A 50-meter diameter curved screen recreates in real time the main stadium of Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong (China) with tens of thousands of digital spectators cheering when there is a goal, creating a feeling like being in a real stadium.
The facility is operated by Versatile Media, a virtual production company in Hangzhou (China). Thanks to the application of artificial intelligence and virtual production technology, the film crew can access multiple scenes on the screen, combining virtual and real elements to recreate iconic space digitally.
Niu Cong, project coordinator, said that filming in the field is often expensive and complicated, especially for long periods of time. Virtual studios with large space and system advantages help meet creative needs, so the crew can "bring the stadium into the house".
According to him, more and more filmmakers choose to produce virtual images using AI. Previously, for historical films, the film crew spent three months building the scenery and then dismantling up to 80%. Now virtual assets are stored in the digital library for reuse, and lighting and coordination become more convenient.
Since it went into operation in July 2025, the Duc Thanh facility, Zhejiang province, has served more than 30 projects. In 2026 alone, nearly 10 businesses signed contracts to locate headquarters here. The center also expanded to short films created by AI, with 89 projects expected to be implemented this year on its own platform.
In Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, a large-scale water scene filming studio applies digital technology to create realistic waves for films. The system can simulate more than 200 wave types, 35m wide, up to 3m high, and 11m underwater depth. Water can be warmed to 32 degrees Celsius for 24 hours and all conditions are adjusted remotely. The filming studio has served many film crews, providing realistic water scenes without post-production special effects, and using diving robots to support filming.
In Chongqing, a digital setting workshop uses an automatic platform to change scenes with just a click of a mouse. Scene transition time is less than a second, helping to increase performance by 55% and reduce large set-up costs by 90%.
Mr. Wang Shu, of the Chinese Science Writers' Association, said that the application of AI not only innovates tools but also creates a revolution in the filmmaking process. According to him, AI-based film and television creation will continue to promote industry development towards efficiency and smarter.
