Aston University and Metro-Boulot-Dodo Limited KTP 24_25 R1

Metro-Boulot-Dodo Limited, a company that currently relies on grants to run its virtual production studio, is building a second, commercial business model to sell its services directly to film and television clients. Virtual production—where filmmakers use real-time computer graphics and giant LED screens on set instead of green screens—is expensive and technically demanding. Most small studios cannot afford the equipment or the expertise. MBD has the kit and the know-how but lacks a way to charge for it without losing its grant funding. This project, a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Aston University, will design a companion business model that lets MBD keep its grants-based work while also selling virtual production services on the open market. If the model works, MBD could become a viable commercial studio, offering smaller productions access to high-end virtual production that is currently reserved for big-budget films. The immediate impact is on MBD’s survival as a business. Beyond that, the model could serve as a template for other grant-dependent creative companies trying to commercialise their technical capabilities without abandoning their original mission.