Lights, camera, portal to limitless virtual worlds… action! Rosanna Spence visits the team at newly launched Distortion Studios in Brislington to discover the reality-bending work it’s doing to put Bristol on the map when it comes to world-class, expert virtual production services.
Bristol’s vast, labyrinthine industrial estates are a creative treasure trove. You never quite know what’s waiting to greet you behind each steel shutter. Among the mechanics, tool traders and building merchants you might find a circus troupe swinging from the rafters, or an artisanal alcohol distiller experimenting with botanical flavours.
But what about a gargantuan wall that can create any landscape, planet, time of day, alternate reality, fantasy galaxy… and more? Waiting behind two monolithic, completely soundproof doors blocking the clangs and bangs from nearby label printers and panel beaters is the team from Distortion Studios, who are the proud custodians of such technology.
Distortion Studios is a virtual production (VP) paradise. But before we deep dive into the incredible plans the team has for Bristol’s film crew community – having only ‘officially’ launched in early spring this year – take a pew and familiarise yourself with the land and lore of VP.
VP merges real-time computer graphics with traditional filmmaking, allowing the creation of immersive virtual environments during filming. Actors perform in front of LED screens showing these environments, created by incredibly skilled techs who know their way around real-time software engines like Unreal Engine (this tech, which Distortion Studios uses for its work, is behind the graphics from Fortnite and Harry Potter Hogwarts Legacy games, for example). This setup lets filmmakers see and adjust scenes instantly, reducing the need for extensive post-production. It saves time and money, enables quick creative decisions and enhances realism in films: better efficiency for the producers; improved viewing experiences for us.
As an example of what’s possible, some of Distortion’s projects in its infancy include a TV commercial for a university showcasing the endless careers that are available as a result of getting a degree from there, which involved filming six virtual locations in five days: a TV Gallery, a desert archaeological dig, a theatre, a board room, a scientific lab and a Canary Wharf-esque location; and a documentary showcasing natural disasters across history.
I’m told that ideal applications for VP include film shoots when you need golden hour to last all week, when you want a crew to film airside at an airport, require a snowy scene when it’s midsummer outside, and need a 30-strong crew to be in a jungle one week, a beach the next and then Mars a day later.
Back to reality
So, who’s behind Distortion Studios? Though there are more than 10 permanent members of the skilled team, all bringing their own impressive credentials to the table, I met with managing director Jonathan Brigden, studio manager Pete Martin, marketing manager Amy Hunter and newest member of the team – virtual production producer Bedos Mavambu (who’s worked on projects including Barbie and Masters of the Air).
Though the team took over this studio in summer 2023 (working on a few jobs before temporarily closing in December to completely renovate the studios before re-launching), its roots run deep in Bristol’s creative sector, with founder Steve Garratt first setting up Paintworks-based editing and animation outfit Studios Giggle around 17 years ago.
After many successful years merging animation projects, VFX, live events (including an official Game of Thrones premier) and launches – 2020’s pandemic hit. Live work disappeared, but the need for better virtual events gripped a population tiring fast of standard Zoom calls.
Venturing into extended reality technology and delivering such events and productions for global brands meant the Giggle team could explore VP more seriously. It might have taken four years, but the ideal space eventually presented itself and Distortion was born, made possible with funding from Creative UK. The studio means there is a new home for VP in Bristol, powered by creatively- and technically-skilled people who can see projects through from inception to its final touches.
Building a wall
And, oh my, what a studio it is. The huge space is evenly divided into traditional green screen facilities at one end, and a soaring 11-metre by 4-metre LED screen at the other. Specially placed stickers glinting like constellations on the ceiling above map out the camera’s position anywhere in the studio during filming. The screen gently curves around, with each modular LED panel comprising four smaller panels, making repairs much less strenuous and easier to target.
The wall is adaptable, and can be extended and even curved for full 360-degree filming angles – perfect for wraparound immersive worlds we often see in fast-paced car advert creatives.
