Virtual production has shifted from a forward-thinking novelty to a core production method across film, advertising, and branded content. With ongoing advancements in real-time engines, AI, and sustainable technology, 2025 is shaping up to be a defining year. The growth isn’t just technical—it’s cultural, creative, and commercial.
The Acceleration of LED Volume Use
Cost-efficiency at scale
Once reserved for blockbuster budgets, LED volumes are becoming more attainable. Studio owners and production companies are investing in modular LED setups that scale with project scope. Rather than booking traditional sound stages and relying on green screen work, producers are building immersive virtual scenes in real-time—cutting location costs without compromising quality. The repeatability of virtual scenes also reduces logistical unpredictability, particularly for commercials with short lead times or recurring seasonal campaigns.
Expansion beyond big-budget productions
TV drama, fashion films, and corporate campaigns are entering the virtual space. A growing pool of freelancers now have experience with volume shooting, reducing the learning curve for crews. Production teams that once relied on location scouts now use digital location libraries and 3D scene layouts. The tech is maturing, but more importantly, so is the workforce. This levelling up means mid-range budgets can access high-end visuals once exclusive to Hollywood.
Increased demand for adaptable studio spaces
Studios designed for traditional filming are being reconfigured—or rebuilt entirely—to accommodate LED volumes, motion tracking, and live compositing. As demand surges, flexibility becomes the key draw. Spaces that offer both dry hire for independent teams and full-service production support are filling bookings months in advance. This has opened the door for regionally based facilities outside London to attract national campaigns looking for faster turnaround and reduced travel.
Real-Time Rendering and AI Integration
Smarter pipelines with AI-assisted workflows
Render bottlenecks have long plagued CG-heavy productions. But now, AI is being used to pre-optimise assets before real-time playback. In 2025, virtual production pipelines benefit from AI’s ability to predict frame load, adjust lighting calculations on the fly, and identify asset inefficiencies before they hit render. This streamlines every step, from previsualisation to final comp.
Predictive rendering for time savings
Beyond automation, predictive rendering is changing how teams budget time. By simulating lighting, environment, and animation changes before shoot day, producers can reduce on-set guesswork. Schedules tighten without added pressure, and directors can test creative ideas earlier in the process. It’s not just about speed—it’s about confidence during every stage of production.
AI-enhanced VFX and post-production
AI tools are now supporting post-production tasks with impressive accuracy. Rotoscoping, background cleanup, and frame interpolation are increasingly handled by neural networks. While final polish still requires a human eye, the volume of manual work has dropped. This gives artists more time to focus on visual storytelling and iteration rather than clean-up and labour-intensive frame matching.
Sustainability as a Standard
Virtual sets replacing physical travel
The environmental gains of virtual production are no longer hypothetical. In 2025, studios are actively replacing physical location shoots with virtual environments, reducing the need for crew flights, cargo, and on-site builds. When a forest, cityscape, or winter scene can be rendered in real time, the emissions tied to physical logistics drop significantly. Brands looking to meet sustainability pledges now factor this into their campaign planning.
Energy-efficient studio designs
New facilities are being built with sustainability in mind—LED stages powered by renewable energy, optimised HVAC systems, and intelligent lighting rigs are becoming the norm. In some cases, studios are even repurposing disused industrial buildings, reducing the environmental cost of new builds. Efficiency isn’t just in the production—it’s baked into the architecture.
Demand for carbon tracking and reporting
Brands and broadcasters are asking for clear data to back up sustainability claims. As a result, studios are integrating carbon tracking software into their workflows. This allows producers to report on energy use, travel emissions avoided, and equipment efficiency. Transparency is fast becoming a competitive edge, especially when pitching to agencies with green policies.
Remote Collaboration Goes Mainstream
Cloud-powered virtual art departments
Creative teams no longer need to be in the same city—or even country—to build out a virtual scene. Cloud-based platforms now allow for collaborative worldbuilding in real time. Directors can walk through digital environments while art directors tweak textures, lighting, or layout remotely. It’s creative iteration without the cost of physical preproduction.
Live feedback during production stages
Remote contribution doesn’t stop at prep. During shoots, collaborators can now provide feedback live, viewing the LED wall feed through high-speed cloud links. Producers, clients, and post teams can all access the same real-time environment and suggest changes instantly. This shortens approval cycles and reduces the need for reshoots.
