Samsung has officially entered the U.K. virtual production arms race, partnering with Twickenham Film Studios and VP specialists Quite Brilliant to build one of the largest permanent LED stages in Britain. The new installation, set inside Twickenham’s iconic Stage 3, will feature a massive 24-meter-wide back wall, a 105-square-meter LED ceiling, and a flexible system of mobile totem walls—complete with a motion control crane and a full turntable to handle dynamic in-camera VFX shoots.
The move marks Samsung’s first major LED screen build in the U.K., and only its third globally after Korea and France. At the heart of the installation is Samsung’s latest IVC 2.1 pixel pitch technology, bolstered by ARRI’s color calibration system—giving filmmakers powerful new tools to blend virtual environments with physical sets in real time. Think ultra-high refresh rates, deep black levels, and high-fidelity HDR color processing packed into a stage designed for everything from prestige features to commercial content.
Twickenham’s long-standing post-production muscle, which includes an Oscar-winning sound and picture team, gives the new LED volume a creative backbone that few virtual stages can match. For studio owner Sunny Vohra, the project is a continuation of a multi-year modernization push. “Samsung is our ideal partner,” he says. “They understand our team, our history, and our belief that technology is only half the equation—people are the other.”
Virtual production company Quite Brilliant, who took home the Advertising Producers’ Association’s ‘Best Use of Virtual Production’ award in 2023, co-designed the stage and will oversee production services. “With over 200 VP projects under our belt, this stage is designed by filmmakers for filmmakers,” said managing director Chris Chaundler.
The tech specs are as serious as the ambitions: 12,288 Hz refresh rate, 20-bit color processing, wide-gamut HDR, and Samsung’s proprietary Black Seal Technology+—all of it fine-tuned for precise on-camera performance.
Industry veterans like Kenneth Branagh, who has called Twickenham home for the past five years, welcomed the news. “This partnership reinforces Twickenham’s position for the future as a vital part of the British film industry,” he said.
Production-ready by the end of June, the new stage positions Twickenham and Samsung at the forefront of the U.K.’s rapidly evolving VP ecosystem. The stage is expected to host a range of content—from features and high-end TV to branded content and social campaigns—placing it in direct competition with other LED volumes popping up across London and the Southeast.
In a market where digital production timelines are tightening and cost-efficiency is critical, Twickenham’s new LED stage could give both studios and streamers a reason to look west of Soho.
