South African filmmakers behind some of the continent’s most ambitious films and TV shows in recent years (Shadow, Dead Places, Office Invasion, In Your Dreams and The Nowhere Man for the likes of Netflix, Canal+, Prime Video, AMC and Starz) have this month opened the Motion Story Studio – a sophisticated virtual production hub in the heart of Johannesburg.

Located in Randburg, the studio features a 64 square metre, state-of-the-art LED Volume with an ultra-fine 1.9mm pixel pitch, premium audio systems, advanced lighting infrastructure and a comprehensive range of professional grade cameras, offering filmmakers, broadcasters, agencies, corporates and brands a world-class environment in which to create content.

However, the technology is only part of the offering

Unlike many virtual production environments that are run by technicians and simply hired out, the Motion Story Studio is operated by the same technical and creative team that has produced Netflix Originals and number 1 ranked TV shows in the United States. Which means they are able to collaborate with clients throughout the entire production process – from concept and scripting to pre-production, directing, virtual production, post-production and final delivery.

“What makes us different is that you’re not simply hiring a virtual production studio – unless that’s your preference, of course. You’re working alongside top filmmakers who have successfully delivered premium productions to some of the world’s biggest broadcasters and streaming platforms,” says Motion Story’s co-owner and creative head, Gareth Crocker. “From A to Z, we know exactly what it takes to put a production together.”

The studio has been designed to support an extensive range of productions, including feature films, television series, commercials, music videos, micro-dramas, podcasts, product launches, corporate presentations, virtual events and live-streams. Individual elements, like shooting car scenes for example, are also perfect for the Volume.

By combining photorealistic digital environments with real-time virtual production technology (incorporating Unreal Engine and the Mo-Sys StarTracker system), filmmakers can create almost any location imaginable. Productions benefit from dramatically reduced travel costs, zero weather delays, smaller crews, more efficient production schedules and greater creative control.

For brands and corporate clients, the facility offers an opportunity to create visually striking campaigns and adverts, presentations and live events without the logistical complexity and expense traditionally associated with large-scale productions.

“Another reason why we built the studio is to create a safer environment for crews to work in. Over the years, so many production companies have fallen victim to crime while shooting out on location. It’s reassuring to know that your team is safe while the cameras are rolling. It also means that exhausting and freezing late night shoots can be a thing of the past. In the virtual world, the difference between night and day is a few mouse clicks away. Digital environments are also fully customizable. Want the moon bigger? Extra trees on the horizon? Shooting stars? It’s all possible on the Volume,” explains Fred Wolmarans and Nick Keulemans, joint heads of the studio.

“In essence, we’ve created a highly imaginative production hub in the heart of Johannesburg where filmmakers, companies and agencies can collaborate with experienced storytellers to produce world-class content without breaking the bank,” says Motion Story Studio CEO, Phillip Wolmarans. “And hopefully have some real fun in the process.”

Take a look inside the studio here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK06H1U1eTo&t=89s