VA Corporation’s new VA STUDIO HANAM immersive content production facility is powering its virtual production infrastructure with Brompton Technology LED processing.
With a total area of 11,265 square metres and the largest LED wall in Korea, VA STUDIO HANAM, based in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, provides state-of-the-art in-camera visual effects (ICVFX) facilities optimised for immersive content production. Created in partnership with ARK Ventures Inc South Korea, this unique virtual production infrastructure utilises Brompton Technology 4K Tessera SX40 processors driving four large LED walls.
The new facility offers a full spectrum of creative possibilities for content production, from films, drama, advertising, and gaming to XR broadcasts and live performances, allowing each production to be tailored to the specific needs and budget of the client.
VA STUDIO HANAM includes three main facilities, all featuring cutting-edge technology provided by ARK Ventures, including ROE Visual LED screens and Brompton Tessera processing. With a floor area of 405 square metres, the smallest is STUDIO A, which features two ROE Sapphire 1.5 LED walls driven by a Tessera S8 and two Tessera SX40, along with four Tessera XD 10G data distribution units. STUDIO B, meanwhile, has a floor area of 643 square metres. Its large, curved LED wall is made up of ROE Black Pearl 2, driven by four Tessera SX40 and seven Tessera XD units.
STUDIO C is Asia’s largest virtual studio with the biggest oval LED wall in Korea (53.5m wide x 8m high x 19m in diameter). It has a total floor area of 1,088 square metres and a 360-degree LED studio which comprises ROE Black Pearl 2 with ROE Black Marble 4 for the floor. Ten Tessera SX40 power the LED volume and 26 Tessera XD 10G data distribution units deliver a flexible single box solution that addresses the challenges of such a complex LED display set up.
Each studio is further equipped with ROE Carbon CB5 LED panels for additional light or side fill. All panels have been dynamically calibrated with Brompton’s Hydra measurement system, unlocking the full potential of the LEDs and enabling features such as Brompton High Dynamic Range (HDR).
“Korea has quickly embraced virtual production as a tool for storytelling, and it has been a privilege to work with ARK Ventures to support VA Corporation in creating their VA Studio HANAM studios,” explained Luke Hurford, Brompton’s regional technical manager, APAC. “With newer Tessera software features such as ShutterSync, Frame Remapping and 3D LUT import complimenting existing features such as Dynamic Calibration and HDR, we are confident that VA STUDIO HANAM can respond to any of its clients’ production requests with a diverse array of tools to help create unforgettable, immersive visual environments”
David Oh, managing director/CTO at ARK Ventures added: “Brompton processing has firmly established itself as the leader in LED processing for live performance and now for virtual production and XR infrastructures, too. It was a no-brainer for us to select Tessera for such a meaningful project and to utilise Brompton’s revolutionary Dynamic Calibration technology to make our LED panels Brompton HDR-ready. We are really excited to see the creative content production opportunities this high-level processing technology will bring to the VA Corporation team.”
Meanwhile, Brompton has partnered with Absen with the aim of offering the very best solutions for high-end virtual studios. Absen’s LED specialist background, paired with Brompton Technology’s market leading processing solutions for LED video walls, is set to offer integrators and customers access to the leading video packages when it comes to virtual studio creation.
Christian Czimny, product director at Absen commented: “We’re thrilled to be working together with Brompton, especially creating solutions surrounding virtual studios, which have become so important recently. It’s an exciting time for Absen, having replacement green screen technologies to offer our clients, which really revolutionise the filming process. Brompton’s extraordinary technologies work in unison with a whole host of our high end products so I feel our collective expertise will benefit the customer above and beyond what we have been able to offer them before.”
The use of virtual studios has grown exponentially in the last two years, with this growth showing no signs of slowing down. Grand View Research estimated that the global virtual production market size was valued at USD 1.41 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.7% from 2021 to 2028. Virtual production enables film makers to create real-time virtual backgrounds instead of filming at costly set locations – not only does this ensure significant savings but the content creation options are limitless. Both Absen and Brompton will be leading the way in showing users just how effective immersive LED screens and processors can be for the future of virtual production.
Adam Berditch, Absen’s business development manager for the UK, added: “Over the last year, we’ve seen businesses use LED to transform live online events. State-of-the-art virtual studios are fast becoming the norm for industries across the globe, as LED can offer a whole new dimension to online presentations, professional events and award ceremonies.”
In light of the virtual studios growth in recent years, Absen’s latest Autumn launch featured an LED virtual movie studio solution which streamlines the film making process. Colossal scenes can be shot in a small space – saving time and energy for set transitions. The director and creators are immersed in the surrounding environment, so they are able to engage with their surroundings in real time. The AX Pro series of MiniLED and HD lease products were showcased, including professional stage floor tile screens so actors and creators can walk over their virtual set.
