CoSTAR National Lab
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 at Pinewood Studios 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.
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.
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.”
Read about the CoSTAR Network
