CoSTAR Live Lab

Lead Research Organisation: University of York
Department Name: Electronics

Abstract

Virtual Production (VP) is a novel approach to media creation that utilises digital tools such as computer-generated imagery, motion tracking and virtual and augmented reality to produce immersive media experiences that appear realistic. Used more widely in the gaming, film, and television industries, the application of VP technologies to the live performance industry has yet to be fully explored. Despite the environmental and creative benefits of VP, the technology is currently expensive, highly specialised, and out of the reach of most small production companies, creating a significant skills gap. The development of new, accessible, low-cost technologies and frameworks targeted at real creative sector needs is therefore essential for UK industry to maintain a competitive digital economy.

To this end, the University of York, in collaboration with our core project partners, Production Park, Screen Yorkshire, Wakefield Council, Vodafone, and York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, have created the CoSTAR Live Lab - a world-leading facility in the research and development of novel immersive and interactive technologies. Our lab supports the rapid convergence of the UK screen and performance sectors within the framework of live performance and the metaverse. Directed by the University of York, which has a track record of delivering high-impact XR technologies and developing the creative industry in its region, and based at Production Park, the UK's largest live production facility, in the heart of West Yorkshire. The CoSTAR Live Lab facility focuses on developing market ready products and services utilising immersive technologies, achieved by building a unique laboratory infrastructure on top of a thriving state-of-the-art commercial VP facility. This is the only specialised research facility in the world where the creation of production tools, workflows, and content for networked immersive virtual live performances coexists with a campus of businesses committed to live performance. Our main goal is to develop innovative, low-cost technologies and efficient workflows to transform the live performance sector, boost the growth of small and medium-sized businesses in the region, and contribute to the expansion of the wider UK creative sector.

CoSTAR Live Lab includes three main laboratory spaces: a large volume commercial VP stage with high resolution motion tracking, LED panels and 3D immersive sound; a performer-performer / performer-audience network lab; and an end-user experience lab for VP. It also houses a team of world-class researchers dedicated to creating innovative and novel technologies that are close-to-market and shaped by the needs of industry. The facility enables commercialisation of the research and will incubate start-ups and high-growth SMEs. Our unique Access programme encourages public and industry participation in R&D activities, workshops, networking events, technology showcases, lectures and symposia.

Within the CoSTAR ecosystem the Live Lab contributes a unique capability to develop technologies for future live performance experiences using VP, from small-scale pilots to arena-sized productions, and will deliver scalable, efficient, and accessible workflows, paving the way to position the UK as the leader in immersive and interactive live production experiences.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description University of York and Bonza Music Limited
Amount £144,125 (GBP)
Funding ID 10101336 
Organisation Innovate UK 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2024 
End 06/2026
 
Description CoSTAR Live Lab 
Organisation Leyard
Country United States 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution No Contributions made as of yet.
Collaborator Contribution "Discounted rate on membership / usage of TYX content create studio spaces Staff time to participate in events and workshops, and to provide advice on the overall direction of CoSTAR Staff time associated with working on projects and/or project ideas within CoSTAR facilities"
Impact no outcomes as yet
Start Year 2023
 
Description CoSTAR Live Lab 
Organisation Lonza Group
Department Lonza Biologics
Country United States 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution No contributions made as of yet.
Collaborator Contribution Staff time to undertake R&D for an Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership.
Impact Assistance with Live Lab launch on 6 February
Start Year 2024
 
Description CoSTAR Live Lab 
Organisation Megaverse Ltd
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution John Ingle, Megaverse, is invited to be a member of our Steering Board.
Collaborator Contribution "Facilitating access to user groups and communities Staff Time to participate in events and workshops, and to, provide advice on overall direction of CoSTAR Staff time associated with working on project and/ or project ideas within coSTAR facilities "
Impact No outcomes as of yet
Start Year 2023
 
Description CoSTAR Live Lab 
Organisation Mind the Gap Films
Country Ireland 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Staff from Mind the Gap invited to sit on the Live Lab Steering Board
Collaborator Contribution """Staff time to develop the lab's EDI strategy, policy and action plan to ensure the lab is primed to achieve high level of sustained diversity and inclusion. Staff time to assist Access Programme activities. Collect feedback to strengthen diversity and inclusion or make recommendations."""
Impact No impact/outcomes as of yet
Start Year 2024
 
