A new £9m virtual production studio will seek to drive research, innovation and economic growth in Scotland’s screen, games, immersive and performance industries. 
 
Abertay University launched the CoSTAR Realtime Lab at Water’s Edge, Dundee on Tuesday 18 February marking the start of operations for a major infrastructure project that will aim to provide a significant boost to Scotland’s screen industries. 
 
The CoSTAR Realtime Lab is led by Abertay University and the total project investment is £9m operated in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, CodeBase, Interface and Chroma Developments. 

Industry and academia working in partnership  

Creative companies from across the UK and beyond will have the opportunity to work with the CoSTAR Realtime Lab, benefitting from state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) facilities and access to industry experts and academic researchers.  

The studio at Chroma Developments’ Water’s Edge in Dundee marks the beginning of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab’s work, with a further studio led by the University of Edinburgh to open at First Stage Studios in Edinburgh in March 2025. The facilities will be connected through the Realtime Cloud Lab supporting remote access and collaboration from anywhere in the world.  
 
Virtual production – a cinematography technique that employs computer-generated imagery (CGI), augmented reality, and motion capture to create immersive virtual film, game and performance sets – will be at the heart of the CoSTAR Realtime Lab’s work and represents a significant opportunity for creative companies working with real time technologies. 

Researchers will support industry-led projects to generate new products and processes to improve production pipelines including, 3D environments and video processing, performance and motion capture, facial animation, automated speech and dynamic generation of hyper-realistic digital film sets and many others.

The CoSTAR Realtime Lab’s work will also look at ways to enhance spectator experiences at concerts, live events and museums and how immersive technologies like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality can be better used and integrated.  

Supporting creators and creative companies  
 
The CoSTAR Realtime Lab will create opportunities for Scotland’s screen innovators to access next generation production technologies and support them to apply their creativity, skills and expertise to create new technologies, design new experiences and establish new markets.

Access will be offered through a series of open programmes, giving companies and creatives the opportunity to test, develop and refine their ideas.  
 
One of the main programmes is the Realtime TEST Lab – supported by Screen Scotland, it offers creative companies, creatives and innovators access to resources to experiment with virtual production and creative technologies in content production or software development before committing further investment in their final productions.

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The CoSTAR Realtime Lab will also offer support through Collaborative R&D – a way of working in partnership that can be activated by companies, individuals and project staff in conversation with the CoSTAR Realtime Lab. Scale-up and start-up training and support will also be provided by CodeBase through its Techscaler programme.  
 
Further CoSTAR Network programmes include the Pilots and Prototypes Programme (PPP), a £3.6 million fund for UK companies to develop new ideas by accessing technical and research capabilities, and the Enterprise and Commercial programme (E&C) supporting the growth of highly capable, inclusive, and sustainable creative technology businesses.