Women In Media welcomed our members, friends, and VIP’s for networking and nibbles, a tour, and a panel at XR Stages

We explored Virtual Production and new technologies impacting broadcast and entertainment. Presented by XR Studios — a leading-edge digital production company specializing in immersive technology — and hosted at their new XR-dedicated campus in Hollywood. This event featured a tour and demo of XR studios followed by a thorough conversation with top experts leading the vanguard of this “new frontier”. We met virtual production experts from XR Studios, Metastage, Fuse, and more at an evening of insightful and collaborative conversations about this exciting and growing space. We learned more about the techniques, programs, tips, and tricks needed to tackle your VP projects.

SPEAKERS

MEREDITH MEYER-NICHOLS, Vice President of Virtual Production and Innovation for Disney Television Studios.

CHRISTINA HELLER, the CEO of Metastage

SHELLY SABEL, Creative Producer at Fuse Technical Group

KATHRYN BRILLHART, cinematographer, director, and producer who leverages volumetric capture, visualization techniques, and supervising visual effects.

MODERATED BY

FRANCESCA BENEVENTO, Executive Producer, XR Studios

PRESENTATION

J.T. ROONEY, President at XR Studios

GALLERY

Photos by Ashly Covington

There will be an opportunity to network over drinks and nibbles with members and special guests. 

Ticketing

This is a ticketed event, open to the public. Scroll down to reserve your spot. Please wear a mask while inside and be prepared to show your proof of vaccination or 72 hour Covid test.

Moderator

FRANCESCA BENEVENTO, Executive Producer, XR Studios
With a background in Outside Sales and Advertising, Francesca’s knowledge of project management, client services, and full-service production brings both experience and expertise to the execution of XR productions.Francesca started her career in entertainment as a VIP greeter for concert arenas, which led her to specializing in Music/Artist Development for music tours and live productions under the prominent production solutions service provider, PRG. Here, Francesca was the account manager responsible for strategizing business development and hyper-focused marketing tactics for some of the largest festivals and tours, as well as educating clients about Augmented Reality and implementing this new technology into livestream projects. As the pandemic hit, Francesca joined XR Studios President J.T. Rooney to bring this innovative technology to the live entertainment industry. Their work together was pivotal in continuing productions in a safe and controlled environment, all while further developing virtual productions. Francesca is based in Los Angeles, where she leads the XR Studios marketing and sales team, and is currently working on expanding the newly established XR campus in Hollywood.

Panelists

CHRISTINA HELLER is the CEO of Metastage. Since its founding in 2018, Metastage has completed over 200 productions with major brands and award winning projects, including two Emmy nominations. Metastage is the first North American partner for the Microsoft Mixed Reality Capture technology. Prior to leading Metastage, Christina was the CEO of VR Playhouse, an immersive content company with immersive projects featured at SXSW, Sundance, and Festival de Cannes. She is a recipient of the Advanced Imaging Society’s Distinguished Leadership in Technology Award and was named in the Huffington Post as one of 5 women changing the virtual reality scene.

SHELLY SABEL is a NYC-based designer and creative director, who recently joined the team at Fuse. Her 25-year design career spans art, fashion, theater, dance, live events, immersive experiences, and virtual production. Her favorite projects involve storytelling through content and experiences that showcase emergent technologies and then getting those technologies into the hands of a broader spectrum of artists. As a creative producer, she communicates clients’ visions with technology teams to create strong communities and push the boundaries of what can be accomplished. Shelly holds an MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she is an adjunct faculty member.

KATHRYN BRILLHART is a Cinematographer, Director, and Producer who leverages volumetric capture, visualization techniques, and supervising visual effects to enhance projects.  For the past decade, she has helped to redefine best practices and standards in virtual production and has advocated for diversity in the film industry through her role on the Global Board of Directors for the Visual Effects Society.  Kathryn is a member of the Virtual Production Committee within the ASC Motion Imaging and Technology Council.  Her recent work and role as Virtual Production Supervisor, incorporates real-time game engine and virtual production techniques to achieve in-camera visual effects, including such projects as Warner Bros. Black Adam (2022), Netflix’s Rebel Moon (2023), and Amazon Studios’ Fallout (2023).  Learn more about Kathryn here.

MEREDITH MEYER-NICHOLS is the Vice President of Virtual Production and Innovation for Disney Television Studios. Meredith has more than 20 years of experience at the intersection of storytelling and technology, across visual effects, virtual production, and virtual and augmented reality. Prior to joining Disney, Meredith held roles as Head of Production, Executive Producer, and Producer at various companies including Framestore, Industrial Light & Magic, and Rising Sun Pictures. She also spent 8 years at Weta Digital where among her accomplishments she produced The Adventures of Tintin and oversaw the R&D, Software Engineering, and Pipeline departments. Selected film credits include: Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, Beauty and the Beast, and Elvis.

About XR Studios:

XR Studios is a leading-edge digital production company specializing in immersive technology for entertainment. Known for producing Extended Reality (XR) and Augmented Reality (AR) workflow solutions, XR Studios executes innovative experiences for some of the most renowned artists and brands across the globe. From concept to completion, XR Studios is a premier, full service solutions provider led by a network of creatives and industry leaders at the core of mixed reality technology for broadcast, live, and virtual productions.

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*Please be advised that all events hosted by Women in Media may be recorded and distributed for promotional purposes. Your voluntary participation in such events authorizes and acknowledges Women in Media’s exclusive rights of ownership and use of all recordings.

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