Description CoSTAR Live Lab 
Organisation Opera North
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Dominic Gray, from Opera North, invited to join as Steering Board Member
Collaborator Contribution "Researcher access to Opera North performance spaces to enable digital twinning for experimental work to be conducted. Orchestral / singer time for smaller networked performance trials in year 3&4 support for full performance trials in years 5&6 for operatic productions in the metaverse involvement of ON's in-house film and sound team for R&D PRojects and small scale capture development of bespoke production for networked operatic performance using virtual production trials of full production networked operatic performance of Hansel and Gretal ""Senior staff time for advisory board/governance staff time to participate in events and workshops to provide advice General admin, marketing, project management & network facilitation"""
Impact No outcomes as of yet
Start Year 2023
 
Description CoSTAR Live Lab 
Organisation SONY
Department Sony Broadcast and Professional Europe
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution We have invited Lucy Hattersley, from Sony, to join our Steering Board group.
Collaborator Contribution "Access to PlayStation Development kitStaff time to participate in events/workshops, and to provide advice on the overall direction of CoSTAR Staff time associated with working on projects and/or project ideas within CoSTAR facilities Staff time to work with the CoSTAR team to identify relevant research and support the implementation of this work into prototypes/products/ offerings"
Impact No outputs as of yet
Start Year 2023
 
Description CoSTAR Live Lab 
Organisation Sunfire
Country Germany 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution No Contributions as of yet.
Collaborator Contribution """UoY staff time to deliver public demonstrator of democratised network music performance technology in collaboration with BBC. BBC Contributions: New commission £7,000.00 Large scale virtual workshop Administration sourcing amateur choirs to take part: £5,000.00 Marketing materials £2,500.00 Conductor £1,500.00 BBC Singers costs for 4 x days £11520.00 Studio Costs (MV2) for 2 Days £2000.00 OB and studio manager costs for MV + Barbican (including editing) £4,000.00 Studio costs (MV2) for 3 x days £3,000.00 BBC R&D staff time for 5 days £6.000.00 """
Impact No outcome as of yet
Start Year 2024
 
Description CoSTAR Live Lab 
Organisation Vodafone
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution We have invited Paul Wilkinson from Vodafone to be a member of our Steering Board for Live Lab
Collaborator Contribution """Staff time to participate in events/workshops, and to provide advice on the overall direction of CoSTAR ,valued at approximately £72,000. Staff time associated with working on projects and/or project ideas within CoSTAR facilities valued at approximately £24,000. Staff time to work with the CoSTAR team to identify relevant research and support the implementation of this work into prototypes/products/ offerings valued at approximately £84,000."""
Impact n/a
Start Year 2023
 
Description CoSTAR Live Lab 
Organisation Weston Park Farm
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Phil Adlam, David Pauliuc and Emma Gomez invited to sit as members of the Executive Board for CoSTAR . Lee Brooks is invited as a member of the Steering Board.
Collaborator Contribution """Studio 005/001 Subsidised Rates £1,080,000.00 Virtual Production Subsidised Rates £1,444,000.00 Supported Office Costs £144,000"""
Impact no outcomes as of yet
Start Year 2023
 
Description CoSTAR LiveLAB 
Organisation Screen Yorkshire
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Staff from Screen Yorkshire have been invited to be members of various Live Lab working groups: Steering Board, EDI & Access Programme
Collaborator Contribution Senior Management Team Support on Governance
Impact No outputs as of yet
Start Year 2023
 
Description CoSTAR LiveLAB 
Organisation Wakefield Council
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution We have invited member of Wakefield Council to sit on CoSTAR Live Lab's Steering Board, EDI working group and Access Programme Working Group
Collaborator Contribution Pledged co-investment. Contribution to project Governance through senior resource allocation - 1 day per Quarter
Impact n/a
Start Year 2023
 
Description Access Programme Panel at ALT Symposium 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Panel introducing CoSTAR LiveLAB to attendees of the Production Park ALT symposium. Attended by conference attendees, including large proportion from local industry. Estimated 30 attendees.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Access Programme Shaping Workshop 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Access Programme shaping event attended by mix of partners and potential lab users and stakeholders. There was a welcome and introduction to CoSTAR LiveLab and the Access Programme with numerous activities to explore needs, barriers and opportunities for intervention
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Beyond Conference (XRNetwork+) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact BEYOND 2024 comes from MediaCity, Salford, where the last decade has seen a transformation of Greater Manchester's creative economy, now a key part of the north-west's identity. Helena Daffern Chaired a panel for XRNetwork+ at Beyond 'Immersive Technology for the Future of Live Performance'.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://beyondconference.org/#intro
 
