Leading sports TV producer in the German-speaking region PLAZAMEDIA GmbH has partnered with the renowned Madrid-based MR Factory to drive developments in virtual production. The partnership was announced at IBC2024 in Amsterdam, with the aim to open the market for virtual production in German-speaking regions and beyond.
PLAZAMEDIA operates a unique Virtual Production Campus at its headquarters in Ismaning which includes the XR LED volume briX|woRk.studio, the ILLUSIONEER studio and a large bluescreen studio. MR Factory is a leading technology driver in the field of virtual production and specialises in the integration of advanced technical components that enable flexible and cost-efficient, high-quality production processes in the virtual space.

PLAZAMEDIA’s studios are designed for daily live TV operations and also offer the highest quality standards for film, advertising and industrial productions. The studios are equipped with solid real-time graphics technology, tracking systems and render blades, and enable the highly flexible use of virtual stages, hybrid studios with virtual set extensions and extended reality (XR). The virtual studios complement PLAZAMEDIA’s film and television studios and are fully integrated into the existing technical infrastructure.
As part of this partnership, there will be an intensive knowledge transfer between PLAZAMEDIA and MR Factory to further accelerate the development of the virtual production market, with PLAZAMEDIA adopting MR Factory’s specialised processes and workflows for the serial capture of real spaces, including photography, scanning and measurement, in order to convert them into high-quality 3D scenes in Unreal Engine.

The collaboration opens the door to state-of-the-art virtual production techniques for agencies, production companies and existing PLAZAMEDIA customers – including the possibility of replacing filming in elaborate locations using virtual production in a controlled studio environment. All factors such as lighting mood, weather and set design can be precisely controlled. The partnership also aims to opens up new creative possibilities for producers, writers and directors while reducing cost compared to traditional production methods.
Oscar Olarte, CEO of MR Factory said: “Today’s advancements in virtual production technology offer unmatched efficiency and reliability without sacrificing quality, creativity, or speed. With PLAZAMEDIA’s strong legacy of innovation and commitment to quality, they are the perfect partner to support our strategy of integrating diverse technologies and components to push the boundaries of virtual production and drive continuous innovation in creating cutting-edge, immersive experiences for the media and entertainment industry.“

Jens Friedrichs, Chairman of the Management Board of PLAZAMEDIA GmbH added: “Together with MR Factory, we are taking the logical next step in the field of virtual production. We are contributing our wide-ranging production experience in the areas of film, TV, advertising and events as well as our market position and customer access in German-speaking countries… We are convinced that this partnership will set new standards in virtual production.”
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