High-tech sound stage a boon for film industry

State-of-the-art sound stage technology is on its way to Saskatchewan, and the Saskatchewan Media Production Industry Association (SMPIA) sees it changing the industry for the better.

John Hopkins Soundstage in Regina will soon be home to a stateof-the-art Volume LED stage, which allows filmmakers to create a virtual but immersive set without the use of green screens for major film and television production.

The cutting-edge tech from Volume Global will be used first by the upcoming television series King of Killers, from Karma Studios, the first major film project happening in Saskatchewan in nearly a decade.

The show is one of several projects selected in the first delivery of the provincial Feature Film and TV Production Grant, doled out by Creative Saskatchewan in August and later topped up with more funding in October.

SMPIA president Ken Alecxe said the addition of a virtual stage will be a major boost for film production in Saskatchewan, and an “add-on for what our industry will be able to do.”

“People are looking for virtual production and Led-wall capacity, and they'll be looking here,” Alecxe said.

LED stages are relatively new to the world of film production, most notably used by media giants like Disney for shows including The Mandalorian and The Batman.

The stage is made up of LED light-bars, monitors and connected computer tech, and uses CGI and real-time visual effects to virtually replicate any setting or atmosphere desired.

Paired with physical sets and props and actors the result is “absolutely amazing,” said Alecxe.

“You can take any footage you have collected from around the world, load it up and the actors will be right in that environment — you cannot tell the difference from the real thing.”

A pair of kickoff events to welcome the tech took place in Regina and Saskatoon last weekend, putting out a call for potential crew interested in learning how to work the stage directly from Volume Global and film experts.

With $17 million invested into film production from the provincial government this year, Saskatchewan has a multitude of projects on the horizon.

For SMPIA, Alecxe said that means now is critical to look at increasing training for seasoned and up-and-coming crew to take advantage of the opportunity.

“We have a lot of activity and a long queue of people looking for sound stage tech and particularly looking for crew,” he said.