XR Network+: Virtual Production in the Digital Economy

XR Network is a new research network commissioned to set the agenda for future innovation in virtual production technology, content creation and consumption. It is one of 5 UK awards funded by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council. It convenes 5 AHRC Creative Industries Cluster Programme project partners, led by the University of York (XR Stories), with the University of Edinburgh (Creative Informatics); University of Cardiff (Clwstwr); Ulster University (Future Screens Northern Ireland); and the UAL’s Business of Fashion, Textiles and Technology, which provides a specialist research contribution in the rendition of digital textiles and dress for multiple creative industry applications. 

The screen industries sector in the UK is making substantial investments in studio infrastructure to address the increasing demand for the significant expansion of VP/XR production. Alongside this, researchers in the XR Network+ will operate across 20+ connected universities from across the four nations of the UK.  XR Network+ will explore ideas, technologies, and creative practice in VP/XR to unlock its fullest potential across the whole of the digital economy and related spill-over sectors. 

Research challenges co-created with project partners encompass integration of virtual game worlds and physical content; sound design; building VP environments, characters and objects; issues of ethics and IP in the use of digital assets and data; AI and data-driven automation; translation and impact in the digital economy. 

Virtual production technologies are evolving the landscape of technology-driven storytelling, from film and television content production to live and immersive experiences. These technologies are already having an immense impact on the screen industries with significant potential to transform live and performance sectors too – exemplified by groundbreaking projects such as The Royal Shakespeare Company’s DREAM to recent applications on Abba Voyage.