May 11: Nightsky Studios is a premier virtual production (VP) facility located in Coatbridge, just east of Glasgow. Opened in April last year and with close to 3,000m² of indoor space, the studio has quickly become a hub for high-profile productions, including shoots for HGTV American pay television channel and Scottish crime dramas. Spearheaded by founder and director, Lewis Simister, Nightsky Studios employs industry-leading Brompton Technology LED processing, expertly managed by the studio’s dedicated team.
Ben Bentley, Studio Executive at Nightsky Studios, says that Simister conceived the idea of establishing a VP facility at the onset of the global pandemic. “Lewis, Avais [Safdar, Studio Executive], and I were each involved in different sectors of the live events market. When Covid-19 led to the cancellation of live events, Lewis saw an opportunity to use his skill with large format video walls in virtual production, which was emerging as an exciting new frontier. That was the first step; the next was securing a space to accommodate it,” he explains.
As they awaited the arrival of their LED screen, the studio’s space requirements were already growing. “We started with 604m² and quickly expanded to 1600m², then 3,000m². Concurrently, we upgraded our ROE Visual Ruby 2.3 panels from 50m² to 100m² , and eventually to 150m² , all powered by Brompton’s Tessera processors,” Bentley details.
Simister emphasises the need for a high-end facility in Scotland to bring cutting-edge technology to the region. “We wanted to make the studio a desirable place to work, integrating top-notch technology to serve the Scottish film and TV industry. When we launched, we were a small team, but we quickly expanded, working with numerous freelancers to scale up,” he says.
Nightsky Studios features two sound-treated stages – one 1022m² and the other 604m² – along with a workshop space, green rooms, offices, and storage areas. The studio’s LED infrastructure includes 600 ROE Visual Ruby 2.3 panels running on Brompton 4K Tessera SX40 LED processors and Tessera XD 10G data distribution units. Tracking is facilitated by a Mo-sys Startracker system, paired with VP Pro-XR.
Explaining their choice of Brompton LED processing, Simister cites his experience with large broadcast events where Brompton 4K Tessera SX40 was used extensively, noting that with Brompton, “it’s all about their colour reproduction”.
“There’s a reason why Brompton’s competition uses LED processing software that looks similar to Brompton, and that’s because the UI of the Tessera software is really well designed,” he says. “I’ve been too many events where I have built some very large screens and then they looked terrible on camera. With film and tv, everything is colour critical and it was the attention to detail and image quality that attracted me to Brompton.”
Bentley highlights Brompton’s 24/7 technical support as another key benefit, noting, “high-end products need to come with high-end support and that’s where Brompton is invaluable.” He describes a recent event where they needed Brompton’s assistance and contacted them at nine o’clock in the evening, and the team were there to help. “This ensures we’re always operational,” he says. Simister builds on this by emphasising Brompton’s focus on colour accuracy and features like Dark Magic, Extended Bit Depth and Studio Mode ensure the image always looks perfect, regardless of lighting conditions. Additionally, these features contribute to energy efficiency by allowing screens to run at lower brightness without compromising image quality. “That’s crucial for our sustainability and operational efficiency,” he adds.
Discussing the long-term value of investing in high-end equipment, Simister recalls their recent visit to Brompton’s HQ, where they attended a presentation on the company’s new Gen 3 8K processing range. “While that was exciting, Patrick [Goodden, Technical Sales Manager (UK and Ireland) at Brompton] also explained how the company has continued to support their earlier generations of LED processors for over a decade, a commitment they plan to uphold with the SX40.” Features like Frame Remapping and ShutterSync®, which were not available when Nightsky initially purchased the equipment, have now become indispensable to the team. Simister finds it impressive how Brompton continually enhances their hardware with software updates, while maintaining long-term support.
Bentley adds that Brompton’s products, such as the 4K Tessera SX40 LED processors, have proven their durability and reliability. He praises the company’s commitment to innovation, as seen with new Tessera software features and advancements in camera settings, ensuring they benefit from ongoing development. “Investing in high-end technology like Brompton pays off,” he explains.
With the studio open to a wide variety of projects, the team is keen to talk to anyone interested in virtual production, using LED screens in any capacity, or even those who have a conceptual idea for incorporating them into their productions.
Nightsky’s LED volume can be configured to any specification, either on- or off-site, from smaller setups to as big as a 30m by 5m ‘in vision’ curved volume with full tracking capabilities and infrastructure. “One of our latest productions, ‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’, went from a 2m by 2m to a 12m by 3m and, most recently, we did a 20m by 4m with the screens fully in camera,” exclaims Bentley.
The team’s background in live events means building large-format video walls is second nature to them. They understand the cost implications of giant volumes, working closely with productions to minimise the amount of screen needed to achieve their client’s goals. This involves extensive pre-visualisation to ensure the director’s and DP’s camera angles and stylistic choices are captured. Whether that is 2D, 2.5D, or fully virtual, they build the wall to match the production’s needs rather than forcing the client to adapt to a pre-existing setup.
Highlighting Nightsky’s continued commitment to delivering exceptional live events, the company announces the acquisition of 250 sqm of Roe Vanish Air Outdoor, driven by the powerful and reliable Tessera platform, further expanding their product portfolio. Reflecting on the company’s evolving focus, Avais Safdar of Nightsky stated: “Reasserting ourselves back into Live events in addition to film and television, demands that our hardware be something that we don’t have to worry about. Brompton provides that piece of mind, ensuring that night after night, we know that we are in safe hands.” Nightsky’s investment reinforces its position as a leading innovator in Live production technology, utilising reliable hardware to ensure every event delivers a world class experience.
“Having had the pleasure of meeting Lewis, Ben, and Avais, I am thrilled to see the team doing so well and Nightsky Studios becoming one of Scotland’s key hubs for projects utilising cutting-edge virtual production technologies,” concludes Goodden. “With their many years of experience in live events industry, the team at Nightsky has successfully transferred their extensive AV skillset to the film and TV market, providing their clients with extensive experience and value.”
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