Realtime Lab
The Realtime Lab pioneers new frontiers in real-time technology and virtual production, pushing the boundaries of creativity in gaming, film, and animation.
With state-of-the-art studio facilities in Dundee and Edinburgh, the Realtime Lab is a collaborative space for industry leaders, creative visionaries, and researchers to explore virtual production. Looking at the integration of real-time and AI technologies, this lab is a hub for experimenting with dynamic interactive experiences.
- Where
- Water Edge, Dundee First Stage Studios, Edinburgh
- Led by
- Abertay University
- Partners
- The University of Edinburgh Chroma Developments CodeBase Interface
Meet our Realtime Partners
how it works at realtime lab
Areas of exptertise
The Realtime Lab team is based at Abertay University and the University of Edinburgh, working in collaboration to advance immersive and real-time technologies for the UK’s creative industries. Abertay University brings its world-leading expertise in gaming, interactive entertainment, and digital technology while Edinburgh has a global reputation in film, television and animation production, as well as excellence in machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Funding and Support
We will be involved in Access Programmes focusing on either Enterprise and Commercialisation (E&C) or Prototyping and pilots Programme (PPP). E&C supports early growth businesses and startups with a series of development programmes and PPP invites innovators to apply for funding for specific project opportunities. The Access Programmes are run by the CoSTAR National Lab and can be accessed from any of our labs across the UK.
Facilities
The Realtime Lab is a space where creativity and cutting-edge technology come together. Offering access to state-of-the-art facilities, along with funding and expertise for research & development, the lab helps creative organisations to explore the potential of virtual production and real-time technology. Get in touch to discuss how you can work with us to experiment, collaborate and bring bold ideas to life.
CALLS ARE OPEN — APPLY FOR ACCESS PROGRAMMES
Our funding programmes are delivered through each of the CoSTAR Network labs. For more information go to Funding & Support
CoSTAR Live Lab Call: New Frontiers for Live Performance
Call in 26 days
CoSTAR Ideate: Growth Lab and Residency
Call in 1 day
CoSTAR Realtime Lab Call: Coming Soon
Call in 22 daysMeet our partners at Realtime Lab
People at Realtime Lab
Professor Gregor White is Chair of Applied Creativity in the Faculty of Design, Informatics and Business at Abertay University in Dundee. A leader in digital interactive entertainment, Gregor has secured over £40 million to establish innovation centres like InGAME and Abertay cyberQuarter. He is also a key contributor to the CoSTAR network, advancing research in creative technologies and fostering collaborations that shape the future of the creative industries.
Melissa Terras MBE FREng is Professor of Digital Cultural Heritage at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in the digitisation, mining, and analysis of cultural heritage, and using them to build award-winning digital products and services. A leader in the field of Digital Humanities, she has secured over £55m in research funding. Terras was Director of Creative Informatics, the Edinburgh based AHRC Creative Cluster supporting innovation in creative and cultural contexts, and is a founding Director of Transkribus, the AI-powered platform for text recognition of historical documents.
Dr Andrea McSwan has 25+ years in the film, tv and architectural industries, as head creative designer and project lead. She is best known for inventiveness, synthesis of ideas and getting technically complex and creative projects over the line. Winning a BAFTA scholarship at the National Film & Television School, Andrea began in industry on the feature film Judge Dredd and in TV on Pie in the Sky III and more recently, being the concept artist on the Scottish TV drama Outlander. Her PhD, in 2022, explored the perceptual-experiences of artists with sight loss, through an animated film, created and viewed in VR. Joining Abertay University in 2023, as a thematic analysis Research Fellow on the UK-China games industry, R&D project InGAME International, Andrea is now the CoSTAR Realtime Virtual Production Lab manager at Abertay University; which places R&D side-by-side with commercial virtual film production.
Professor Gregor White is Chair of Applied Creativity in the Faculty of Design, Informatics and Business at Abertay University in Dundee. A leader in digital interactive entertainment, Gregor has secured over £40 million to establish innovation centres like InGAME and Abertay cyberQuarter. He is also a key contributor to the CoSTAR network, advancing research in creative technologies and fostering collaborations that shape the future of the creative industries.
Melissa Terras MBE FREng is Professor of Digital Cultural Heritage at the University of Edinburgh, specialising in the digitisation, mining, and analysis of cultural heritage, and using them to build award-winning digital products and services. A leader in the field of Digital Humanities, she has secured over £55m in research funding. Terras was Director of Creative Informatics, the Edinburgh based AHRC Creative Cluster supporting innovation in creative and cultural contexts, and is a founding Director of Transkribus, the AI-powered platform for text recognition of historical documents.
Dr Andrea McSwan has 25+ years in the film, tv and architectural industries, as head creative designer and project lead. She is best known for inventiveness, synthesis of ideas and getting technically complex and creative projects over the line. Winning a BAFTA scholarship at the National Film & Television School, Andrea began in industry on the feature film Judge Dredd and in TV on Pie in the Sky III and more recently, being the concept artist on the Scottish TV drama Outlander. Her PhD, in 2022, explored the perceptual-experiences of artists with sight loss, through an animated film, created and viewed in VR. Joining Abertay University in 2023, as a thematic analysis Research Fellow on the UK-China games industry, R&D project InGAME International, Andrea is now the CoSTAR Realtime Virtual Production Lab manager at Abertay University; which places R&D side-by-side with commercial virtual film production.