Racquet Studios Strategic Partnership with Video Screen Services

Racquet Studios – a new and ambitious UK virtual production facility – has revealed a brand new strategic partnership with Video Screen Services (VSS) to offer dynamic solutions for virtual productions of all types and of all sizes, bringing a touch of Hollywood to the Sussex Seaside.

Having launched in June 2023 and located in Eastbourne's prestigious Devonshire Quarter, Sussex, Racquet Studios has been rapidly evolving to cater for a range of traditional and virtual productions across its facilities.

Racquet Studios has been developed to support existing businesses and production companies through technical innovation to produce world-class creative content while creating a progressive creative economy, bringing investment, education and skilled year-round jobs to the region.

The new partnership with VSS establishes Racquet Studios as a leading force in the sector, boosting capacity with cutting-edge, specialist skills and a range of equipment to cater for all forms of virtual production. Having delivered market-leading solutions for films including The Batman, Barbie and the Marvels, VSS also provides installations for TV productions including Strictly Come Dancing and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.

Simon Skinner, Managing Director, Racquet Studios, Said: "Racquet Studios has been born from a team of passionate creative and technical experts. The facilities were brought to life in the summer after rigorous testing and training to ensure the delivery of the very best results possible in the industry right now. The partnership with VSS offers a level of technical dynamism, scalability and skill for virtual productions that rival any specialist studio, allowing us to adapt to be able to accommodate the smallest to much larger productions setups.

"We're excited to be working with Canon Europe during IBC 2023, bringing together some of the best components in the business to demonstrate the potential of virtual production for visitors this year. As a new and ambitious virtual film production team and facility, located on the South East Coast of the UK, we have worked tirelessly to ensure the highest quality results possible. Canon has been integral in this journey and we are excited to present the results of this partnership."

Shooting by the Sea
Eastbourne has a rich heritage of welcoming productions to its shores. Boasting a wide variety of physical shooting locations, the town has provided the backdrop for film & TV productions as varied as Harry Potter, James Bond, The Crown, Agatha Christie, Top Gear, Little Britain and many, many more.

The town's diverse locations include the iconic white cliffs of Beachy Head, the iconic Victorian pier and northern Europe's largest marina complex, to name but a few. These iconic locations bolster opportunities for regional hybrid productions with Racquet Studio's capacity for location scanning, pick-ups, car rigs and a range of studio-based shooting scenarios.

Working closely with Eastbourne Borough and Lewes District Councils and now Video Screen Services, Racquet Studios has been developing a dynamic virtual production facility, occupying various spaces within the traditionally theatre-based infrastructure across the Devonshire Quarter, which translates perfectly into film production. The project has been valuable in building new, year-round business in the region, which has traditionally relied on seasonal trade. The highly skilled team, which includes an excellent creative development division, and Eastbourne's hospitality, accommodation and scenery, [the facilities are 50 metres from the beach] offer an attractive alternative to more traditional studio facilities.

Adrian Offord, Managing Director, VSS, said: "We're extremely pleased to be joining forces with the team at Racquet Studios in this exciting new facility. VSS has worked at the forefront of virtual production since its inception, providing specialist skills and solutions to push the boundaries in virtual production. The VSS team are dedicated to supporting clients and designers in film and television production, whilst also helping deliver essential training and creating opportunities for the next generation of film-makers. Where better to continue this activity than with the excellent team at Racquet Studios by the Great British seaside?"

Facilities
Racquet Studios' complex comprises three main facilities with two having been designed and built during the extensive, multi-million development of Eastbourne's Devonshire Quarter. The spaces, 93' x 57' and 75' x 52' respectively, are fully sound-proofed with clean phase power and air conditioning. They have fibre & HD-SDI patching with on-site catering, showers, toilets, storage, wardrobe facilities, on-site crew and a great deal more.

Christina Ewbank, CEO of Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce, said: "We're delighted to see this exciting studio project developing in Eastbourne. The new partnership between Racquet Studios and Video Screen Services will give operators a huge amount of scope and versatility in the DQ Welcome Centre, bolstering location filming with market-leading studio and virtual production capabilities all year round. Whilst building and retaining specialist skills with highly creative jobs, we are excited to see how Racquet Studios can contribute to the UK film industry."
Facilities

Racquet Studios' complex comprises three main facilities with two having been designed and built during the extensive, multi-million development of Eastbourne's Devonshire Quarter. The spaces, 93' x 57' and 75' x 52' respectively, are fully sound-proofed with clean phase power and air conditioning. They have fibre & HD-SDI patching with on-site catering, showers, toilets, storage, wardrobe facilities, on-site crew and a great deal more.

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