80six expands its offering with Virtual Production Studios.

VIRTUAL PRODUCTION STUDIOS BY 80SIX

80six’s Jack James and Dan Hamill explain the value that the company’s recently expanded versatile studio space has brought to the business.

Words: Stew Hume Photos: 80six

When the pandemic hit in early 2020, live events came to an abrupt halt and rental houses around the world saw their warehouses full to the brim with unused equipment. During this time, many businesses had a similar idea of creating a studio space. The range of offerings went from low-budget DIY streaming stages all the way up to highend XR studios demonstrating the latest in-camera technology. Falling into the latter of these two categories, 80six’s studio space in its Slough HQ has now become a major part of the company’s portfolio and taken on a life of its own. Havingbeenutilisedformusicvideos,film and TV shoots as well as a production rehearsal space for live shows, 80six’s Jack James and Dan Hamill have been continuing to invest in this latest venture both in terms of technology andstaff.

Situated just outside the M4 corridor, the studio is found in the adjoining building to 80six’snewwarehouse.Witha10,018sqft studiofootprintandanadditional1,725sqft open-planproductionoffice,thespaceisset upforabroadrangeofincomingproductions. The self-contained unit has ample parking and a loading bay for two artics, and with the warehouse neighbouring the studio, the companyoffersonsitetechnicalsupportas wellasthelatestvideoequipment.

“Our work within the virtual studio market startedaround2019whenwewerespeakingto companies including ROE Visual and disguise aboutthepossibilitiesofin-cameraeffects,” explained Hamill while discussing the origins of thestudio.“ThegoalwastolookatXRoptions forthefilmandTVindustry.” Thecompanylentintothisin2020when it moved into a new facility and created what eventually became the studio – although in the initial stages the building also served as the company’swarehouse.

“As we continued to go down this path and set up the studio, we began to get more and more interest from productions looking to shootmusicvideos,”heexplained.Following that, we also had many people we work with on the80sixrentalsideenquiringaboutusingthe spacefortourrehearsals.So,thestudiogrew naturally before we had even begun to promote ittothewidermarket.”

To date, the facility has been used by the likes of Years & Years, who used the studio before their Night Call tour this May, which 80six then provided a video package for during theband’sWembleyArenaperformance.Jax Jones and Sugababes also recently used the space in the lead up to their summer shows.“We’vecomefromalivetouringevents background,thereforeourUSPistheflexibility ofouroffering,”explainedJames. “Weareusedtooperatingatlargescale events, under tight deadlines , therefore we are more than capable of adapting the space to whatevertherequirementoftheclient–froma simple black box to a curved LED setup or an xR shoot,”hesaid,addingthatVirtualProduction Studioscanbemoreflexiblewiththebudgetof incomingproductionsthanstudioswithafixed setupandassucha ‘ onesizefitsall’pricetag. “Forliveproductionrehearsals,wecancater for academy-sized acts comfortably, although wehavenowhostedasmallerWembleyArena productioninthespace,”statedHamill.

Both Directors spoke candidly about the difficultyofjugglingthisfledglingstudiospace along with managing the core 80six business aseventsreturninamajorwayin2022.To address this, the company is embarking on a recruiting spree, with the goal of the studio operatingwithitsownindependentteam.

The studio is already booked up until the end of the year, with several clients from the TVandfilmworldalongwithnumerousmusic video shoots scheduled to take up temporary residenceinthecomingweeks.“Wedidn’tgo

into 2020 thinking that we would be setting up a studio as its own independent arm of the businesses, but it has continued to evolve due to demand,” concluded Hamill. “We speak to so many production managers who report that there is not enough space in the UK to rehearse, so it’s an ideal time to continue to invest in this venture. We’re now offering a very in-demand service, and we’re excited where it will take us next. www.80-six.com www.virtualproductionstudios.com

The studio has a footprint of over 10,000 sq ft, with an additional 1,725 sq ft open-plan office space.