Cross-continental production without compromise
It’s now feasible for a DOP in LA, a client in Amsterdam, and a director in Manchester to collaborate seamlessly. With synchronised tools and reliable latency, creative decisions happen faster and smoother. Teams are no longer split by geography, but connected by shared virtual space.
Democratisation of Virtual Production
Toolkits built for indie filmmakers
2025 sees more affordable toolkits entering the market—streamlined versions of virtual production setups designed for smaller crews. Whether through mobile LED walls, low-cost tracking kits, or prebuilt Unreal Engine templates, indie teams now have access to tools that would’ve been out of reach two years ago. This shift opens creative freedom for storytellers previously priced out of the tech.
Affordable volumetric capture options
Volumetric capture, once reliant on large rigs and multiple studio bookings, is becoming portable. Compact sensor arrays and software-driven processing have brought down the barrier to entry. This is particularly relevant in music videos, fashion films, and live performance content, where movement and 3D capture intersect.
Rise of community-led asset libraries
The open-source movement in 3D design has gained real traction. Communities are now contributing to expansive asset libraries where creators can download, customise, and repurpose scenes or objects at minimal cost. Combined with AI-generated assets, this accelerates production while maintaining visual fidelity.
The Role of Photorealism and Immersion
Advances in camera tracking precision
High-end visuals demand high-end tracking. New developments in hybrid tracking systems—using both optical and inertial data—have closed the gap between physical camera motion and digital response. The result is more believable movement and smoother integration between foreground action and virtual backgrounds.
Realistic lighting using Lidar and photogrammetry
By capturing real-world environments in granular detail, teams are now building scenes that respond naturally to lighting changes. Lidar and photogrammetry provide not just texture, but spatial intelligence. This enhances everything from shadow casting to light bounce, giving directors greater control over tone and atmosphere.
Blurring the line between real and virtual sets
When shot planning, camera movement, and lighting all align, the distinction between real and virtual becomes irrelevant. For the viewer, the illusion holds. In 2025, that illusion is being reinforced by better integration—not only technically, but artistically. It’s not just about what looks real, it’s about what feels real.
How Brands Are Embracing Virtual Production
Campaigns using Unreal Engine for real-time brand storytelling
Brands are no longer waiting until post-production to see their stories unfold. Using Unreal Engine in virtual production pipelines, they’re shaping environments, camera angles, and lighting live on set. This not only saves time but enhances creative control. With immediate playback, decision-making is faster and more confident. Campaigns from sectors like automotive, fashion, and tech are increasingly using these capabilities to build immersive worlds tailored to the brand’s aesthetic.
Interactive social content built in XR
XR content—particularly for platforms like TikTok and Instagram—is becoming more ambitious. Virtual production allows teams to shoot dynamic, stylised content in studio-controlled environments while offering the flexibility to iterate and adapt on the fly. Influencer partnerships, product demos, and AR-enhanced narratives are now part of the standard toolkit, blending real-time visuals with post-produced polish.
Greater creative control and shorter turnaround times
Tight timelines are no longer a limitation. Virtual production empowers creative leads to adapt in-session, trial multiple scene options, and approve visuals without needing traditional dailies or back-and-forth edits. This speed doesn’t compromise quality. Instead, it refocuses production energy on refinement rather than correction.
Virtual production is no longer a specialised technique—it’s a new standard for modern content. From LED volumes to AI-assisted workflows, the changes happening in 2025 point towards a future that’s more accessible, more efficient, and more creatively open. Whether for global brands or independent studios, the tools now exist to deliver high-end content without the barriers of cost, geography, or time.
The Growth of Virtual Production Talent
Wider training opportunities across the UK
Virtual production skills are no longer concentrated in major cities. Regional training programmes, accelerated by partnerships between studios and academic institutions, are producing a new wave of technicians, artists, and operators. These are individuals already fluent in game engines, 3D environments, and multi-discipline workflows. As a result, the hiring pool is both broader and more specialised.
Studios that invest in training often do so with in-house mentorships or cross-discipline workshops. A camera assistant might upskill into tracking, while an art director learns scene layout in Unreal Engine. This agility supports tighter crew structures and fosters a culture of shared understanding across departments.
New hybrid roles in production teams
2025 brings an expansion of hybrid roles—production designers who code, DOPs who understand live compositing, and VFX artists who work directly on set. The traditional production pipeline is compressing, and with it, job descriptions are evolving. The most successful projects are often led by teams who blur the boundaries between pre-production, shoot, and post.
