Skip to main content

SLCC Film Students Film Scenes Around the World Without Leaving Campus 

virtual reality stage set


Utah Higher Education’s First Virtual Production Stage Allows for Real-Time Filmmaking


Cameras rolled across a vast stretch of barren desert. The next day, the scene had shifted to a dew-dripping rain forest, and just hours later, a scene played out in the far reaches of outer space. This was all filmed without the filmmakers and actors ever having to leave the new Taylor Virtual Production Stage at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC)—the first one in Utah’s higher education landscape.


Students studying film at SLCC’s School of Arts, Communication & Media (SACM) now have access to the same state-of-the-art technology used in movies and television series, such as the new Marvel releases and The Mandalorian. This same technology is also used in creating video games, allowing for photorealistic, real-time renderings of fully fictional characters and environments. 

 

“We are incredibly proud to offer this state-of-the-art technology to our film students—and to be the only film program in the state to do so this far,” said SACM’s Dean Richard Scott. “It not only puts storytelling into the hands of our incredibly creative film students who can’t rely on big production budgets, but it is equipping them with a high-demand technical skill set that sets them up for employment in the industry for well-paying careers.” 

 

The SLCC virtual production stage is centered around a large digital wall composed of LED light panels that allow actors to perform in front of imagery that can be changed and adjusted in real time. With a click of a button, massive virtual landscapes can change from a beach scene to a mountain peak. 

 

This wall can replace the need for filming on location or in front of traditional green-screen backdrops that require backgrounds to be added digitally post filming. It also streamlines production schedules and can lower costs, as well as providing responsive environments for actors and real-time lighting. 

 




The stage includes a 31-foot-wide by 18-foot-high LED panel wall (made up of 612 individual LED modules), operating off a mobile workstation capable of rendering specialized graphics and real time camera tracking. There is also industry-standard camera equipment, lighting and motion capture technology.

 

“It is a whole new pathway for students to explore how film is made. It simulates being there in the virtual environment, creating dynamic imagery either for backdrops for a documentary interview or for narrative film,” said Associate Professor Tyler Smith, who teaches documentary filmmaking. 

 

Smith explains that the new technology involves significant preproduction work to set up the environment. This boosts an actor’s performance because the actors can see the simulated environment instead of imagining what the surroundings would be, as with a green screen. 

 

“Training our students on this whole new process will make them more employable and it will help attract out-of-state production companies because they will have access to a local, skilled workforce,” explained Smith, who anticipates that SLCC will eventually have a virtual production academic track. 

 

The stage is one of the first to be found in a community college nationwide, and when SLCC class registration opened this fall semester, the Virtual Production class filled up immediately. “Students are just loving it,” said Smith.  


Jerry and Edna Taylor’s generosity has made the virtual production stage possible. They are longtime supporters of SLCC students and the College’s School of Arts, Communication, and Media. 


Press Release 

Media Contact, Salt Lake Community College: Peta Owens-Liston, peta.liston@slcc.edu, 801-957-5099

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Rev Up Your Future at SLCC Annuals Hop into College

SLCC West Valley Center will be opening its doors on Friday, August 2, from 6-9 pm for their annual lowrider event that celebrates the automotive culture and welcomes current, past, and future Bruins into the SLCC community. This unique event allows lowriders to showcase their vehicles and for spectators to witness the creativity, craftsmanship, and passion that goes into a lowrider car. From the sleek custom paint jobs to the impressive hydraulics showcased at the hop-off, attendees get immersed in the vibrant culture created by SLCC West Valley’s community. Beyond the car show, Hop into College provides prospective students and their families the opportunity to explore SLCC, engage with their future peers, staff and faculty and obtain valuable insight into the degrees and programs offered. Furthermore, the community is provided with countless beneficial resources not only as an SLCC student but as a community member. Whether interested in learning more about the lowrider community o...

The Center for Prior Learning Receives an Honorable Mention

Today, SLCC's Credit for Prior Learning department received an Honorable Mention from the  Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL ) and the  Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education  for its intentional approach and for expanding student options to receive credit for prior learning.  Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)  allows students to obtain college credit for knowledge and skills acquired outside of the traditional academic environment. This is exceptionally beneficial for adult learners, who, according to CAEL, have a 17% higher chance of graduating compared to those adults who don’t earn credits through prior learning programs. The CPL department at SLCC was created in 2020 and since then the volume of students served has grown as the department continues to expand. To be eligible for CPL, students must be working towards a degree, certificate, or apprenticeship. Director of Credit for Prior Learning at SLCC, Andrea Tipton, mentioned fee...

Board of Higher Ed names Gregory F. Peterson 9th SLCC President

The Utah Board of Higher Education unanimously selected Gregory F. Peterson, Ed.D., as the ninth president of Salt Lake Community College today, following an extensive national search. Peterson will assume the position on July 1, 2024, and succeeds Deneece G. Huftalin, who served as president from 2014-2024.   “I’m humbled by the opportunity to serve as Salt Lake Community College’s next president, and I look forward to reinforcing SLCC’s commitment to providing educational pathways for transfer and workforce that improve the lives of every member of our community,” Peterson said. “SLCC has an amazing future ahead, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of that journey.”   As part of its delegated duties and responsibilities, the SLCC Board of Trustees named an  11-member committee  in December 2023 to conduct a national search for the next president of SLCC. The committee is composed of representatives from the Utah Board of Higher Education and SLCC trustees, facul...