The CoSTAR National Lab will be located at the prestigious Pinewood Studios right at the centre of the UK’s film production community, enriched with more than 85 years of storytelling, blockbusters and groundbreaking productions.
The Lab will be based within the CoSTAR Stage in the historic heart of the Pinewood campus and will offer cutting-edge virtual production technology with a large sound stage, alongside a series of Research and Development (R&D) lab spaces featuring spatial audio, volumetric capture and multisensory devices, as well as a private 5G/6G Network.
A cloud-based Creative AI Compute facility and an incubation and partner business space will also be available, along with prototyping facilities which will enable creative companies across the country to access the Lab’s experimental and collaborative infrastructure.
Funded as part of the £75.6m CoSTAR Network Investment from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Infrastructure Fund and delivered by the UKRI Arts & Humanities Research Council, it is the UK’s first national lab for Creative Industries R&D.
The Lab brings together cutting-edge infrastructure with world-leading multi-disciplinary research teams to speed up the use of new and innovative technologies in the UK's film, TV, and performance industries.
The CoSTAR Stage will offer creative companies unparalleled opportunities to explore, exploit and innovate in technologies and content. This includes digital humans, virtual environments, multi-sensory perception and worldbuilding, underpinned by the world-class R&D of its academic and industry partners Royal Holloway, National Film and Television School (NFTS), Abertay University, University of Surrey, BT and Disguise.
This infrastructure will enable the UK screen and performance sectors to continue to lead the world in future waves of advanced computing technologies with the CoSTAR National Lab providing a centre for innovation that is unmatched anywhere in the UK.
Professor James Bennett, Director of CoSTAR National Lab and Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor, Creative Industries at Royal Holloway, University of London said: “This is an amazing opportunity to unite our world-class research expertise in innovation technologies with Pinewood’s incredible history as the home of British film production.
“In keeping with Pinewood’s history, we believe that the National Lab will foster innovation by enabling world-class creatives to tell great stories with new technologies. This is a space for technology and storytelling to come together.
“By providing R&D support and a unique space for experimenting and taking risks, we can drive new ideas from playful sparks to outcomes that compete on a global stage.
“CoSTAR at Pinewood will create a launchpad for a whole new world of audience experience.”
Creative Industries Minister, Sir Chris Bryant, added: "The iconic Pinewood Studios have been responsible for creating some of cinema's most memorable moments - from James Bond and Jurassic World, to Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean.
"Backed by £75.6 million of government funding for the wider CoSTAR network, it is fantastic that the CoSTAR National Lab will be opening at Pinewood to keep the studios - and the UK - at the forefront of new technologies that will power the future of filmmaking.
"This will help to ensure that the UK remains one of the most attractive filmmaking destinations in the world, in turn bringing in new investment and job opportunities which are crucial to this government's Plan for Change."
Led by the award-winning StoryFutures team at Royal Holloway, University of London, the CoSTAR National Lab will be underpinned by its rich heritage in storytelling and a partnership that builds exciting new synergies between creative ideas and emerging technology; from deep AI and machine learning research at University of Surrey and games engine expertise at Abertay University, to industry-leading training at the NFTS and leading technology partners Disguise and BT.
By partnering and collaborating with industry institutions such as the BBC and British Film Industry, StoryFutures brought innovative ways of storytelling to new audiences around the country using a variety of formats including virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, as well as virtual production.
The CoSTAR National Lab will not only benefit from being able to scale up their creative partnerships but will also be using the studio space to support smaller creative enterprises with accessible opportunities to experiment in a de-risked environment.
Businesses will be invited to apply for a share of £7m dedicated funding support through Access Programmes to develop their ideas in a dynamic environment that not only deepens and strengthens the UK creative technology ecosystem, but also promotes inclusive, sustainable and ethical innovation and business growth.
