A Stunning million pound virtual production stage, industry standard recording and photography studios along with a range of other impressive creative media facilities greeted Island VI Form students as part of their taster day at Solent University, Southampton.

Students split up into groups according to the areas they wanted to specialise in and spent the day learning about and exploring the technology on offer at the university. Many of them were tasked with working on various collaborative projects throughout the day.

A particular highlight of the day was being allowed considerable access to the university’s brand new Virtual Production Stage – a facility that allows actors to be filmed in front of an LED screen which displays a virtual film set or studio. The technology, currently used in hollywood productions such as The Batman and The Mandalorian allows actors to see their backdrop and interact with it in real time, offering a quicker production schedule and a more realistic finish.

Year 12 Media student Lucas Best said: “The facilities were very innovative and it was certainly a first-time experience for us. The virtual set was an intricate piece of technology and getting to use it was a really fun experience. I felt privileged to be allowed to use technology that is still so rare and exclusive in the UK and in the industry.”

Peter Cronin, teacher of Film and Media at The Island VI Form said: “It was a really worthwhile trip where our students were able to work hands-on with industry professionals across a wide range of creative topics. The students were an absolute credit to the school and were a pleasure to spend a really successful day with”.