Andy Elliott is lead virtual studio developer at UK-based Dock10, a television facility where some of the United Kingdom’s best loved programs are made. “Based at the heart of Media City, our studios and specialist post services are used to make everything from popular prime-time shows to outstanding commercials and corporate films for leading brands.”

What does being a lead virtual studio developer entail?
It’s my responsibility to oversee design and development of all of Dock10’s virtual studio output. Virtual production for broadcast is a technique that combines real-time, Unreal Engine-rendered visuals with a green cyclorama and traditional broadcast techniques to create immersive, interactive and visually appealing broadcasts.

Dock10 Studios in Salford Quays in MediaCityUK. A greenscreen studio is being set up for a TV pilot show.

What would surprise people the most about what falls under that title?
Working in broadcast TV is nothing short of an adventure. In addition to the hands-on nature of the job, I find myself caught up in unexpected escapades that are a far cry from my job title — from transporting dinosaur poop to a studio to potentially being an extra in one of my favorite shows. I’m constantly expanding my job description… and perhaps my acting range as well.

What’s your favorite part of the job?
The variety of different content needed for productions. One day I might be working on a motion capture solution for children’s education; the next day I could be managing the development of an outdoor prehistoric forest, plus creatures. No two days are the same in this job.

What your least favorite?
While I have a natural inclination toward planning and control, working in broadcast has taught me to be adaptable and flexible in the face of unexpected challenges. While it may not always be possible to anticipate every scenario, I am fortunate to work with an exceptional operational team at Dock10, and together we thrive on tackling any unseen obstacles that arise.

What is your most productive time of the day?
First thing in the morning. I tend to skip breakfast and only drink black coffee until noon, so that’s probably why! The majority of our current clients are UK-based, so everyone is active between 9am and 6/7pm Monday through Friday, but studio and crew time can be booked anytime 24/7, so sometimes we need to be flexible in our working hours. Inevitably, in the run-up to a project deadline, my team and I put in some extra hours.

How did the COVID shutdown affect the way your studio has been working?
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on studio TV broadcasts around the world. The measures taken to contain the spread of the virus, such as social distancing, made it challenging for production crews to operate in the confined spaces of studios, leading to major disruptions in TV production.

Do you see some of these workflow changes remaining with us going forward?
Remote working in particular is here to stay. Almost all of our development is now done from home, apart from anything studio-based.

If you didn’t have this job, what would you be doing instead?
My background is in video game development, so I’m sure I would still be there. I left after 13 years for a change of scenery and anew challenge.

Dock10 Studios in Salford Quays

Why did you choose this profession? How early on did you know this would be your path?
I didn’t choose virtual studios for broadcast until I met Richard Wormwell, head of innovation at Dock10. He was looking for someone to deliver Dock10’s first virtual production, Match of the Day, and as I mentioned, I was looking for a new challenge. I visited Dock10 a couple of times, and everything felt good for me to switch industries.

Can you name some recent projects you have worked on?
We have been recording lots of virtual pilots yet to be commissioned. Before Christmas we recorded an episode of one of my favorite TV shows, which was a blast!

Name three pieces of technology you can’t live without.

• I was given a Garmin watch as a Christmas present, and I find it fascinating that so much data can be read from a human body from a couple of small lights flashing on a wrist.
• As the professional world has moved more toward remote working, the options for collaboration and cloud hosting have increased, so I find I use my phone for a lot more than talking and messaging. I can use Teams to keep in touch with everyone and OneDrive to work on documents from my phone, and everything is synced between different people and computers.
• My Google buds are a great piece of technology — I use them to listen to podcasts on my commute and while running, but also for remote meetings either on my phone or on my Windows laptop.

What social media channels do you follow?
Due to changes in the user base since its acquisition by Elon Musk, I have observed a noticeable decline in the reliability and usefulness of Twitter, prompting me to shift my focus toward LinkedIn for professional interactions.

I know a lot of creatives use Instagram, but it’s not something I’ve ever really used. Pinterest is very useful for collaborating on look dev for a show.

Do you listen to music while you work? Care to share your favorite music to work to?
It depends on the task. If I’m doing something creative, such as concept art or blocking out, I can easily listen to podcasts. (My favorites at the moment are Beef and Dairy Network, Athletico Mince and The Blindboy Podcast.) But if the task needs concentration and focus, such as blueprints in Unreal, I tend to put on something easy to ignore in the background, like jazz or classical.

What do you do to de-stress from it all?
In recent times, there has been a heightened emphasis on maintaining a healthy work/life balance and prioritizing mental health. As a result, it has become crucial to be mindful of workloads and anxiety related to project delivery.

Personally, I find playing relaxing video games such as Stardew Valley to be helpful in reducing stress levels and bringing down my heart rate, as noted by my Garmin!

Finally, any tips for others who are just starting out?
My main tip for anyone just starting out would be to spend as much time as possible in Unreal Engine. Most virtual studio solutions use Unreal Engine or are based on it — like Reality Engine by Zero Density, the product we use at Dock10. The more you know about the engine, the more you can create and offer to a client.