Tim Moore, founder of Tampa-based Diamond View Studios, does not want to compete with other local film studios in the region.
Thanks to a major investment in new technology very few competitors have, he wants to bolster Tampa Bay's standing so it can compete with major digital media and film hubs nationally.
"There used to be these old Hollywood hubs — L.A. was a big stage, New York," Moore said. "But you saw it quickly turn to whatever city would give studios incentives. This technology is so innovative it has the real possibility of making the region part of the conversation; this could make Tampa known for virtual production."
Diamond View Studios previously invested in a London-made robot in June that brings precision camera movement to productions, which Moore said is "faster than the speed of gravity."
Now, the startup has expanded its efforts and launched the Vu Studio, a 10,000 square-foot virtual production studio in the University Mall. The new studio houses LED Volume, or curved LED screens placed in an enclosed space meant to replace green screens. He declined to disclose the amount of the investment, but repeatedly referred to the technology as costly (go inside the studio in the photo gallery above).
"The main gist of this is it's the right time, right place and new technology," Moore said. "You saw a similar thing happen when cameras went from tape-based to digital. You had early adopters, and the early adopters got so far ahead of the pack. Studios are now going digital and with this photorealistic environment, I don't think anyone will go back to green paint on the walls. It will take a bit for the rest for the world to go online; the costs are expensive now, but it will go down."
Moore's bet on early adoption has begun to pay off. Diamond View has signed contracts with Jack Daniels and Mercedes Benz, eyeing similarly large name clients for 2021.
"That's how we realized we can be competitive; clients can choose anywhere in the world but they shoot with us because we have these exclusive technologies," Moore said. "When someone searches for the LED Volume, it's so limited we're automatically in the race. All the productions we've done have been international or out-of-state; it's attracting people to the region."
And despite the unknown trajectory of the coronavirus pandemic, Moore believes the new digital-focused production technology will be needed more than ever.
"One thing that has been good is ever since Covid came around, revenue has increased," he said. "We're a tech based industry and some places are looking for alternatives. There is uncertainty with any live event and to have a digital alternative is a great thing. If you can't do a half time show you can come into our volume studio."
Moore hopes to use the studio's success to boost the region as a whole, particularly young digital production talent. Diamond View has already partnered with the University of Tampa and begun talks with nearby University of South Florida on skills training.
"Being right next to a university, there's a robust talent pipeline," he said. "That's something we're really excited about. Virtual production is so new and there is no accredited curriculum. With university partnerships, we're looking to make training facilities. We need people to know how to [work with the technology] and they need to learn how to do it."
