A new state-of-the-art production facility at a Bournemouth media agency has been labelled “awesome” and having a real “wow” factor.

Top Cat Media Group’s creative quarter studio already boasted full green screen facilities and an infinity cove and set-up for product photography and video.

But now the company, which has just celebrated its eighth birthday, has installed a 100-panel curved, interactive LED video wall which can serve as a high-tech backdrop for live and pre-recorded programming.

The new set-up, worth over six figures, was supplied by Bournemouth-based PEP-LED.

In addition to energy-saving LED lighting and robotic cameras, the studio also features a powerful edit suite capable of 8K post-production.

Top Cat Media Group now plans to bring the facility to commercial markets.

Ross Taylor, Founder and Managing Director, pictured right, said: “When I launched Top Cat Media it was a real struggle to get anyone to let us shoot a video for them, let alone produce content using technology like this.

“Look how much that has changed over the years.

“We have always been early adopters of forward tech and the investment in this will allow us to continue to be the market leaders in this space.

“We were the first media agency to build our very own integrated studio in-house a few years back.

“While there are a small number of film production companies across the UK to have something similar, we are again the first agency to have this allowing us to extend the opportunity to the commercial space like never before.

“That’s really quite something.

“This will raise the level of content curated for our clients including anything from TV ads, digital content, video podcasts and much, much more and naturally help ad campaign performance and the returns generated thereafter, something we are all very excited about.”

Daniel Butler, Creative Director, said rear projection wasn’t new and had been used in films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey.

But, he added: “What is new is the ability to change what’s being shown on the screens, in the moment, at a whim, reactively and responsively.

“At Top Cat we’ve put a premium on being early adopters of multimedia trends, as evidenced by pivoting to video when it was still an educational pitch, pioneering in the targeted TV space, and virtual production since 2020.

“Using photorealistic 3d software like Epic’s Unreal Engine, we’re able to create photorealistic scenes, infinitely extendable sets and fantastical or realistic environments with the ability to reproduce real-world locations in which we can film live action talent or animated 3D characters.

“As far as trends go, we see virtual production becoming as ubiquitous a tool as the green screen, albeit far more sophisticated, immersive and qualitative.”

Peter Hibbit, Studio Manager, said: “High production values in our video content are really very important to us at Top Cat.

“The facilities we have in our in-house studio allow us to apply those rigorous standards to all our projects from a simple piece to camera to multi-cam immersive environments.

“The studio has a pure white double aspect curve which is great for applying post-production graphic pop ups.

“We also have a three sides and floor green screen where we can drop our subject into a simple backdrop or a more complex video or animated environment.

“We are very proud of our most recent addition to the studio, the 100-panel curving LED screen.

“The terms ‘wow factor’ and ‘awesome’ are very much overused but believe me, they apply here.

“This immersive and interactive environment allows our clients to see ‘in camera’ what the final content will look like, allows the talent the luxury of ‘being there’ and cuts post-production and turnaround time.

“There’s no better feeling than when our studio is buzzing with people and creativity, all coming together as a team to produce content we are all ultimately very proud of.”

Top Cat, which began life in Ross’ bedroom, now has an 18-strong team, including contractors, and an annual turnover of around £2 million.

A full service agency, its clients are across all sectors and businesses including retailers, broadband suppliers, tourism leisure & hospitality and passenger transport.

• topcatmediagroup.com/our-studio