As much as Distortion’s work is all about building walls to create new worlds, it’s important for the team to break down the perceived walls which can sometimes become barriers to people engaging with VP technology. Everyone at the table (which we’re sitting around in the heart of the studio – a kitchen that wouldn’t look out of place in a swish show home, but also feels like a familial, friendly co-working space) assures me that VP isn’t as ‘scary’ as some may think. Though they admit there’s a lot of teaching to do, this crew is in an ideal position to guide the way, with invaluable technical skills in its full-time employed workforce (often a rarity in an industry usually reliant on freelancers).
This means there is a consistent team of artists and technicians on hand constantly developing their knowledge base against rapidly changing technology. The studio can be dry hired as required by production companies, who may prefer to bring their own teams in, but it’s more likely that they will require Distortion’s expertise (and ability to scale a project size up or down as needed) to ensure the highest levels of VP quality, which will shine through in the final creative.
Bristol’s ecosystem
Distortion’s team may be focused on trying to put Bristol on the map for VP, but by its own admission, this won’t happen by its presence in the city alone. They flag that a major issue impacting film production is the skills bottleneck that happens when new technology comes into play. What Distortion hopes is that its work will feed and foster a community of locals who can go there and learn, upskilling and strengthening the area’s VP expertise. After all, I’m told skilled people will be the very thing that will help Bristol establish itself as a VP hub faster than any tech or money injection would.
Thankfully, the city’s creative ecosystem is already alive and well. The team tells me it’s a very special place to nurture the kind of technical talent that can work with Unreal Engine and VP, drawing more productions to the area – and keeping them there, rather than utilising the city as a filming location and then returning to London or elsewhere to complete the VP elements of any project.
Bristol has certainly been getting a lot of attention for its film industry recently. Its City of Film win earlier this year at Cannes Film Festival meant studio lights were focused on south west England, and Distortion acknowledges that our region enjoys lots of joined up thinking that attracts and completes projects to a high standard (with the likes of Bristol Film Office, Bottle Yard Studios and the University of Bristol-led MyWorld global centre of creative technology innovation working closely together). Distortion is now part of this citywide conversation, entering this ecosystem as the Bristol’s only independent VP studio at the time of writing, creating more opportunities to skill share in line with tech advancements – keeping productions in the local area.
Sustaining sustainability
Filmmaking can be a carbon-heavy business. But Distortion is determined to become net-zero and is putting sustainability at the heart of its processes, despite being a young enterprise. Though the LED wall draws a lot of power, its very purpose means that productions don’t have to fly crews around the world to different locations, or fill trucks with heavy equipment to flit between sets.
Future plans, which require upfront investment for long-term savings, include installing solar panels on the roof and eventually undertaking the Albert Studios Sustainability standard (a production studio-specific assessment that helps reduce their environmental impact over six key areas: climate, circularity, nature, people, management and data).
Until there’s enough data to report for that assessment, the team will remain focused on working with suppliers sharing its ethos and avoiding any green-washing. An EV charger has been installed, a team pool car purchase is imminent, tariffs are with renewable energy provider Good Energy, caterers are chosen who limit waste and source sustainably – and speaking of waste, refuse collection is taken by a contractor which genuinely recycles things properly. Computers are built in-house so that when tech moves forward suddenly the team knows how to replace one part rather than the whole machine, and laptops are given to university students and gamers when they’re not suitable for production any longer.
I was curious to know if those standing in front of the virtual wall are facing the future of film production, changing the way creative projects are made forever. But the Distortion team promises that the reality of this evolution is much more organic. We’ve been exposed to this type of technology under more analogue guises since backgrounds were first projected onto film sets to make it look like actors are driving cars. This next-generation LED wall is simply an extension of the real world, giving producers more flexibility and almost infinite control over every creative element. Films and live events will still need prop departments, hair and makeup, and most other elements essential to traditional filmmaking.
Rather than making jobs obsolete, VP is helping the industry break down the doors of perception, and Distortion hopes it can help future generations of film industry workers find new ways to push the technology and further boost the viewing experience. Our imaginations may now be the only limit.
For more information, visit the team’s website: distortion.studio