Freelancer access to advanced tech
Freelancers are gaining access to tools once limited to large studios. Subscription-based platforms now offer remote access to scene planning software, cloud rendering, and collaborative workspaces. Virtual production is becoming more decentralised, and with that shift comes increased opportunity for solo creatives and small teams to pitch for work on high-profile campaigns.
Integration with Traditional Production Workflows
Hybrid shoots for maximum flexibility
Many productions in 2025 use a hybrid model—combining physical sets with virtual backdrops or transitions. This approach allows directors to keep tactile elements where needed while streamlining background replacements. For instance, a commercial shoot might use a real prop or product table, framed against a photoreal digital cityscape. The line between physical and virtual is blurred deliberately for creative effect.
On-set visualisation driving real-time decision-making
Directors and clients can now see the final shot while filming, rather than waiting for post. This visualisation affects everything from framing and lighting to performance direction. A scene might look entirely different once the environment and lighting are properly composited, so being able to adjust on the fly is invaluable.
Fewer reshoots, faster post workflows
Virtual production allows for cleaner data capture on set, reducing errors that often require reshoots. Lighting and tracking data, when recorded properly, simplifies post-production handoff. Scenes are already partially comped and lit during filming, so post teams spend less time rebuilding and more time enhancing. Deadlines are met more reliably as a result.
Hardware Innovations Driving the Industry
Portable LED rigs for small-scale shoots
While full-scale LED volumes remain a major investment, portable LED walls are gaining traction. These compact setups can be deployed in tight spaces and are ideal for product shoots, interviews, or branded social content. They retain the benefits of dynamic backgrounds without the complexity of large stages.
Higher refresh rates and improved colour accuracy
Advances in LED panel technology mean cleaner, sharper images captured in camera. New panels boast refresh rates that align better with high-speed filming and colour reproduction accurate enough to reduce grading time. This contributes directly to improved production values, particularly on tight turnarounds.
Seamless integration with camera tracking systems
Tracking systems are also seeing refinement, with markers becoming less intrusive and calibration times dropping. New software can auto-correct for lens distortion and parallax errors, letting operators focus on creative framing rather than technical troubleshooting. These improvements reduce friction and lower the barrier to entry for new users.
What’s Next for Virtual Production in the UK?
A push for standardisation and industry-wide benchmarks
As adoption grows, so does the need for clearer production standards. Virtual production currently operates with varied workflows depending on studio, software, and crew experience. Industry bodies and creative councils are now collaborating to establish best-practice benchmarks, ensuring smoother cross-project collaboration and consistent quality. These standards are especially important for broadcasters and agencies managing multi-vendor campaigns.
The goal isn’t to restrict creative freedom—it’s to reduce production risk. Clear guidelines on LED panel calibration, colour pipeline management, and on-set data capture can avoid delays and costly revisions.
Greater collaboration between tech developers and creatives
Game engine developers, hardware manufacturers, and creative studios are working more closely than ever. Updates to real-time engines are now directly influenced by filmmakers and DOPs who need specific controls and workflows on set. It’s a feedback loop that benefits both sides. Creatives get tools built around their needs, and developers benefit from seeing their tech applied at the highest level.
This collaboration is speeding up progress in areas like virtual camera systems, environment triggers, and adaptive lighting setups. The tech is being shaped not just by engineers, but by the demands of real productions.
Virtual production in live events and broadcast
While film and advertising remain core markets, virtual production is making serious inroads into live events and television. Broadcasters are turning to real-time sets for talk shows, sports analysis, and live news segments. The ability to change environments without building physical sets adds agility in fast-paced broadcast schedules.
In events, XR stages and live compositing allow for hybrid physical-virtual performances. Artists, speakers, and presenters can interact with virtual content in real time, transforming how audiences engage. Expect more music performances, brand activations, and conferences to lean on these technologies in the coming year.
With the continued expansion of virtual production, the question is no longer whether it’s the future of content creation—it’s how widely it will be used, and how quickly teams can adapt. In 2025, the technology is not just powerful, it’s practical. It’s being used by brands, studios, agencies, and independent creators to unlock faster, cleaner, more flexible production. The trend is clear: this is no longer a niche—it's the new normal.