College of Communication, Architecture + the Arts (CARTA) Teams Up with Bridgegate Pictures to Create STAR Labs, Studio for Altered Reality
MIAMI - March 22, 2018 - FIU's College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA) has partnered with Hollywood's premier Virtual Reality purveyor, Bridgegate Pictures, to create STAR Labs, the Studio for Altered Reality. Brian Schriner, Dean of CARTA, and Lee Caplin, Bridgegate Pictures CEO, crafted the program, which is slated to open in Fall 2018 at FIU's Biscayne Bay Campus. CARTA has dedicated a portion of the communications building to house a lab, theater, classrooms and offices. Bridgegate Pictures will design, construct and operate the facility.
"According to a recent estimate by Goldman Sachs, AR and VR are expected to grow into a $95 billion market by 2025", "a range of major products came to market in 2016 from companies including Oculus VR, Sony and Google. Since it bought Oculus for $2.1 billion, Facebook has acquired 11 AR/VR companies, underscoring the company's view that VR and AR will form the next frontier. Due to the burgeoning virtual reality industry, the creation of a studio for altered reality has tremendous educational value.
No stranger to FIU, Mr. Caplin serves on the Dean's Advisory Board. In addition to co-founding Penske Media Corporation – owner and operator of iconic brands like Variety Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine & Women's Wear Daily – Caplin is also responsible for various productions, including Sony's Academy Award nominated film "Ali," starring Will Smith, and HBO's "True Detective."
Content and VR storytelling are converging far beyond the traditional channels in immersive and interactive experiences. Bridgegate VR has been on the cutting edge of these technologies since the beginning – from the early days of capture to working with digital and mobile companies in building content for augmented reality and interactive experiences to the present day of leading VR cinematic storytelling opportunities. They have completed 5 cinematic VR features – "The Recall VR Abduction" with Wesley Snipes and RJ Mitte, filmed in the first person point-of-view, and released on Oculus June 2017; "The Humanity Bureau" with Nicolas Cage, released on March 6th, 2018; "Distorted" with John Cusack and Christina Ricci, due to be released in May 2018; "Speed Kills" a 67 minute long, award winning VR feature starring John Travolta, and Katheryn Winnick, that is due to be released on March 11th, 2018.
Bridgegate Pictures President & Executive Producer, Guy Griffithe, underscored Bridgegate's intent to teach the "full gamut of the creative, administrative & business sides of the virtual reality world." Bridgegate Pictures CTO and Director, Travis Cloyd, stated that, "students will be mentored and provided with hands-on internship opportunities to prepare them for employment in this vital new component of the business of communicating ideas."
ABOUT BRIDGEGATE PICTURES
Bridgegate Pictures is an innovative technology company that also produces star driven cinematic VR and feature content for the foreign and domestic markets. Bringing forth new age technology has recently brought the company awards in the virtual reality world for its success in VR cinematic feature content. Bridgegate Pictures operates as an integrated film company, located in the United States. The company engages in the financing and development of various feature films for global distribution in the theatrical motion picture markets and independent films that have domestic and international appeal, as well as giving a voice to the important stories needing to be heard. The company utilizes its collective expertise and network to increase the outcome of their client's motion picture needs. Through their knowledge in finance solutions, expert advisory in production, marketing and distribution, Bridgegate Pictures guarantees to secure their clients among the leaders in the entertainment industry.
For further information visit: https://www.bridgegatepictures.com
ABOUT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Florida International University (FIU) is classified by Carnegie as an R1: Doctoral Universities—Highest Research Activity and recognized as a Carnegie Community Engaged university. It is a public research university, with colleges and schools that offer 196 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, computer science, international relations, architecture, law, and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes almost $9 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is "Worlds Ahead" in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded more than 220,000 degrees and enrolls more than 55,000 students in two campuses and three centers, including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU's Medina Aquarius Program houses the Aquarius Reef Base, a unique underwater research facility in the Florida Keys. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA with more than 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports.
For further information visit: https://www.fiu.edu
ABOUT FIU College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts
The College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA) provides students with the distinct experience of working closely with an award-winning faculty in nationally ranked accredited programs in the heart of Miami, North Miami, Miami Beach, and Wynwood—four of the country's most vibrant, diverse, and creative cities. Focused on its engaged mission of driving the information, innovation, and cultural economy of South Florida and beyond, CARTA is committed to a trans-disciplinary curriculum that prepares graduates for meaningful careers and leadership in their chosen professions.
For further information visit: http://carta.fiu.edu
Company Name: Howard R. Miller Communications
Contact Person: Howard Miller
Address:3009 NE Quayside Lane
Website: https://www.bridgegatepictures.com/