Building work has begun on a new £70m+ studio complex in North Belfast. Studio Ulster, a partnership involving Belfast Harbour, Ulster University and NI Screen, with funding from the Belfast Region City Deal, is due to open on a site in the city’s Grant’s Park by 2024,
The studios will offer facilities for the creation of film, broadcast, games and immersive content in a single location. The budget for the studio fit-out and production technology alone is expected to top £25m.
The 57,000 sq ft building will house two large-scale virtual production stages for in-camera visual effects stage, motion capture, 3D scanning stage for full body, facial and object scanning, plus an R&D smart stage containing a range of virtual production technologies.
Studio Ulster will support 461 direct and indirect jobs in the screen sector and will be used not only by the film and TV industry but also by students to help grow the talent pool for the creative industries.