A new high tech production studio has just launched in Dundee

The new studio has cemented Dundee’s place as a global tech hub. (Picture: Supplied)

A new high tech production studio has just launched in Dundee - and it looks absolutely awesome!

Scotland's TV, gaming, and animation industries have just received a major boost with the launch of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab in Dundee.

Abertay University formally opened the £9 million facility at Water's Edge on Tuesday evening, which is set to drive forward innovation, research, and economic development in the UK's creative industries.

The facility is located at Water’s Edge in City Quay at the waterfront. (Picture: Supplied)

The building is part of the CoSTAR Network, which has been granted a £75.6 million funding by the UKRI Infrastructure Fund and guided by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

It is the biggest R&D investment in the UK for research and development and has been the center of extensive publicity.

CoSTAR Realtime Labs is operated by Abertay University in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, CodeBase, Interface, and Chroma Developments.

The CoSTAR Realtime Lab provides cutting-edge virtual production studios, a technique that integrates computer-generated imagery (CGI), augmented reality, and motion capture to provide interactive digital worlds for film, games, and live performance.

The facility is just the latest in a long line of reasons why Dundee is Scotland’s tech capital. (Picture: Supplied)

A second CoSTAR lab, led by the University of Edinburgh, will open at First Stage Studios in Edinburgh in March 2025, with both locations connected by a Realtime Cloud Lab to enable global collaboration.

Researchers and creative businesses will work together in the lab to develop new production pipelines, including 3D environments, motion capture, face animation, and interactive digital sets.

They want to make content creation easier and more accessible and efficient for both established studios and independent creators.

Beyond film and game, CoSTAR Realtime Lab will seek innovation to provide enhanced spectator experiences in concerts, live shows, and museums.

CoSTAR Realtime Labs will develop new technologies in TV, gaming and animation. (Picture: Supplied)

By leveraging Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), the lab will continue to explore the boundaries of how consumers engage with digital content.

One of the lab's anchor programmes is the Screen Scotland-funded Realtime TEST Lab. This programme makes the latest virtual production technologies available to creative industry professionals, allowing them to test and work on their ideas before investing in complete production.

With the technologies that power our screen-based experiences in film, games and performance rapidly converging there’s an opportunity for companies working in these sectors to diversify their offer, explore new markets and push the boundaries of what was previously thought possible in their sectors. Bringing together international-quality academic researchers with industry experience and enterprise support, CoSTAR Realtime Lab is a truly collaborative project which will break down barriers for the Scottish creative industries, encourage entrepreneurship and experimentation, and provide a space where innovation can flourish. Professor Gregor White, Director of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab

Other initiatives are Collaborative R&D, collaboration between industry experts and researchers, and Techscaler training for scale-ups and start-ups by CodeBase.

4J Studios chairman Chris van der Kuyl has said the new facility has helped position Dundee as a global leader in technology. (Picture: Supplied)

The Pilots and Prototypes Programme (PPP) provides £3.6 million of funding to UK companies to invest in innovative new technologies, and the Enterprise and Commercial Programme (E&C) supports developing creative, sustainable creative businesses.

I’ve always believed in Dundee’s potential as a global leader in technology and digital innovation. That’s why we’ve invested in spaces like Water’s Edge to provide a collaborative infrastructure for the next generation of creators and companies to thrive. The launch of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab is a major step in that journey, bringing cutting-edge virtual production technology to Dundee and securing its position at the forefront of real-time content creation. This is a huge opportunity for Scotland’s screen industries, and I’m incredibly proud to support it. - Chris van der Kuyl CBE, FRSE, Chairman of 4J Studios

Supported by Screen Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Amazon Web Services, Nvidia, and VSS-Scotland, the CoSTAR Realtime Lab positions Dundee as a global tech hub and a world leader in next-generation creative technology.