Rock Shore Completes Installation Of XR Studio

Video production company now offers revolutionary system providing enhanced and “all-encompassing environment” which substantially improves production quality and retains projects locally.

BALTIMORE, MD (February 15, 2022) – Baltimore County-based video production company Rock Shore has completed installation of its state-of-the-art XR LED Studio within its enlarged production space at Caton Research Center in Baltimore County and is now accepting bookings. The technology provides an “all-encompassing environment” which substantially improves production quality, reduces or totally eliminates travel time and expenses needed for off-location shooting, and is designed to retain more projects in the Baltimore area. Last year, the company of eight video professionals leased 6,000 square feet of additional space at its location at 3918 Vero Road to accommodate the new studio.

“After considerable research, we invested in this new technology in an effort to significantly elevate the video production quality and bring it on par to facilities available in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta,” explained Rock Shore Media Founder Nate Brubaker. “The production possibilities are nearly endless with the XR Studio and, most importantly, local creative agencies and companies will no longer have to travel out of town to access the highest quality equipment and processes. This will have a trickle-down effect that will positively impact Baltimore area talent, vendors, camera and lighting rental companies, food service groups, and the hospitality industry as we intend to also attract out-of-state business to our location. We have the energy, will, industry expertise, and technology to out-perform the most highly regarded production studios in the country and make Baltimore the preferred shooting and production location on the East Coast.” 

“Rock Shore's expansion and investment in a state of the art XR LED wall is a great addition to Maryland's Film and Television Industry.  Having technology such as this available in Maryland will not only enhance local productions, but attract productions from elsewhere to our State.” - Jack Gerbes, Director, Maryland Film Office

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The XR Studio technology is differentiated by its ability to replicate realistic environments which significantly benefits cinematographers, directors, talent, agencies and clients during the production process. “In the past, we relied on post-production activities to complete the artistic project because, with only a green screen background to work with, we were extremely limited to what the cameras could capture,” Brubaker said. “We can save considerable time and achieve a higher quality final product with XR given our ability to choose the perfect background and environment before we capture the actual content. The process is similar to systems currently being used by the larger movie studios for projects such as Disney’s The Mandalorian.

XR Studio dramatically improves the finished product and saves money.

“What makes XR Studio truly different is the process in which actors are placed in a virtual environment where they can visually see, sense and respond to their surroundings. Everything feels more realistic for the talent and elevates the final product. From a production perspective, backgrounds can be instantaneously interchanged with the touch of a button meaning, by way of example, a scene on a sunny beach in the Caribbean can be quickly transformed to a snowy mountaintop in the Swiss Alps. Elements that previously were added in the post-production phase are now part of the actual filming which eliminates this step, saves money and provides more realism.”

“We’ve created a customized pipeline with focus on creativity and scalability to accommodate a wide range of content from traditional 2D to full scale virtual productions and XR.” - Adrien Oneiga, Director, Virtual Production 

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In January, Rock Shore spent a few days using their new technology to produce a sneak peek of what clients can expect when using the LED Wall. Within three days, the team was able to film in Southeast Asia, a California forest, the Wyoming landscape, and various apartment and office buildings. 

Rock Shore Media’s recent expansion encompasses two separate studios within its single-story flex/R&D building in Baltimore County. The first studio contains a 30’L x 12’H Unreal Engine LED Wall with a 142.5-degree curve. The second studio is outfitted with a 45’L x 24’D 15.5’H White Cyclorama. Each studio is equipped with ceiling rigging for lighting and substantial power for various production applications. This is now the only video production technology of its kind available in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. region.

Mission to substantially elevate production capabilities and drive more business to local vendors.

“When making this investment, we had the greater Baltimore video production community in mind and we wanted to do something that would impact multiple stakeholders, not just ourselves,” Brubaker added.

“Until now, advertising agencies and companies interested in this type of system needed to travel out of town to access this technology. Our space at Caton Research Center is strategically located on major highways, with BWI Airport less than 10 miles away. Everything from transportation to rental equipment to hotel rooms to food is less expensive in the Baltimore area as compared to New York City and Los Angeles. And now, the video production quality will equal or exceed what is available in those markets.”

“This technology represents the future of our industry and we intend to be leaders, not followers,” he explained.

Rock Shore has produced video content for organizations such as Johns Hopkins University, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and United Way of Central Maryland.

For additional information, visit www.rockshoremedia.com/studio