the sky is the limit for content creators in the West of England and we’re delighted to host it here at The Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol, City of Film.”
Funded by the European Structural Investment Funds (ESIF), CAMERA will bring together regional academic leaders with industry specialists and world leading training institutions, to provide business support, training and product development expertise to the region’s digital creative and digital healthcare SMEs.
Specific collaboration areas will include; development of high end and affordable motion capture and analysis technologies for creative content generation for gaming, film, TV, VR and AR; dual location real-time streaming of motion capture data for live performances; development of intelligent tools for post-production in VFX; development of next generation performance analysis and physical rehabilitation tools for the sports and healthcare sectors.
Professor Darren Cosker, CAMERA Director, said: “This new Innovation Motion Capture Studio at The Bottle Yard Studios is such an important addition for CAMERA and our project partners; Bath Spa University, Radium Audio Ltd and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
“It will give us the means to make the research and expertise in novel applications of motion capture technology developed by CAMERA and our partners available to 100 digital creative and healthcare SMEs in the West of England region over the next three years.
“The ambition is to significantly lower the barriers to adoption and exploitation of this technology for small companies in our region, and in doing so, increase their capacity for innovation and general productivity.
“All support is provided at no cost to the individual companies, thanks to funding received from the European Structural Investment Fund.”
A Bristol City Council initiative, The Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove, South Bristol is an established base for film and television production in the West of England. With eight stages including a giant green screen studio, it attracts UK and overseas productions of all sizes.
Recent credits include The Spanish Princess (STARZ), The Pale Horse (BBC One), The Trial of Christine Keeler (BBC One) and Broadchurch (ITV). More than 25 on site tenants deliver a host of services including creative, digital, technical and audio/visual expertise, grips, transport, structural, fire and safety assistance.