New extended reality stage in Peachtree Corners provides limitless locations for filming

By Erin Schilling – Technology Reporter/Atlanta Innovation, Atlanta Business Chronicle

A new extended reality stage in Peachtree Corners can transport people to anywhere in the world.  

The stage is a collaboration between event company Music Matters Productions and immersive media studio TRICK 3D Studio. It aims to provide another resource in metro Atlanta to capture the state’s booming film and entertainment industries.  

Hollywood’s interest in virtual production is increasing because of technology breakthroughs, more accessibility, competition between streaming platforms and film studios and the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a Deloitte analysis. Filming on extended reality stages is part of this transformation. 

TRICK 3D Director Chad Eikhoff and Music Matters Productions Owner Aaron Soriero opened the stage last month to provide more options for production companies. Both of their businesses took a hit during the pandemic, so the stage became a new project to capture the trend they saw toward more virtual filming. 

“The idea of being able to shoot in a virtual production studio was already happening, but the interest has definitely skyrocketed during the pandemic,” Eikhoff said. 

The Music Matters Productions XR Stage has large LED walls, similar to giant TV screens, in order to create 360-degree virtual backgrounds. The walls can be shaped differently depending on the production needs, and the stage is portable. 

The production crew films the scene with the background already in place, so they don’t have to add it in the editing process like they would for green screens, Eikhoff said. The director can also completely control the lighting, or the stage could be transported to use for music performances.  

The Mandalorian, a Disney+ Star Wars spin-off, used this type of filming, which Eikhoff said was among the first “groundbreaking” uses of VR stages.  

“The large TVs behind you connect to the cameras, so everything looks very real,” Eikhoff said. “Not even just the quality, but the way all the objects move in the scene.”  

The stage combines TRICK 3D’s expertise in 3D animation and virtual reality with Music Matters Productions’ event product offerings. It’s located at the Music Matters Productions studio in Peachtree Corners. 

“Georgia has such a great background for music and TV, so the stage is a good way to combine all of those,” Eikhoff said. 

Link to Atlanta Business Chronicle Article: https://bit.ly/3u0pH5u