CoSTAR National Lab selects Creative Technology as its technology supplier
The CoSTAR National Lab has partnered with Creative Technology as its main studio technology supplier, responsible for delivering the audio-visual and technical systems for its flagship R&D Lab at Pinewood Studios.
Posted: 21 May 2026
The Convergent Media Production National Lab will open later in 2026, bringing the future of AI-driven screen and live performance to the heart of UK storytelling at Pinewood Studios. The facility will power UK and network-wide access to advanced compute, tools and production technologies.
With extensive experience supporting major film, broadcast and studio productions, including long-standing work at some of the world's most prestigious facilities, Creative Technology is a global provider of innovation, technology, project management and operational support to the live events and systems integration markets, delivering cutting-edge systems combined with robust engineering expertise.
We are delighted to work with Creative Technology to deliver the CoSTAR National Lab. Their proven expertise in delivering world-class technical solutions will be instrumental in establishing a pioneering environment for innovation, collaboration and experimentation. This innovative collaboration with Creative Technology is a significant step in ensuring the National Lab provides the advanced infrastructure, technical support and expertise needed to jointly empower the UK’s creative industries and support the next generation of creative breakthroughs.
Professor Ade Woolard, Interim Director and Director of Technology, CoSTAR National LabThe Convergent Media Production National Lab will open later in 2026, bringing the future of AI-driven screen and live performance to the heart of UK storytelling at Pinewood Studios. The facility will power UK and network-wide access to advanced compute, tools and production technologies.
With extensive experience supporting major film, broadcast and studio productions, including long-standing work at some of the world's most prestigious facilities, Creative Technology is a global provider of innovation, technology, project management and operational support to the live events and systems integration markets, delivering cutting-edge systems combined with robust engineering expertise.
The CoSTAR National Lab is the flagship of a nationwide network of creative R&D Labs. The CoSTAR Stage will provide a collaborative environment where academic researchers and industry partners can test, trial and refine new approaches to media production across film, television, live performance, immersive media and gaming. It will also serve as an industry-facing demonstration and testing space, strengthening collaboration between academia and the creative technology sector and supporting the iterative development of commercially viable applications.
Underpinned by a world-first converged infrastructure integrating SMPTE ST 2110 media networking, private 5G connectivity and advanced AI edge compute, the Lab will enable new approaches to experimentation, prototyping and production at scale. This will provide UK creatives with a highly flexible and scalable platform for both R&D and next-generation production workflows.
As the principal technology supplier, Creative Technology will work with CoSTAR and other suppliers to deliver a landmark, fully IP-native media production system, ensuring the studio is both highly scalable and adaptable for a wide range of users across the creative industries. The facility will feature a large modular LED wall and floor, high-end projection mapping, advanced motion tracking and close integration with CoSTAR’s extensive AI compute infrastructure.
We are thrilled about our partnership with CoSTAR on the new R&D stage at Pinewood Studios. This project has placed the latest technology at its core, giving Creative Technology the opportunity to put forward innovative, industry-leading recommendations, ensuring the stage is equipped with the most advanced and fit-for-purpose technology to meet every use case. We look forward to working closely with CoSTAR to help shape a space that truly empowers the UK's creative industries and inspires the next generation of storytellers and innovators.
This project is exactly the kind of work I’m genuinely excited about, building something that’s not just fit for today but really designed for what’s coming next. From the outset, there’s been a real shared ambition across the CoSTAR team to push boundaries and create something genuinely forward-looking. We’re bringing together the very highest-end, field-proven technology, systems that are trusted for rock-solid delivery on the world’s most demanding productions, and combining that with an architecture that gives the National Lab real room to grow, evolve and support new creative workflows as they emerge. Working with the CoSTAR team has been a real highlight; it’s a great group of people who are all invested in getting this right. I’m really looking forward to getting the system up and running, seeing the first projects come through the space later this year, and continuing to develop the collaboration as the Lab evolves.