ITV Studios expands virtual production for flagship daytime shows

ITV Studios has expanded the virtual production capabilities of its daytime broadcast studios for three flagship shows, Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women. 

It has worked with production innovation consultancy xplor on the development, which sees the introduction of camera tracking technology to enable virtual environments to extend beyond the physical LED installation that was already in place.

The enhancement makes it possible for production teams to create extended virtual scenery that responds dynamically to camera movement. As cameras move through the studio, virtual elements can now continue beyond the LED walls into areas such as the ceiling, creating an environment which looks more realistic for the audience.

Phil Adlam, head of xplor says: “When we started working with ITV Studios at the very start of this project, the original brief was never simply to install technology, it was to create a production framework that could evolve over time as virtual production tools and operational requirements developed. We identified early on that the ability to extend virtual environments beyond our initial LED deployment would be vital. Seeing that capability now being introduced demonstrates the value of designing for future flexibility rather than focusing solely on immediate production requirements.  Now partnering with the ITV innovation hub, we’re helping develop the next steps, with some game changing approaches coming down the line for broadcast, TV and film.”

Alice Gairdner, head of production, ITV Daytime, adds: “When we developed the new daytime production model, we knew the initial launch would only be the beginning of the studio’s evolution. The introduction of camera tracking and extended virtual environments is an important next step because it allows us to explore new creative possibilities while continuing to operate within the practical demands of live broadcast production.”

Tim Guilder, head of production technology, ITV Studios, said: “One of the reasons we partnered with xplor was their ability to look beyond an immediate technical requirement and consider how a production environment might develop over time. From the outset, discussions focused not only on delivering a working solution for today’s programmes, but also on creating a platform that could support future virtual production opportunities. The addition of camera tracking capability reflects that original thinking. By building scalability into the foundational design, we have been able to introduce new functionality without fundamentally redesigning the studio environment, giving production teams greater flexibility as the technology continues to mature.”