Full Sail University Brings Real-World Productions to Campus Students

Full Sail University takes a real-world approach to teaching its students about filmmaking and production. That means creating up-to-date curriculum with input from industry pros, building project-based classes, and giving students hands-on opportunities on professional productions.  

Over the years, the university’s industry-standard facilities have hosted projects like films, commercials and promos, live broadcasts, music videos, and more. Students studying topics like film, film production, computer animation, show production, and creative writing have often worked as crew members on those projects or gained insight from on-set observations. 

Here’s a rundown of the facilities that have drawn the pros to Full Sail and some of the productions they’ve brought to campus.

Full Sail’s Campus Film Facilities 

Studio V1

Studio V1 is Full Sail’s virtual production studio, where creators can build virtual sets in a game engine and display them on a digital background during filming. Hundreds of LED tiles span the backdrop, floor, and ceiling, creating immersive worlds that can be changed with a few clicks. Full Sail has brought productions like independent films, commercials, and promos to the space, giving students and grads an opportunity for hands-on experience with the latest filmmaking technology. 

Dubb Stage

Full Sail’s Dub Stage is a Dolby-certified post-production facility where students can practice mixing dialogue, sound effects, ADR, foley, and music for a movie’s final edit. The room boasts an Avid console, Pro Tools HD systems, high-definition video projectors, a JBL theater surround sound system, and theater seats for private screenings. 

Backlot

Full Sail’s Hollywood-style backlot is an outdoor area with a variety of building facades for on-campus shoots. The space gives students and professionals many options for pre-built sets, including Seattle’s Pike Place Market, New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, New York City brownstones, a gas station, a pizzeria, a laundromat, a European-style café, and more.

Soundstages

Students and professionals can build sets and shoot scenes in the five soundstages on Full Sail’s campus. The soundstages have industry-standard lighting, video, and sound equipment, plus woodworking materials and other items for building and dressing sets. 

Industry Projects Filmed at Full Sail

Movies & Television

The Right Stuff, Disney+’s series about the early days of the US space program, was also filmed at Full Sail. Film students observed and learned from film professionals on set, and a number of graduates were hired to work on the series. 

The Requin, an aquatic horror movie produced by Full Sail grad Aaron B. Koontz’s company Paper Street Pictures, relied heavily on the university’s soundstages. Students helped build a custom villa as part of the set, and they also assisted during the shooting process. 

Space Pups, a family-friendly sci-fi movie about a group of aliens who disguise themselves as dogs, was filmed in Studio V1. Dozens of Full Sail grads worked in crew positions on the film, and student volunteers helped put together more than 3,000 sound cues in the Dub Stage during post-production. 

Weekly live broadcasts of the WWE’s NXT were produced on campus for several years. Full Sail students worked alongside the NXT crew and helped with makeup, live filming, production assistance, and other technical roles. Live segments for the reality show WWE Tough Enough were also filmed on Full Sail’s campus. 

Promos & Commercials

Local professional soccer teams Orlando City Soccer Club and Orlando Pride filmed their jersey reveal promos for the 2024-2025 season in Studio V1, and students from a variety of degree programs worked in roles like Production Assistant and Unreal Engine Operator. 

Full Sail collaborated with storyboard artist and animator Travis Blaise and Xencelabs to create an ad for the company’s Pen Display 24. Students studying film and computer animation helped create the set and worked on lighting and sound during the shoot. 

Show openings for ESPN’s College GameDay and Monday Night Football have also been filmed on Full Sail’s backlot and soundstages. 

Music Videos

A number of professional musicians have brought their talents to Full Sail over the years. A student crew worked behind the scenes during the filming of Boyz II Men’s video for their song “One More Dance” from their album Twenty. 

Recently, former MLB pitcher and current country artist Adam Wainwright did a live concert recording for his debut album at Full Sail. Students worked in production roles like camera operation, lighting, audio, and stage management during the performance.