Virtual studios in television production

The ability to create realistic television environments without the need actually building them from atoms. The concept of the “virtual studio”, is set to revolutionise television production. The systems that have appeared on the market over the past year have shown what can be achieved, given large amounts of time, money and enthusiasm. The harsh reality, however, is that the provision of television production facilities is a very competitive business; any technological innovation must be able to provide savings in costs or added value in significant measure, if it is to be more than a passing novelty. The BBC contends that these advantages have not yet been realised but firmly believes they will be. This paper describes the BBC´s experience to date and hopes that this information will help others wishing to explore virtual studios