Description Creative Catalyst Event 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Creative Catalyst: Pioneering Creative Production for the Future. Event at Production Park with 62 industry attendees. Gavin, Helena & Damian delivered presentations on CoSTAR Live Lab.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://web-eur.cvent.com/event/2f8f0a1d-8389-4bdf-8b7c-2f58ca1d6de2/summary
 
Description DCMS Staff Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Helena D on panel discussion CoStar as leading Innovation in the sector at DCMS Staff conference Wembley Stadium (This staff conference brings together over 800 colleagues in person and will be one of the biggest learning and development events the department has staged.) With Ruth Hannant, Director General for Policy at DCMS, Kate Varah, Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive of the National Ajaz Ahmed MBE, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AKQA
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Digital Catapult Meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Digital Catapult are convening meetings with major infrastructure projects around the UK to extend their existing AMP Network. This was a first test meeting, to discuss future plans
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Meeting with Anna Bramwell-Dicks 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Jon Hook Met with Anna Bramwell-Dicks and discussed support that CoSTAR can provide for her AHRC Curiosity Award to set up a Network for Sound and Music in Immersive Storytelling. We offered to run and host demos at conference in grant and support dissemination and networking of the project and network through our networks.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Meeting with The Academy for Theatre and Digitality (Theater Dortmund) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Jon Hook met with Carla Meller, Michael Eickhoff and Marcus Lobbes from Theater Dortmund to discuss potential collaboration between our centres that have related goals in different countries, as they are based in Germany.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Sarah Ellis Public Lecture 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact CoSTAR LiveLAB hosted/sponsored public lecture by Sarah Ellis from RSC. The lecture was attended by 60 in person and 84 online, with a mix of students, industry and general public.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description The York Policy Engine Meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact The York Policy Engine has funded a new research group on Creative Industries to be led by Damian Murphy; the plan is to develop a policy and evidence framework to engage the MCA in supporting this sector.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description University of York for UNESCO City of Media Arts 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Helena Daffern presented the CoSTAR project at a NEtwork Lunch as part of the UNESCO City of Media Arts Expose
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description VIP Guest Meeting at Production Park 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact "Helena and Gavin Meetings with VIP guests at PP to dicsuss potential engagement with Live Lab including Sharon Osbourne, - Ang Lee - Christopher Gray (Untold Studios / Strategic Partner)
- Matt Kavanagh (Untold Studios / Strategic Partner)
- Neil Davies (Untold Studios / Strategic Partner)
- Beth Gallagher (Amazon MGM Studios / Guest)
- Kate McCaslin (Project Manager / Guest)
- Pete Jopling (Untold Studios / Strategic Partner)
- Oisin Gilbert (Hangtime
- Frank Murray (Hi-Magnet / Hangtime)
- Lee Brooks (Hi-Magnet / Production Park)
- Phil Adlam (Hi-Magnet / Production Park)
- Ben Gervais (Hi-Magnet)
- Callum Green (Producer / Strategic Partner)"
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description West Yorkshire Careers Hub Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Delivered 4 workshops on careers in future live experience at the West Yorkshire Careers Hub Conference hosted at Production Park. 120 people attended our workshops. 53 were from employers (Wakefield, Leeds and Bradford LAs, the Bank of England, Equans, ASDA, Haribo, the DWP, Cummins Engineering, Ridley Hall legal firm, Basf, Quickline, EY, Roberston Construction, NHS, GMI Construction, Caddick Construction, Turner and Townsend and a number of SMEs.) and the remainder were representatives from schools and colleges across the region (e.g. teachers, careers advisors).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description XR Stories meeting with University of Leeds 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact The XR Stories team visited the XR facilties across various groups at UoLeeds touching upon immersive and VR design, virtual cities, and XR/Digital making. There is a general desire for future collaboration.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description York College Tomorrows World Careers Talk 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact Talk on careers in future live experience as part of York College Tomorrow's World careers event. Approximately 40 students studying a variety of courses at York College
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024