Pixotope adds initiative to nurture virtual production talent

Pixotope has launched a collegiate-level educational and community-building initiative, the Pixotope Education Program (PEP), to help nurture the next generation of virtual production talent.

Developed as a response to the limited talent pool, the PEP provides access to the software and tools that drive virtual production, while connecting educators to experts from Pixotope’s global community, who can add breadth, depth and context to different curriculums.

The PEP does not try to shoehorn all educators, courses and students into one learning path and instead evaluates the requirements and connects them to the tools and expertise they need. By putting the tools in the hands of students, they will be able to experiment and develop their skills with industry-standard technology.

Pixotope is joining forces with a diverse group of vendors, creative agencies and suppliers to provide further access to tools and expertise. The partnerships in the PEP give graduating students a path into various aspects of the industry, while also providing those partners with a talent pool from which to recruit.

Carina Schoo, Pixotope’s education programme manager, said: “In speaking with our customers and partners, a lack of available virtual production talent is often named as the number-one barrier to entry. We’ve reached the point where the technology is mature, but we’re lacking a robust talent pool that can leverage that technology – and that’s where the PEP comes in. With its launch, we’re reaffirming our commitment to making virtual production accessible to all media producers, starting by building out the talent pipeline.”

The PEP, which will be led by Schoo, goes beyond product academies by collaborating with educators to develop robust curriculums that address the realities of on-set real-time virtual production. “Globally, colleges and universities struggle to develop timely curriculums that map back to the real world because the technology and workflows are evolving so quickly,” she added. “The PEP addresses this by connecting educators with Pixotope’s network of partners and customers, to hone in on what skills are most needed from the next generation of talent.”

PEP partner Kevin Cooney, the founder and creative director of UK virtual production studio The Level, said: “Unlike traditional production workflows, there isn’t a vast 20-year archive of virtual production knowledge for us to fall back on. The industry is moving at such a rapid pace that it’s difficult to find talent who can creatively problem solve. We can build as many virtual production studios as we want, but without the creative talent behind them, we’re at a massive disadvantage.”

The PEP is open to all educational establishments offering programmes and courses where virtual production skills and knowledge can be leveraged.

Visitors to next month’s IBC2022 event in Amsterdam can find out more about the PEP from Schoo.

To learn more about how to join the PEP, click here.