Future Frames at CoSTAR SCREEN| Studio Ulster

This week, we were pleased to support Digital Catapult during the launch of their new Future Frames training series. The first in this series of sessions was hosted at the CoSTAR SCREEN Lab, based in Studio Ulster at Harbour Studios, supported by Belfast City Council.

The opening session, Unlocking the Power of Advanced Media Production, brought together industry professionals to explore the latest tools and techniques shaping the future of content creation. Alongside us were Simon Legrand and Target3D.

Simon Legrand is a highly experienced Visual Effects Technical Director and VP Supervisor whose credits include Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Avatar, and Ready Player One. Target3D is a UK-based company specialising in motion tracking and immersive technologies.

Aura opened the session with a talk on how real-time technologies can enhance the planning and execution of complex projects, both within the screen industries and in wider sectors. We then delivered a series of live demonstrations covering:

• Real-time collaboration workflows in Unreal Engine

• Virtual camera techniques and VR scouting

• Integration of Google Maps API for importing 3D city tiles into large-scale project environments

• A comparison of 3D scanning technologies, including photogrammetry, LiDAR, and Gaussian splatting

On the second day, we supported Target3D as Virtual Production stage operators, helping facilitate a hands-on session for the cohort. Working in teams, attendees were given the opportunity to experience the end-to-end process of shooting on an LED volume stage.

It was a pleasure to contribute to this initiative and to collaborate with everyone involved. We look forward to continuing to support the adoption of advanced media production tools and techniques among local creatives and production teams.