Manitoba is financially supporting the first-ever virtual production training studio in Winnipeg to the tune of $1.5 million, Economic Development, Investment and Trade Minister Cliff Cullen announced Monday.
“Our government is proud to make strategic investments to continue supporting the growth of the interactive digital media and film industries, which are among the fastest-growing sectors of the provincial economy,” said Cullen.
The studio is called StudioLab XR and it’s a 460-square-metre virtual production studio in downtown Winnipeg that includes production space and a classroom with new technology.
“This project will create good paying jobs, establish Manitoba as an industry leader in Canada, and attract new domestic and international productions to the province,” Cullen added.
The funding will be managed by New Media Manitoba (NMM), a non-profit industry group.
“Manitoba’s interactive digital media sector continues to push the boundaries of innovation and is growing exponentially, and New Media Manitoba is excited to launch StudioLab XR, the province’s first facility dedicated to providing extended reality technology,” said Louie Ghiz, executive director of NMM.
“This project is a testament to our belief in the incredible things they will produce with cutting-edge tools and industry-leading training.
“The future opportunities created by this studio will result in hundreds of new content-creation jobs and we are thrilled to be training Manitobans for the techno-creative careers of the future.”
The project is expected to create 100 net new indirect jobs, provide industry training to more than 250 individuals and generate an estimated $3.1 million in revenue over the three-year project, the minister noted.
—with files from The Canadian Press
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